• Tore lipstick - and perfume - in the refrigerator. It'll last longer.
• Never use a tester on your lips - it's unhygienic. Test lipstick on your fingertips instead of the back of your hand - the colors and texture are closer to that of your lips.
• If you want your lipstick to last, use pencil first as a base. Outline and colour in your lips with pencil (nude, if your lipstick shade is light) and slick your lipstick on top.
• Your lips will also look softer, 'smudgier,' and less defined if you don't use pencils or lip liners.
• To avoid lipstick on your teeth, after application, run your index finger through the middle of your lips and pull it back out. The excess will come off on your finger, not your teeth.
• In an emergency make-up situation, your lipstick can double as blusher. (But never use blusher on your lips.)
• Outline your lips in pencil before you apply lipstick or gloss if you don't want your lipstick to feather.
• Women over 50 usually look better with a cream lipstick rather than a matte or gloss. Every bit of moisture helps.
• If your lipstick shade turns out to be brighter than you thought it would be, colour in your lips with a pencil a few shades darker than your lipstick (for instance, brown pencil under dark red lipstick) and layer the lipstick on top. Or coat the lipstick with a darker lip gloss, which will turn down the heat.

To begin finding the perfect red lip color, match the appropriate red with individual skin tone:

Cool Skin Tones
· Look for reds with pink, purple or blue undertones.

Warm Skin Tones
· Are enhanced by yellow and orange reds.

Neutral Skin Tones
· Choose a red with brown undertones.

A brick red lip color is considered a universal red and can flatter all skin tones.

To Apply Red Lipstick:

• Start with a Vitamin E stick or lip balm to prevent color from caking and looking dry.
• Use a neutral colored lip liner or one in a shade that’s closest to natural lip color. Line all around to prevent lip color from bleeding.
• Using a lip brush containing natural hairs, apply one coat of color. Blot with a clean tissue and apply a second coat.

To make red lip color sheer – mix equal parts lip color with clear lip-gloss or lip balm. Apply with a lip brush and blot color. Follow with a light coat of lip-gloss.