10 Best Red Lipsticks of All Time, According to Celebrity Makeup Artists
Iconic fiery shades worn by your favorite stars, like Taylor Swift.
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A classic red lipstick never goes out of style. Pairing well with red-centric beauty trends like cowboy copper hair and crimson accessories, the timeless lip leaves an effortless yet bold stamp of color. But anyone who has dared try a red lip knows all too well that it's not as easy finding the right shade for you. After all, a red lip can range from crisp apple hues to punchy orange-reds.
So, our Good Housekeeping beauty editors parted the Red Sea and handpicked the most popular lipsticks out there. We even chatted with celebrity makeup artists for the lowdown on the very reds that grace your favorite celebrities' lips. Some of our go-to shades are so iconic that you probably already know a few of them by name, from Dior's 999 to MAC's Ruby Woo. (The latter is rumored to be Taylor Swift's go-to.)
Our top picks:
The golden rule when choosing red lipstick is that orange undertones look best with warm skin tones, blue undertones with cool skin tones and deeper burgundy with dark skin, suggests makeup artist Grace Lee. "If you have a neutral skin tone, then you're most likely going to look good in all of the reds," adds celebrity makeup artist Jamie Greenberg. A simple way to determine your skin tone is by looking at your jewelry. "If you look better in gold jewelry, you’re most likely warm-toned; if you look better in silver jewelry, you're most likely cool-toned; and if you look good in both, then you’re neutral," she says.
Once you find that perfect red lipstick, now comes the tricky part: application. There's more room for error when drawing on a red lip. Greenberg's expert tip: "Put concealer around the lip to prevent it from bleeding. You can also blot in between layers with a tissue or with even translucent powder. This will help the product stay in place longer." Still not quite sure if red lips are your thing? You can look to our guides on the best nude lipstick and the best fall lipstick colors.
Pros
- Great for warm skin tones
- Non-drying, smooth matte finish
- Crisp, bright color
Cons
- Pricey
Considered the Holy Grail of red lipstick shades by professional makeup artists, celebrities and beauty editors, the Chanel in Rouge Feu is a beauty vanity classic.
"It's the perfect true red with hints of orange that looks striking on skin and instantly brightens your face," says one GH beauty editor."Chanel's formula is the rare matte finish that feels comfortable and not drying — and has a hint of dimension (hence the "velvet" in the name), so it doesn't look flat or cakey," she says.
The orange-red pigment complements those with Asian skin, olive skin or brown skin. It is, however, one of the pricier red lips out there.
Pros
- Long-lasting
- Affordably priced
Cons
- Takes a minute to dry down
Maybelline's red liquid lip color wows at just as impressive a price. One GH beauty editor, who has tested an endless supply of lipsticks through her 6+ year tenure, recommends the drugstore red lipstick to "absolutely everyone."
It checks all the boxes for a perfect red: "I can swipe it on in the morning and know that it will last throughout the day no matter what I do: hot yoga, dinner dates and while babysitting my baby cousins — and it does not budge," she says. Just don't rush out after applying — Amazon shoppers noted that it takes a minute to dry down and until then, it's a little sticky.
Pros
- Flatters deep skin tones
- Highly pigmented opaque finish
Cons
- May fade
Looking for the It Girl red? If you ask makeup artists for the ultimate opaque red, there is a good chance they will say MAC's "Ruby Woo." The bold pigment looks universally flattering, especially on dark skin tones. Greenberg recommends the classic, saying, "The undertones are more blue and has a nice matte finish."
One GH beauty editor raves about her love for the lipstick, too: "This red feels soft on lips yet has good staying power and hits that just-right mix of cool and warm undertones that is so flattering." Deputy Editor Jessica Teich adds, "MAC’s classic bullet formula goes on smooth and has the best scent." While editors and reviewers alike raved about its intensity, some weren't as impressed by its staying power.
Pros
- Rich, true red shade
- Long-lasting wear
Cons
- Not completely transfer-proof
"Another color I can never quit is Dior's 999," says Greenberg. Celebrities like Natalie Portman and Nina Dobrev have found a favorite in Dior's classic red lipstick shade Rouge 999 named after Christian Dior's lucky number 9. It even boasts up to 16 hours of wear time, stamping on a velvety true red that pops on neutral undertones.
