When it comes to selecting a bold lipstick look, there are many avenues to explore, from a timeless blue-toned red to a summery coral. There's a statement lippie to suit every makeup preference and we've rounded up 32 wearable examples to prove it.
Lipstick has the power to really elevate your look, whether you're opting for a pared-down, French-inspired look with a natural base and swipe of signature red, or a chic burgundy to compliment your autumn/winter capsule wardrobe. There's just something about a pop of colour on your lips that makes you look so put together, with minimal effort required.
A statement lip look can be daunting, especially if you prefer nudes or perhaps just lip balms and glosses, but it's always a good idea to have at least one bold look in your beauty wheelhouse or perhaps 32...
32 bold lipstick looks to make an impact
So, if you're in need of visual inspiration for how to wear red lipstick, or just want a few new shades to add to your best long-lasting lipstick collection, here are some looks to consider for your next bold lippie moment...
1. A classic red lip
Here we see actress Anne Hathaway wearing a classic, blue-toned red lip. She opted for more of a natural base, forgoing blush and contour to allow her cherry-red lip to be the focal point. She did however pair the look with a smoky eye, which is truly a timeless combination.
If you're ever unsure about how to marry your best red lipsticks with the rest of your makeup, a natural look and a bun hairstyle are always a failsafe, as Anne proves.
2. An orange red lipstick
If you're not a lover of cool-toned reds, a bold orange-red shade might be a good move. Despite its vibrancy, it is a surprisingly wearable colour as Gwen Stefani shows, with the singer pairing it with a black and gold smoky eye.
Despite the look featuring two bold elements, it works, as the rest of Gwen's makeup is fairly simple. She is only wearing a subtle hint of blush, meaning her eyeshadow balances out her choice of lippie.
3.Wine red lipstick
Wine-like, burgundy lipstick is especially perfect for autumn/winter but can be worn all year round, especially if you have a few maroon pieces in your capsule wardrobe and are looking to create a cohesive, coordinating look.
While it may seem like a slightly daunting colour, it never fails to make the wearer look chic - case and point, Tyra Banks.
4. A French-style red lip
If you're a lover of French-style makeup, Sienna Miller perfectly executes that "undone" red lip aesthetic. Here we see her wearing the signature hue with very natural skin, allowing her lip to carry the look.
Plus, we can also take a lesson for her accessorising! If you need a confidence boost with your red lipstick, just throw on a pair of sunglasses and some gold hoop earrings and you have yourself a very refined and stylish look.
5. A burnt orange lipstick
If you find that blue-reds don't suit you, a darker, orangey red is a great option, especially if you have a warmer skin tone.
Here Holly Willoughby wears a burnt orange lipstick, with a hint of black eyeliners and a slightly smoky eyeshadow look. Again, to balance her bold look, Holly has opted for very minimal cheek products, meaning your eyes are immediately drawn to her lips.
6. Dark red lipstick
We're obsessed with dark red lipstick for a chic and sultry date night or evening look. As Catherine Zeta-Jones proves, the rich colour is perfect for pairing with a darker eye look, whether that's a winged liner or a smoky eye. For the rest of her makeup, she's kept very glowy and fresh, which is a good tip for anyone looking to try this merlot-like hue.
7. Glossy dark red lipstick
If you're perhaps opting for a black, monochromatic outfit and want to add some oomph with your makeup look, a glossy, dark red lip is the perfect way to inject a pop of colour.
During the wintertime, when chapped lipsare a constant struggle, a glossy lipstick look is a good way to keep your lips hydrated.
8. Matte dark red lipstick
Speaking of matte lipstick, nothing makes a red lip pop quite like a matte, satin finish. This dark crimson looks so sophisticated and perfectly compliments a winged eyes liner or brown eyeshadow look. If you do plan to recreate this style of lipstick, however, a lip liner is key for achieving those clean lines.
9. Vivid orange lipstick
If you're looking for a warmer alternative to a red lip, this vibrant orange, modelled by Heidi Klum is a lovely choice.
Heidi disproves the rule that you can't wear both a bold lip and a bold eye look together, as she opted for a grungy, smoky eyeshadow, complete with black eyeliner under her eyes with her orange lippie. To create cohesion, she also went for a slightly orangey blush, as opposed to a cool pink.
10. Dark berry lipstick
This dark berry hue is the definition of a bold lipstick look. While we'd recommend this shade for the colder months, if you ever want to look put together quickly, with the assistance of just one makeup element, this style of lipstick is the way to go.
Here we can see Beyoncé wearing a very dark, purple lipstick which she paired with a black lace dress and a fairly natural but radiant makeup base.
11. Shiny Crimson red lipstick
Opting for a smoky eye and a shiny red lip, Angelina Jolie proves exactly why this is such a timeless combination. It's elegant and chic and perfect for an event or date-night look.
12. Coral lipstick
If you're hunting for the perfect middle ground between pink and vibrant orange lipstick, a soft coral is a great way to elevate your makeup look.
We can see Reese Witherspoon wearing the shade with a touch of bronze eyeshadow and black eyeliner and while it's not as loud as a red or burgundy per se, it does make her skin look brighter and compliments her orangey-red dress.
13. Mauve lipstick
If you love the look of burgundy or dark red lipstick but find the shades quite intimidating, consider a cool mauve instead.
