It can be difficult to dig yourself out of what seems like an endless emotion hole, and I have to admit this weekend I was in a deep one. But there gets to a point where you have to say to yourself, ENOUGH, get up and do that one thing that brings your joy. For me, my Sundays are spent shopping and or doing research for my writing (which involves shopping). And sometimes throwing on a pair of jeans with a comfy shopping shirt isn’t enough to make you want to get out of that said “funk,” so other reinforcements need to be called in. For me, it was the red lipstick.

I do not have an Angelina Jolie pout in any way in fact I have the opposite. I’m pale, I have faded freckles, blue eyes and right now my hair is long and dark brown, until I get bored. But throwing on that vintage t-shirt, skinny’s and then a red lip literally made me feel like I was carrying a vile of my brother’s blood around my neck … well maybe not that crazytown … but confidence was instilled is what I am getting at.

So what constitutes the right red? First of all, avoid orange and pink tones … ick. Second of all, make sure your lips are moisturized before applying this kind of intense lip stick, otherwise it will not spread evenly and you will look the ultimate hot mess. We are going for the confident, “I don’t give a fuck about you fools,” look … not the, “hi, I have 15 cats and I read encyclopedias for fun,” look. Mac has some great shades to play around with, but my favorite is Russian Red. It is everything the name says and don’t worry about it coming off … because it never will, trust.

If you just want to run out to your local pharmacy, I always go straight to Revlon. From nail polishes to rouge … they know what is up outside of Sephora’s walls. Revlon Matte Really Red is a great start and really lets you indulge in the true pop of red.

Don’t be afraid of red lips … take it for a test drive when you are going shopping, running errands … or even sitting watching a movie. It is just another opportunity to feel like a new, better you.