I started wearing bright red lipstick when I started working, and I have never stopped. It was part of my dress code and professional identity. Now I am wondering if it looks harsh and makes me seem outdated. How do you know when to say goodbye? — Lee, Tiburon, Calif.
Red lipstick is, like the white T-shirt or the little black dress, a basic building block of identity — and has been since 3500 B.C. I kid you not.
That was when Queen Puabi of Mesopotamia applied a compound of white lead and crushed red rocks to her mouth, starting a vogue for red as a symbol of power — political, sexual or supernatural — that continues to this day.
Red lipstick “represents so many things people are eager to convey: power, assurance, authority, conviction,” Rachel Felder, the author of “Red Lipstick: An Ode to a Beauty Icon,” told me. “It is one of the few makeup items that truly defies trends. In some contexts, it’s sexy, but, in a work environment, especially with a matte finish, it says, ‘I belong in the corner office.’” Rather than, say, in a corner. It is impossible to ignore.
Little wonder Cleopatra was a fan, as was Queen Elizabeth I, the suffragist Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Marilyn Monroe and the Vogue editor Diana Vreeland. Carolyn Bessette Kennedy also favored a red lip, usually worn with almost no other visible makeup, as the recent “Love Story” streamer illustrated.
These days Taylor Swift carries the torch, as does Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, who told Vogue that she started wearing red lipstick during her first primary as a way to look pulled together, to connect to her culture as a Latina and to give herself a “boost of confidence.”
So I am not surprised that red lipstick became your go-to cosmetic at work — and a sort of professional uniform. We talk a lot about the power shoulder when it comes to business semiology and the expression of authority, but the power lip is arguably just as effective and a lot more accessible.
Still, not all power reds are the same. That means that while there is no need to abandon your signature cosmetic entirely, especially if it has become a part of your personal brand (even if you may not want to think about it that way, that’s the effect of creating a consistent image), it may be time for a tweak.
“Sometimes even the staples that you’ve sworn by for ages have an expiration date,” Felder said.
That could simply be because doing the same thing day in and day out can start to feel rote rather than celebratory over time. The sheer fact you are asking this question suggests that may be a niggling irritant in the back of your mind. And it’s fun to experiment with something new.
Or it could be because our skin, teeth, hair and even the colors we are drawn to in our closets change along with our lives, and our makeup should shift with them.
Either way, said Bobbi Brown, the founder of a signature cosmetic brand and Jones Road, the first question you need to ask yourself when you look in the mirror is, “How does it make me feel?” If the answer is “unapologetically me!” then don’t worry about it. But if it is “bored or unsure or stuck in a rut,” perhaps reassess. Especially because any change doesn’t have to be seismic.
“Before abandoning red altogether, it’s worth trying a shade that’s less intense than a classic crimson lipstick, like a more muted shade that leans toward burgundy, or a tinted lip balm that leaves a sheer wash of ruby or scarlet,” Felder said. She also pointed out that as teeth yellow, blue-red tones are more flattering than orange.
She likes MAC Macximal Sleek Satin lipstick in Dubonnet, a burgundy-skewed red; Ilia Balmy Tint Hydrating lip balm in Heartbeats; and Chanel Rouge Coco Baume Satin lip balm in In Love. And she suggests using “a single swoosh for a nice thin layer of color rather than layering it on.” To that end, she also recommends Dior’s Bagatelle lipstick, which has what the brand calls “a veil finish.”
Alternately, she said, simply adding a layer of clear lip balm or Vaseline under your usual lipstick creates a softening effect. Brown likewise proposed trying “a rose or sheer red stain” for a lighter result.
The point is to think about it this way: You aren’t necessarily saying goodbye to an item that has become a part of you. You’re just saying hello to some others.
Your Style Questions, Answered
Every week Vanessa will answer a reader’s fashion-related question, which you can send to her anytime via email or X. Questions are edited and condensed.
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