Katie Holmes looked so chic and autumnal when she paired a grey/purple mauve with an equally smoky eyeshadow look.
14. Raspberry pink
If you're already a lover of red lipsticks but want to change things up a little, Cameron Diaz is making a strong case for raspberry pink. The actress wore the summery shade with a wash of shimmery, champagne eyeshadow over her lids and looked so radiant as she hit the red carpet.
15. Red lipstick and silver eyeshadow
If you're looking for the perfect festive pairing, you can't go wrong with a classic red lip and a sprinkle of glittery, silver eyeshadow.
Kate Winslet once wore this very combination on the red carpet - with the addition of some diamond waterfall earrings - and looked the picture of elegance and glamour.
16. Pink coral lipstick
For our coral lipstick lovers, Helen Mirren proves that a pop of pink not only compliments silver or greying hair but also allows you to opt for a heavier eye look.
Here we can see her wearing long, feathered lashes with a matching coral pink applied to the apples of her cheeks. If you're ever stuck with creating a makeup look around your lipstick, it's often a good idea to match your blush to your chosen lipstick shade, to bring everything together.
17. Dusky rose lipstick
This colour is quite reminiscent of Charlotte Tilbury's iconic Pillow Talk "Medium" shade and is perfect for both day and night. For a wearable, everyday look we'd suggest pairing it with a more minimal makeup look but for more of a date or evening setting, we're taking cues from Salma Hayek.
The actress looked flawless as she wore a dusky rose lipstick with a black winged liner and we're desperate to recreate her look!
18. Cool-toned pink
If you're feeling a tad nostalgic - perhaps specifically for 2000s beauty - you could play with a bright, cool-toned pink. Tyra Banks once paired this particular shade with smoky green eyeshadow but be warned, it is indeed a bold look and might not be your go-to for every day.
19. Black lipstick
For those looking to make a statement, a black lipstick is definitely one way to do so. This shade is often present at Fashion Week and for very good reason, as it offers high impact and is the definition of cool.
20. Merlot red
A merlot-like red is ideal for anyone looking to elevate a more natural makeup look. As we can see above, the shade works well with very glowy skin and is a great option for a night-time look.
21. Matte orange-red lipstick and natural makeup
Drew Barrymore offers the ultimate lesson in incorporating a matte, orange-red into your makeup routine. For her look, she opted for very fresh skin, with just the addition of an orange-toned blush - applied to the apples of her cheeks. Drew kept her eyes very minimal, which really allowed the lipstick to shine through. Personally, we think she looks so chic!
22. Fiery-red
Nicole Kidman offers up further inspiration for anyone seeking to find their own signature red lipstick. The actress paired her statement lip with a very minimal base and a hint of eyeshadow on her lids.
23. Fuchsia
This fuchsia shade can be found among the best pink lipsticks and acts as the perfect stopgap between red and pink. It's rich and vibrant but very wearable especially if, like Paris Hilton, you opt for a similarly toned blush to tie your whole look together.
24. Cherry red lipstick
Nothing really beats a matte-finish, cherry red lipstick, especially if you pair it with a very natural makeup look. There's a reason why bare skin and a red lip is seen as a timeless combination and can often be spotted up and down the runway at fashion events.
25. Tangerine lipstick
For our orange lipstick fans out there, a vibrant tangerine shade is a summery addition to your makeup arsenal. Salma Hayek, who is the queen of bold lipstick looks, paired hers with a dark smokey eye and orange toned-blush as she walked the 2019 Met Gala red carpet.
26. '90s maroon
Injecting a hint of the '90s into your beauty rotation, Gwyneth Paltrow paired this quintessentially chic shade with a black blazer and a simple, grey smoky eye. She looks so sophisticated and it's all the inspiration we need for paring a maroon lip shade with our work capsule wardrobes.
27. Berry pink
Reese Witherspoon matched her berry pink lipstick with her blush and paired them with a hint of black liner as she stepped out on the red carpet in a classic, off-the-shoulder dress.
If you're bored of red lipsticks, Reese's summery twist is a flattering alternative and is a great option for cooler skin-tones.
28.Orange-coral
If you prefer more of a natural look, Cameron Diaz proves you can still wear a bold, orange lip while keeping the rest of your makeup very minimal. This statement addition makes her skin appear brighter and really pops against her black top.
29. Brick red lipstick
Offering us yet another iteration of the classic red lip, Amy Adams once wore this warm, brick-like red on the red carpet, which was perfectly enhanced by her copper hair. This colour is ideal for those with a similar hair shade and really for anyone who favours warmer lipstick tones.
30. Glossy plum lipstick
This glossy plum look, modelled by Jada Pinkett-Smith, is a great option for those who steer clear of matte lipsticks. Jada paired the flattering shade with glowy skin and a hint of soft, brown eyeshadow in the outer crease of her eye. The entire look is so wearable and perfect for injecting a pop of colour into your everyday look.
31. Black and red gradient lipstick
This gradient lipstick is ideal for achieving a daring evening look, it features red in the centre of the lips blended out to a red burgundy and then black on the outer edges of the lips.
32. Warm rose lipstick
Helen Mirren makes this rosy hue look so effortless. Much like with her other bold lipstick looks featured on this list, the actress opted for a fairly subtle makeup look, with the addition of a mauvy blush on her cheeks. This colour is one of the most wearable and is the perfect starting place for anyone looking to embrace more vibrant shades.
