Unexpected Uses for Red Lipstick

Red lipstick isn’t just for lips! While this classic makeup staple looks amazing on anyone’s lips, it has several surprising alternate uses. Whether you’re looking to cover up tired-looking under eyes, or you want to experiment with a bright-red-cheek, here are some of our best red lipstick hacks and secrets:

Red Lipstick… As Concealer!

Red lipstick is bright, but believe it or not, you can actually use it to hide things! Using red lipstick as color corrector makeup is possible thanks to how our eyes perceive color. When you have blue and green-tinted discoloration, like dark undereye circles, you can use something with a red tint to cancel out the perception of blue and green before you add your concealer. This means that you can use less opaque makeup, which is especially important for cover-up operations. 

When you use thick, super opaque makeup to conceal something, what happens is that the makeup tends to crack or go powdery. This has the unwanted effect of drawing attention to the thing that you’re trying to conceal! But when you neutralize the blemish first, you don’t have to use so much opaque concealer.

Here’s how to use red lipstick as a concealer. The trick here is to only use a little bit at a time. First, swipe a little red lipstick on your finger and gently build up the tint to where it hides the dark circles. Then, use only a small amount of concealer to go over the red lipstick to neutralize it. Voila! Your dark circles or blemishes are hidden away.

Now, this makeup hack isn’t perfect. Red color correctors can look harsh on lighter skin tones. But if you’re in a hurry or only have your trusty red lipstick at hand, you can use a little bit to correct those issues. Also, while this trick works great for dark circles, it doesn’t work well for fresh bruises, hickeys, or any other discoloration with red undertones. While it works great for older bruising that’s mostly green or blue, red lipstick will only enhance anything with red tones!

Red Lipstick… As Blush!

Red lipstick is a superhero in your cosmetics case– what can’t it do? Here’s how to use your red lipstick as blush. Simply apply your lipstick lightly on your cheeks with your fingers and blend with an upwards motion. You can do this with a brush or with your fingers themselves! The lipstick will sink into your skin and stay put, giving you a natural-looking glow. Bright red lipsticks like our classic Bésame Red are the perfect impromptu cream rouge.

Red Lipstick… As Eyeliner!

Yes, you can even use red lipstick as a colored eyeliner! Just swipe your eyeliner brush on your favorite lipstick and use it on your lids for a surprising pop of color that’s sure to turn heads. You can use it on its own or layer it over a line of black shadow for an even more dramatic look.

While bright red eyeliner looks very modern, you can also use this trick if you prefer a vintage look. Instead of a poppy bright red, try using a dark red lipstick for your eyeliner. If you use your regular eyeliner brush and smudge dark red lipstick on the corner of your eyes, it gives a great smoky effect that’s romantic and intense at the same time. Our Noir Red and Blood Red lipsticks would be perfect for this application!

Red Lipstick… As Eyeshadow!

Red lipstick can also be used as eyeshadow. Using a little bit at a time, use your brush or fingers to build up the color and blend it out. When done right, red eyeshadow can be subtle or dramatic– it all depends on how you wear it. You can use just a tiny bit of red lipstick to tint your lids for a little bit of warmth, or you can go full glam by using your favorite bold red lipstick on your lips as well as your eyes. 

There is a misconception that red eyeshadow makes your eyes look tired. This doesn’t have to be the case! You just need to be intentional with your application and with the shade you choose– and red lipstick is perfect for this. Because lipstick is creamy, it’s easy to use a small brush to build it into a smokey eye for a dramatic, intentional pop. 

Use color theory here, too– pick a red with undertones that fall on the opposite side of the color wheel as your skin’s undertones. If you have warm pink or yellow undertones, choose a red with blue undertones, like Bésame’s Victory Red lipstick. If you have an olive skin tone, a red with orange undertones like Bésame’s Carmine lipstick might be what you want for this hack!

At Bésame, we love our red lipstick. We think it looks great on every lip, and we love how versatile it is. We hope these surprising, unexpected uses for red lipstick will inspire you to love your red lipstick even more!

Shop red lipsticks on our website, and be sure to check out the Bésame blog while you’re there!