"It feels weightless on my lips, although it would still look amazing dressed up for a less casual evening affair," one Sephora reviewer wrote. Once you run out, you can even refill the lipstick holder. Other reviewers note that while long-wearing, it's not entirely transfer-proof.
Pros
- Rich, creamy color
- Bargain price
Cons
- Need more coats for color payoff
This Revlon drugstore star has been a cult classic for decades. Besides its iconic vivid cherry hue, the formula is supercharged with vitamin E and avocado to keep lips lush, not dry or cakey.
"Nothing else glides on or feels as good on my lips," a Walmart reviewer said. "I love the fact that it's very creamy and doesn't dry out my lips: It's long wearing and doesn't become gummy or sticky throughout the day," another raved. "Plus, the price can't be beat!"
Others appreciated how it the creamy texture glided onto skin, though they noted it could go on slightly sheer, so multiple coats were needed.
L'Oréal Paris Age Perfect Luminous Hydrating Lipstick in Flaming Carmin
L'Oréal Paris Age Perfect Luminous Hydrating Lipstick in Flaming Carmin
Pros
- Light, softening formula
- Resists feathering
- Great value
Cons
- Not quite as transfer-proof
Tiptoe your way into full-on red lipstick with L'Oréal Paris's lighter, more forgiving formula, a GH Beauty Award winner. It has a treatment serum core that contains hydrators like jojoba oil and vitamin E. In a clinical study, the lipstick kept lips moisturized for nine hours, and 81% of users found that it didn’t feather, per GH Beauty Lab data evaluation.
Given its hydrating finish, the color may budge when eating and drinking. For a more potent pout, we also loved the brand's Intense Volume Matte Lipstick, which also won a GH Beauty Award; it layers on a rich, velvety red that neither feathers nor bleeds.
Pros
- True apple red color
- Feels light on lips
- Long-lasting
Cons
- Not transfer-proof
- May take longer to dry
Instantly energize your face with a slick of this bright, true apple red. While it may feel weightless on lips, it has strong staying power, remaining smooth and vibrant from morning 'til night. Teich's take: "A vibrant, bright yet timeless, classic red. I love the elegant packaging — it looks great on a vanity."
Pro tip: Shake it before you use it and keep in mind that a little bit goes a long way. "The texture is a little thinner than other liquid lipsticks and takes a bit longer to dry, which may be trickier for beginners to master," she adds. "And it isn’t totally transfer-proof. I still wear it and love it year-round, though!"
Pros
- Bold, cherry red color
- Resists transfer
- Great value
Cons
- Texture can build on lips
A winner of the GH Beauty Lab's liquid lipstick test, NYX's classic red cherry shade proved to have serious staying power. Thanks to its pointed sponge-tip wand, the formula (in 24 shades) was best with testers for precise, even application. It also ranked highly for resisting transfer in Beauty Lab digital imaging evaluation after users sipped hot drinks. "The color stayed on through a meal!" raved one tester.
Though stunning, its unique suede finish left some online reviewers with a bit of texture. "I've noticed that I have to take it off and reapply completely as opposed to just adding more since it's so thick feeling," they wrote.
Pros
- Rich blue-red shade
- Easy-to-use applicator
- Smudge resistant and non-drying
Cons
- Dry lips may need to layer a lip balm before applying
Love a blue-based red lipstick? This Anastasia Beverly Hills formula is a "forever go-to" of Teich, who has a light-medium skin tone with neutral undertones. The rounded applicator makes it easy to trace lips evenly for a smooth, saturated finish. Teich describes the red shade as the perfect blue-red that's color-rich, non-drying and transfer-resistant. Proof: "I accidentally wore it to a dental cleaning once (oops) and it didn't smudge," she raves. "It doesn’t make lips look flakey or dry, but lips can feel a bit parched after a full day of wear."
Pros
- Precise application
- Balanced red shade
Cons
- Needs to be sharpened
Prefer a pencil? This insider favorite NARS matte crayon gives you the same convenience of a precise pencil with the payoff of a lush lipstick. Considered to be universally flattering, the famed shade is the perfect balance of both a warm and cool-toned red. Our beauty director applauded its staying power. "These are easy to draw on lips and the color lasts even through eating and drinking," she notes. "One drawback is that it needs to be sharpened with a large sharpener."
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