THE BEST RED LIPSTICKS AT THE DRUGSTORE

Swatches Top to Bottom: Coral-line, Stoplight Red, 895 HD Poppy, 95 Red Orange, Crimson Cat, 685 Craving Coral, 690 Siren In Scarlet, 800 Dynamite Red, 795 Smoking Red, 500 Take The Stage.

Red lipstick is arguably the most iconic makeup product of all time. It is synonymous with femininity, classic elegance, & movie star glamour. There are so many variations of the shade that it can be a bit daunting trying to find your perfect red. My personal favourites are orange based reds. I find them to be the most flattering on my warm toned skin, though the main downfall is that they can tend to make your teeth appear more yellow. Blue based reds will make your teeth look whiter. 

My favourite of the bunch: Rimmel London's The Only One Matte Lipstick in the shade Take The Stage (Pictured holding Sonia Kashuk 95 Red Orange)

Every cosmetic brand carries at least one shade of red lipstick, & the most iconic red is arguably MAC's Ruby Woo. But you don't have to break the bank to get the look, the drugstore of late has been stepping up its game, & there are some gems to found, colour-wise & formula-wise. 

Here are some of my faves:

RIMMEL LONDON The Only 1 Matte Lipstick in 500 Take The Stage - Classic, blue based Red in a Matte Finish. Comfortable on the lips, hydrating, does not feel Matte but looks very Matte on the lips. This shade reminds me of MAC's Ruby Woo. www.rimmel.com

$6.99 USD $7.98 CAN MAYBELLINE Color Sensational Loaded Bolds Lipstick in 795 Smoking Red - The deepest Red in the group, bordering on burgundy. The Bolds formula has a Matte Finish with intense pigmentation. 800 Dynamite Red - Classic Red with neutral undertones. Maybelline.com $7.49 USD Maybelline.ca $9.99 CAN MAYBELLINE Color Sensational The Mattes Lipstick in 690 Siren In Scarlet - Bright cherry red. This is another very comfortable Matte formula. Very creamy and hydrating on the lips. More of a Satin Matte Finish. 685 Craving Coral - Orange based Red. Maybelline.com $7.49 USD Maybelline.ca $9.99 CAN COVERGIRL Katy Kat Matte Lipstick in Crimson Cat - The pin up Red from Katy Perry's collab with CoverGirl. Satin Matte Finish. CoverGirl.ca $8.47 CAN CoverGirl.com $7.99 USD SONIA KASHUK Satin Luxe Lip Color in 95 Red Orange - True orange red. My favourite type of Red! This one is a Satin Finish and truly looks and feels like a high end lipstick. Pigmented and creamy. Target.com $9.99 USD REVLON Ultra HD Lipstick in 895 HD Poppy - Orange based red. Revlon advertises this as a gel formula, meaning it shouldn't feel as heavy on the lips as a traditional wax based lipstick formula. It is very light, but packs quite a punch in the pigmentation department. Lightly hydrating. Revlon.com Revlon.ca WET N WILD Mega Last Lipstick in 911D Stoplight Red - Another classic, cherry red. Wet n Wild's Mega Last lipsticks are some of the best value for your money. They have rich pigmentation, amazing staying power, and boast some of the best drugstore dupes on the market. The only downside is that they can be a tad drying on the lips as the formula isn't as creamy as the others I've mentioned. This does help it to stay on the lips longer however. Amazing shade range. 909D Coral-ine - Another Orange based red. One of my favourites from the Mega Last line. Wetnwildbeauty.com $2.49 USD

Which is your favourite red?