Who is red-y to embrace red lipstick at our age? Some say women over 50 should eschew red lipstick but I say women over 50 should eschew being told what to do! Guidelines are fine but rules are meant to be broken, darlings!

So, let’s get red-hot with lips this spring, shall we? When it comes to selecting a hue that suits you, nothing is more important than keeping red under control. Meaning that no matter your age, your skin tone, or which shade you choose, red lipstick that ends up on your teeth, your chin, or highlighting the vertical lip lines you’ve been trying to minimize is a fashion faux pas.

Preparing Your Lips for Bold Color Choices

Ready lips for every day, no matter what color lipstick you’ll be wearing, by exfoliating lips to remove dry skin and moisturizing with an emollient lip balm. Swiping on a quick slick of balm before bedtime is a great way to keep lips prepped and pretty for the morning.

I like Elite Therapeutics Lip Balm ($6 at elitetherapeutics.com). It’s richly hydrating, thanks to Vitamin E and manuka honey, among other ingredients, and free of parabens and fragrances.

While I’m not sure that age should dictate the hue of your lipstick, I do know that, as we age, fine lines and hyper-pigmentation begin to show around the mouth.

Dermelect Cosmeceuticals makes a product called Smooth Upper Lip and Perioral Anti-Aging Treatment, which is, pun intended, a mouthful. The product aims to reduce all the signs of upper-lip aging, including softening vertical lines; get it for $38 at skinstore.com.

In the morning, or anytime you are ready to apply lipstick, start by treating lips to a layer of foundation.

Next, apply lipstick and blot it with a cotton ball dusted in face powder.

Now, and only now, apply lip liner to the lip line and then fill in the remainder of lips for a red that lasts all day and doesn’t feather into fine lines.

Still Not Sure That Red Lips are Right for You?

Here’s some celebrity inspiration via Iris Apfel, Christie Brinkley, Madonna, and Susan Sarandon. Plus, check out the “real women” just like us who also look stunning in red at every age!

Image Source: 1, 2, 3, 4

Share your lip shades either in the comments below or on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Let’s bloom together, darlings!

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