Red Hot!

It's happened. It has finally happened! I have finally found the perfect red lipstick! Any woman will tell you that finding her perfect red lip color is darn near impossible, and for us brown-skinned beauties it can be even more difficult. I believe that every woman must have a classic red lipstick or gloss in her makeup arsenal to help her conjure up her inner bombshell or uptown sophisticate. When classic stunners like Dorothy Dandridge , Eartha Kitt or Dianne Carroll needed to up their glamour factor, their trusty red lipstick was what they always reached for.

I though I had found my perfect red in Kevin Aucoin's TheLiquid Lipstick in Aquarougue after I happened past his counter in Henri Bendel last spring. Don't get me wrong. Aquarouge is a shade of red so deep and rich and sexy, I swear, makeup artists from other counters gathered 'round to admire my crimson pout. I immediately purchased it, of course, but later felt that the overtly sexy glossiness that Mr. Aucoin's was giving me wasn't exactly what I had been looking for; I had been looking for something a little less flamboyant. A little more classic. I had been looking for matte.

I intensified my search efforts over the last few months, so imagine my delight when on (yet another) recent trip to Sephora I happened upon my perfect shade of red lipstick. I don't know what made me make such a beeline for the Nars display, but I am so glad I did. I was instantly drawn to Nars Lipstick in Fire Down Below. I usually avoid trying on the lipstick/gloss testers at Sephora (maybe I'm some kind of hypochondriach, but I swear I get an instant sore throat), but in my excitement I threw caution to the wind. After dousing the tester with alcohol and slicing off a chunk with a q-tip, I hastily applied the color to my lips. It was the most fabulous shade of deep, true, blood red I'd ever worn. I could barely contain my excitement. I made for the register like a parent holding the last Cabbage Patch doll circa Christmas '83, and fought the urge to double back for a second and third "back-up" tube. Fire (yes, that's what I call her) and I are getting along famously. I'm sure she will be making many appearances in '09!

Happy New Year!

Kevin Aucoin The Liquid Lipstick and Nars Lipstick are both available at Sephora.com

UPDATE: Check out Essence.com's photo gallery of Black Hollywood celebs rocking ruby lips!