Red is classy, bold and so sophisticated, but it must be worn right to pull it off. Here are some general tips to make sure that you look amazing in the red lipstick.

Know what shade is right for you. There are many colour shades suited for various skin types. A safe and general rule is that women with fair skin should lean toward true reds with no orangey tones, while medium-skinned women look best in pinkish or orangey reds. Dark-skinned women should go for darker shades and even sport purple and wine-coloured hues of red.

Bring back the lip liner. The great thing about using lip liner with red lipstick is that you won’t see it like you will when wearing other shades, if you make sure to match up the lip liner to your lipstick correctly. The point of using lip liner with red lipstick is so it locks the lipstick on your lips and reduces smudging.

Keep it off your teeth. To prevent this, be sure to blot your lips, and try an old trick well known to women everywhere. Insert a clean finger into your mouth, close your lips around it, and then pull the finger out. You’ll get rid of the excess lipstick found on the inside of your lips this way.

Put away the pink. Whatever you do, don’t wear anything pink with red lipstick. This is a huge fashion no-no, and a red lipstick nightmare. This is a terrible clash of colours and will take away from the simple bold effects red can offer and seem overstated and tacky instead.

Tone the rest down. When wearing red lipstick, neutral colours are best. For example, red lipstick pairs well with light brown eyeshadow. Don’t wear rosy red blush with red lipstick, but go with a softer blush shade. Make sure you don’t overstate your eyeliner and embrace a good mascara.

And there you have it ladies, once you follow these general guidelines you should be good to go with your best red.