When it comes to choosing stylish makeup for a red dress, balance is key. Makeup for this kind of outfit should be approached with care. It’s paramount that we avoid any vulgarity on one hand, and not allow ourselves to be overshadowed by the dress on the other. To help you strike this balance, we hit up a few of our favorite makeup artists for tips on how to pair the right makeup with a red dress.
Basic Rules
Thick Foundation
Your skin tone should be flawless, as red tends to highlight even the most minor imperfections. Make sure that the skin tone of your face and neck is even and as close to your natural complexion as possible.
Rouge
Even if you don’t usually dabble in rouge, you’ll definitely be needing a touch of peach blush when wearing your red dress. A thick layer of foundation will conceal your natural blush, which can be restored with the help of rouge.
Similar Shades
The shades of the dress and of the makeup should complement each other and be skew towards warm or cool. Naturally, they should also suit your complexion.
No Blues
Blue makeup will only make your face look lifeless and sickly when paired up with a red dress, so it’s better to steer well clear of it. Greens and purples will have a similar effect.
Either the Eyes or the Lips
When it comes to makeup for a red dress, the accent should either be on the eyes or on the lips. Anything more, and the look will be too overwhelming.
Caution with Lipstick
Only those of us whose color season is winter can rock lipstick the same color as the dress. Beauties of other types would be better opting for a different shade. However, if you end up going with a red lipstick anyway, the shade should match the color of the dress as closely as possible.
Makeup by Hair Color
Fair Hair
The main challenge for blondes in an overwhelmingly red dress is not to look too pale. In makeup, the accent is often placed on the eyes: a sensual gaze will balance out the look and draw people’s attention to the face – brown or gray eyeshadow and smoky eye makeup is perfect for this. Most importantly, don’t go with shades which are too dark or too vibrant, as they may make your eyes look sunken and tired.
Another classic option for the fair-haired among us is sharp black, winged eyeliner. This can be an impressive way to bring out your eyes and add both sharpness and elegance to the look. This eye makeup can be paired with a vibrant lipstick tone.
Women with cooler blonde tones should pair a light, silvery eyeshadow with a burgundy lipstick. Fair hair with warm shades works well with a combination of bronze and peach.
Black Hair
Brunettes have no shortage of options for beautiful makeup with a red dress. They can rock metallic eyeshadow with natural-looking lips, vivid black winged eyeliner with nude lipstick, a soft, smoky eye with a red lipstick to match the dress, or even shiny makeup with pearlescent accents on the eyes, lips, and cheekbones.
Red Hair
The dress should match the hair color. There’s enough red in the look as it is, so the makeup should only serve to highlight the splendor.
For eye makeup, go with coffees, chocolates, or bronze and beige hues. Silvery, smoky eyes make for a sexier look. There’s no need for sharp lines around the eyes – you can bypass the eyeliner and use brown mascara instead of black.
The lips are not the focal point of this look so it’s better to go with a subtle nude shade.
Brown Hair
Beauties with light or dark brown hair should couple a red dress with eye makeup in a soft brown, honey, or gray shades. This will give you a sensual and sexy gaze. Lips should be done in a juicy but muted color.
Sharp winged eyeliner and contrasting lips are also a good option if you have brown hair. You could go for gray or dark brown eyeliner instead of a vivid black one.
A red dress complemented by natural-looking makeup and brown hair makes for a gentle, even vulnerable look. Nude eyeshadow, transparent lip gloss, and sparkly cheekbones let the dress do the talking.
2023-2024 Makeup Trends for a Red Dress
Red Winged Eyeliner
Colored winged eyeliner is having its moment in 2023-2024. The red of the dress could be brought out by eyeliner of the same color. This makeup will flatter beauties whose color season is winter, with its bright color palette.
Ombre Lips
Accentuated lips with a gradient fit in nicely with the rest of the look. Here’s a short tutorial:
Start by outlining the shape of the lips with a lip pencil. After that, apply a lipstick that is 1-2 tones lighter, so that the center of the lips is the palest. Finally, blend the borders between the colors.
Pink Eyeshadow
Trendy shades of pink work beautifully for eye makeup with a red dress and are just the ticket for evening makeup. The key to success is to select the right tone for the color of the outfit.
A red dress is a sure-fire way to the spotlight. Consider your makeup for this bright outfit carefully to achieve an impeccable look, and check out some of the stylish makeup ideas in our photo gallery!
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