The red lip is the most classic makeup look in the book. Marilyn Monroe; Grace Kelly–there is something universally appealing about the striking lip colour. Of course, certain celebrities like Dita von Teese and Gwen Stefani have developed their personal style around the red lip, and can always be counted on to execute it perfectly.

But many other stars have also been sporting the vibrant shade this spring: Kirsten Dunst and Liv Tyler used semi-matte reds to add interest to their casual style at informal events. Diane Kruger rocked a red lip and little other makeup for a striking red carpet look, and Miranda Kerr vamped it up with a high gloss red during an appearance in Seoul.

Want to steal this dramatic celeb look? With a few simple steps, it’s really easy to make red lips wearable. And remember, the super precise red lip from the pinup girl days isn’t the goal! The modern red lip is less precise and a little more ‘blurred’ around the edges.

The first step is finding the right shade of red for your skintone. There are blue- and orange-based reds, and you can test shades by swiping them on your fingertips, and then holding your fingers up to your lips (you don’t want to put testers directly on your mouth!).

Once you find the perfect shade, prime your lips for a smooth base.

Next, use a brush to apply the colour starting at the middle of your lips and moving out to the edges. Using a brush helps you stay within the lines of your lips.

Then, blot your lips with a tissue and reapply the colour again with your brush. The blotting and reapplying process will help the colour stay vibrant for hours.

Finally, use the classic pointer finger through your lips trick to make sure you don’t get red lipstick on your teeth.

Keep the rest of your makeup super simple to avoid looking too made up.

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