How to Wear a Bright Lipstick & Why

By adminApril 14, 2022

Spring is in full swing and warm weather is finally here! Do you know what looks great in warm weather? Bright lips!

Bright lips are popular during Spring and Summer and for good reason. So today it’s all about this very popular lip trend. Let's discuss "why" and "how-to" wear a bright lipstick.

I love answering these common questions and sharing some tips, and of course, share some amazing Red Apple Lipstick suggestions.

Why Should You Wear Bright Lipstick?

Done correctly, a bright lip color can take your look to another level. It can make a woman look modern, fresh, stylish, and confident.

Spring and Summer are also the best time to wear bright lips since brighter colors are suited best for warmer weather.

A bright lipstick may seem intimidating, especially if you are not used to wearing much color let alone brighter lip colors. But trust me, you can totally do it!

How to Wear Bright Lipstick Like You Know What You Are Doing.

When wearing bright lipstick your lips will be the main focus of your look. I like to keep the rest of my makeup simple. Clothing should be either Neutral colored clothing or match the lipstick in some way.

A light touch of bronzer, mascara, and lipstick would be sufficient. However, if you want a more put-together look you can apply a lightweight base (tinted moisturizer or a powder foundation are great choices for warmer weather) along with a light application of blush.

Go with a neutral color blush, one that is not too bright and doesn’t clash with your lip color. If you want to do eye makeup, it is best to keep it simple and stay with neutral colors.

One of my favorite ways to wear a bright lipstick is to simply just do a base color all over the lids (Porcelain and Hush Hush eyeshadows are perfect base colors), a bit of eyeliner, and mascara on the eyes, along with a light application of bronzer and blush. For an even simpler look, I just apply bronzer, mascara, and lipstick.

7 Useful Tips To Feeling Confident In A Bright Lipstick

Tip 1. Choose a Lipstick Color you love!

A fast way to evaluate lipstick colors is to look at the colors of your closet. Is there a particular color you love in your clothes over any other? Find a shade that matches or harmonizes with colors that make you feel good.

Tip 2. Prepare Your Lips

Exfoliate your lips. Bright lipstick brings the focus to your lips, so make sure to remove any dry skin that could be noticeable. Then, before applying your lip color, apply lip balm to moisturize the lips giving you a smooth base. The Rallye Balm & Exfoliate Duo are perfect for prepping the lips! You can also purchase them separately.

Image of Rallye Balm and Exfoliate stick duo by Red Apple Lipstick standing side by side with the cap off to show color/texture

Rallye Balm & Exfoliate Duo by Red Apple Lipstick

Tip 3. Line Your Lips

This makes application easier and less messy since it will help define the edge of the lips. A good liner to use would match your lip color, but that can be hard to find at times. The next best thing is to use a nude color pencil to line the outside of the lips, it’s less harsh looking and won't alter the color of the lipstick. Natural lip liner is the perfect pinky-brown nude shade that coordinates with almost any lipstick.

Natural Lip Pencil by Red Apple Lipstick

Tip 4: Find a lipstick shade that works for you

As mentioned previously, choose a color range that you like. There are many color ranges to choose from - pinks, reds, purples, corals, oranges, to name a few. After choosing a color range, now you need to choose a shade in that color range.

Check a Lipstick Shade Finder. They go more in-depth on how to find the right color lipstick for your skin tone and undertone.

The Best Pink Lipstick for Your Skin Tone and The Best Red Lipstick for Your Skin Tone, for example, would be great to take a look at.

In general warm skin tones will look the best with bright colors that have warmer undertones, and cool skin tones will look best with bright lipstick colors that have cooler undertones.

Some great RAL lipstick color choices:

Brazilliant by Red Apple Lipstick

A beautiful light shimmery pink with tangerine undertones. Perfect for skin tones with warm undertones. Not overly bright - perfect for lighter skin tones or those that aren't comfortable with something too bright.

Image of up close lipstick bullet by Red Apple Lipstick in the shade called Coral Crush. Coral Crush is the epitome of a true coral color of pink and orange.

Coral Crush by Red Apple Lipstick

A true, classic, coral color of pink and orange.

