The Modern Guide to Aging Gracefully

Your Lips Are Better Off Red

Lips can get thinner with age (thank you, diminishing collagen), which may leave you less inclined to sport a bold color. “But the matadors have the right idea: Red can distract,” says Morgen Schick, a makeup artist in New York City and the author of Your Makeover. Pick the right shade and people notice a beautiful color, not a puny pair of lips. To choose your best red, consider the following.

Formula: Instead of a heavy cream or matte, opt for a lightweight (or sheer) version or a lipstick-and-gloss hybrid, like a tinted balm or a stain. You’ll get a softer, dewier—and thus fuller—effect.

Shade: If your complexion is medium or dark, select a brightening cherry red, such as Dior Rouge Dior Lipcolor in Favori Red ($32, sephora.com). If you’re fair, choose an orange red, like Laura Mercier Crème Lip Colour in Sunrise ($24, lauramercier.com). If you’re slightly ruddy (which can happen after years of sun exposure), you can neutralize red or pink patches with concealer before applying color.

Application: To prevent lip color from bleeding without employing the outdated technique of lining the perimeter with a pencil, Schick suggests lining lips with the edge of your lipstick or balm or with your stain’s applicator wand. Trace your lip lines, working from the outer corners in for maximum control, then fill in. This also gives you a natural dose of definition and keeps color on longer.

Fashion styling on this page by Mimi Lombardo.