... Hibiscus red...

Hibiscus Red

There are so many reds that aren't right for my skin color. I've always been pretty darn pale even in the summers when I spend a great deal of time outdoors.  Everyone seems to have an opinion about what is the best color but since it's my skin, I get to decide right!?!

I have always been drawn to reds in nature. There is nothing more stunning than looking out towards the woods on a snowy winter day and seeing a Cardinal. Not only do red flowers attract hummingbirds and butterflies, I'm drawn to them. If you have red this blog or known me for more than five minutes you'll know that I'm pretty darn obsessed with my perennial Hibiscus plants. The blooms are literally as big as my head! I start photographing the stalks when they're not even the size of a pea, and continue stalking them (pun intended) daily. When the buds arrive, it is like Christmas. And on the day of the first bloom, I'm gweeing!!!! all the way out the front door to watch them. And just like most magical things, each bloom only lasts one day and then droops into a gooey mess. It isn't a surprise to me that the shade of the Hibiscus red bloom is the exact shade that I want on my lips.

Past men in my life have always preferred orange-reds while I have mostly been drawn to blue-reds (wine colors that are rich and dark). Nevertheless, there comes a time when a girl (or a boy for that matter) wants RED-RED. When I was in my early 20s, I attended a Mary Kay party and tried on a ton of different "reds". I went home with Currant. I've had this one lipstick tube for nearly twenty years, way longer than anyone in their right mind would recommend owning a makeup product. I'm not a dirty girl (usually) but it's hard to let go of the perfect color and the shade has been disconnected. Luckily, a few years ago, I found the Nars Cosmetics Velvet Matte Lip Pencil in Damned. Damned and Currant are nearly the exact same shade BUT they're still deeper plum-reds and I wanted a bit more *in your face RED*. Finally, this summer I bought Maybelline 's Elixir which advertises itself as "Hyper-saturated color, ultra cushiony feel" in Signature Scarlet. This is more of a lipgloss which is absolutely perfect for me because I tend not to smile in red lipstick since I'm so afraid of having lipstick on my teeth. With the Elixir, if it smudges, I can wipe it off. If I smooch my fella, I can wipe it off without a smudge. I'm pleasantly surprised that it has worked so well and using the Maybelline Elixir over the Nars Lip Pencil gives me the RED that I have coveted. Another bonus is that because the Elixir is so "hyper-saturated" I don't have to reapply lipgloss again and again... for me this is a big deal because I take some medication that causes dry lips. So while this isn't a fashion tutorial, I do offer a fashion tip. Find what you love... and smear it on your lips?!? Yeah, something like that.