Image of up close lipstick bullet in the shade called Hibiskiss. Hibiskiss is a luscious and vibrant true raspberry color. A deep, berry pink with a hint of red

Hibiscus by Red Apple Lipstick

A deep, berry pink with a hint of red to it, a true raspberry color. Wear it bold or simply as a stain. Looks great on any skin tone.

Image of lady with long dark hair, dark brows and eyes and medium skin tone. She is wearing Hibiskiss lipstick, Gotta Glow Blush with Porcelain and Sundrop Bronzer on the eyelids by Red Apple Lipstick

Noemi is wearing Hibiscus lipstick on the lips; Gotta Glow blush; and Porcelain eyeshadow & Sundrop Bronzer on the eyes.

Image of up close lipstick bullet in the shade called Let's Flamingle. Let’s Flamingle is a tropical hot pink with a coral cast. While this lipstick is a hot pink, it’s on the softer side, making this sweet and sassy lipstick more versatile and not overly bright

Let's Flamingle by Red Apple Lipstick

Tropical hot pink with a coral cast. Beautiful! While it is hot pink, it’s a softer shade which makes it not overly bright.

Image of up close lipstick bullet in the shade called Love My Kiss. Love My Kiss is a perfect middle ground between pink and red. It’s a beautiful blend that gives you a gorgeous color. It works with most skin tones and flatters women of all ages. This lipstick has subtle shimmer, a lovely shine, wears down evenly, and it smells heavenly

Love My Kiss by Red Apple Lipstick

A perfect middle ground between pink and red. This color works great with most skin tones.

Image of lady with long dark hair, dark eyes and brows with medium skin tone. She is wearing Love My Kiss Lipstick, Coy Blush and Sundrop Bronzer on her complexion. Porcelain eyeshadow along with a little bronzer on the lid too and The Lash Project Mascara by Red Apple Lipstick

Noemi is wearing Love My Kiss lipstick on the lips; Coy blush & Sundrop Bronzer on the complexion; Porcelain eyeshadow a bit of Sundrop Bronzer on the lids, and The Lash Project mascara.

Image of up close lipstick bullet in the shade called Oh Snapdragon. Oh, Snapdragon is a soft blossom pink lipstick with cool-undertones of lavender that gives your lips a great kiss of color. The creamy, full coverage color of Oh, Snapdragon! is soft but colorful enough to keep this lipstick from looking too pastel or washed out

Oh Snapdragon by Red Apple Lipstick

Soft blossom pink with cool undertones of lavender, a colorful yet soft full-coverage color. This one is great for those with cool and neutral undertones.

Image of up close lipstick bullet in the shade called Petal To The Metal. Petal To The Metal is a creamy, pigmented rosy/mauve medium pink that has a slight shimmer to it and hints of berry

Petal To The Metal by Red Apple Lipstick

Rosy/mauve medium pink has a warm overtone with a cool undertone, making this shade perfect for any undertone.

Red Apple Red by Red Apple Lipstick

A signature red, light and bright with a slight pink undertone. This glamorous red is super comfortable on the lips being a creamy and moisturizing formula, perfect for all-day wear. Wear it bold for an attention-grabbing red lip or you can apply it softer as a subtle stain.

Image of up close lipstick bullet in the shade called Risque by Red Apple Lipstick. This warm-toned red is bright and beautiful but can be worn bold with more than one coat. It has orange undertones in it vs. blue undertones (like Red Apple Red). If you have warm or neutral undertones, and don’t want a red that turns pink on you – this is the color for you. Risqué is a creamy and moisturizing lipstick, that wears to a matte finish with no shimmer.

Risqué! by Red Apple Lipstick

Warm-toned red with orange undertones.

Image of lady with long dark hair, dark brown eyes and dark brows with medium skin tone. She is wearing Risque lipstick, Sundrop Bronzer and Coy Blush with the Shimmer Palette for Brown Eyes and The Lash Project Mascara by Red Apple Lipstick.

Noemi is wearing Risqué lipstick on the lips; Sundrop Bronzer and Coy blush; Shimmer Palette for Brown Eyes on the eyes and The Lash Project mascara

Tip 5 - Tone Down A Too Bright Lipstick

You might have a lipstick color that you like but it's TOO bright. Or you don't want to wear your bright lipsticks so bright today.

I have good news is. There are 3 easy ways to tone down a lipstick color.

Method 1: Apply it lightly, apply one to two coats and then blot off any excess on a tissue paper.

Method 2: Applying some of the lipstick onto your finger first, and then dabbing that on the lips, this will help prevent applying too much.

Method 3: Apply a clear or nude lip gloss on top of the lipstick color, this will help tone down the brightness without altering too much of the color.

For cooler-toned lipstick colors, choose a nude gloss with cool undertones. For warm-tone lipstick colors, go with a nude gloss that has warm undertones. Avoid over-applying your gloss, you just need a light coat to do the trick. Here are some great RAL lip gloss options:

Image of tube of Diamond Sands lip gloss with wand standing next to the tube. Shiny and somewhat sheer. Nude/gold gloss with a subtle peach undertone

Diamond Sands by Red Apple Lipstick

A somewhat sheer nude/gold gloss that has a subtle peach undertone.

Honey Badger by Red Apple Lipstick

Medium pigmented nude with pink and brown undertones.

Image of lip gloss tube with the wand standing next to it in the shade called Sun Sparkles. Sun Sparkles is the perfect clear gloss with a touch of shimmer. It appears peachy in the tube, but when applied the peach tones blend perfectly into your base lip color providing a sheer gloss to make your lips shimmer and shine

Sun Sparkles by Red Apple Lipstick

Clear gloss with a touch of shimmer. Has a light peachy tone but blends nicely when applied.

Image of lip gloss tube with the wand standing next to it in the shade called Tiny Dancer. Tiny Dancer is a beautiful warm peachy-pink nude lip gloss. It feels smooth in application and provides a lovely sheen to your lips without having shimmer.

Tiny Dancer by Red Apple Lipstick

A warm peachy-pink nude gloss. Works great over any lipstick.

Tip 6 - Remain Calm, and Use These Simple Application Tips

We know you may have a little anxiety trying something so new, or bold. But seriously, let's play around some. You never know what you'll discover that you love.

Keep your lipstick symmetrical. I like to start at the cupids bow, and get that right first. I like to go all the way to real edge of my lip and make the cupids bow as symmetrical as I can pulling down and away towards the corners. Then I'll come back from the corners to the bow.
Creamy formulas like those made by Red Apple Lipstick are far more forgiving. They feel more comfortable, and so they won't keep you thinking about your lips all day.
Consider using a lip brush, especially at the outline of your lips.
If you are concerned about the lipstick bleeding, try these helpful tips to stop lipstick bleeding.

Tip 7 - Knock down a bright lipstick color for even wear.

You'll want your lipstick to wear down evenly. The trick is to knock it down first. Don't leave any slippery, slidey bits of of lipstick just barely hanging on to the top of your lips.

Methods to knock down a lipstick.

Method 1: Work the color in with a lip brush that isn't smothered in lipstick.

Method 2: Blot properly with a folded, flat tissue, pressing the lips together down onto the tissue - then roll the lips inward gently and back outward gently with just enough pressure to remove the slippery top layer and to press the bottom layers into the lip.

Method 3: Don't overdo it. Too much lipstick won't "stick," it will slide off onto other things.

*Bonus Question: What Blush Should I Wear with Bright Lipstick?

While the lips are the main focus of your look when wearing a bright lipstick color, the highlights on your cheeks matter, too.

Go with a blush that will not clash with your lip color but still will give a healthy glow. Apply lightly, you don’t want too much blush as this could take away the focus from the lips.

For example, pink lipstick looks great with pink-toned blushes while orange shades of lipstick look great with peach or coral-toned blushes. Red shades of lipstick will look best with a neutral blush as well as a reddish-toned blush, even a darker pink will work.

For purple shades, choose a blush color that has purple or mauve undertones. Check out Red Apple Lipstick’s blushes by clicking here and also, the Vegan Blush Brush to help apply your blush beautifully.

Whether you are a beginner or a pro at wearing bright lipstick, we know it can be intimidating so we hope you find these tips and suggestions very useful. We hope you find the perfect bright lipstick shade, if you have not already, to rock this spring and summer. How do you like to wear your favorite bright shades, do you like a bold or more subtle lip? Do you have a favorite RAL bright lipstick shade? Share with us in the comments, we always love to hear your thoughts.

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