Red Lipstick that Stays Put When You Pucker Up, Secrets from Backstage 'Anything Goes' & MAC Cosmetics

Wednesday night I had the pleasure of joining MAC Cosmetics at Anything Goes on Broadway to celebrate the launch of their new collection inspired by the show, Hey, Sailor. An hour before the show we had a private meet and greet with the Lead Makeup Artist, Angelina Avallone.  The look embodied the 1930's classic theme of the show: romance, hope and happiness, but what caught my attention was that every woman in the cast wore an effortless red lip that lasted through all the kissing and didn't transfer onto the man.  Here's how and a peek at the new MAC Hey, Sailor collection. "We use the Prolong Wear Lipcolours from MAC, because they stay on and come with a gloss," commented Avallone.

First, Avallone uses the Pro Longwear Lip Pencil to outline the lips creating a 1930's shape.  Then, she fills them in with using the MAC Pro Longwear Lipcreme.  As a finishing touch, she adds a tiny bit of Pro Longwear Lipcolour to the center of the lip.

"It's [Pro Longwear Lipcolour] a gloss designed for that particular lipstick so it doesn't break down the intensity of the color.  So a girl can have nice glossy, pimented lips and when she kisses the leading man, it doesn't come off onto him."

Check out the Hey, Sailor collection inspired by the play.  You can literally duplicate the 1930's look with the collection!

Why Guys Hate Red Lipstick, Plus Three of My Faves

"I'm really not liking this red lipstick trend," says Joe, my boyfriend after I applied my new Nars lipstick that I was ridiculously excited about wearing.  Well turns out Joe is not alone as most guys hate the red lip look.  The real question is how much do we care? "It just makes your lips stand out and your face look really pale," he comments.  "It's annoying."  After asking him a million and one questions I came to the conclusion that he believes "the look" or maybe it's any real makeup look makes it seem like we're trying.  The effort is a turn off.  Which is why the "no-makeup-makeup look" is so successful.  Of course, I wore the lipstick proudly anyway (who wouldn't) and got a ton of compliments from my girlfriends.  After all, we dress for the girls... right?

I feel like I've forever been searching for the perfect red lipstick and thanks to NARS Makeup Artist, Jenny Smith, I found it.  Well, she kind of put me in my place about it by telling me that I'm taking the whole red lipstick thing way too seriously and just have to have a little fun with it.  There is no perfect red lipstick.

Now, since I let my hair down about it (and don't listen to Joe when it comes to my makeup), there are three reds I rotate between: NARS Lipstick in Fire Down Below , Cle de Peau Lipstick (which I've written about before) in #213 and Estee Lauder Mad Men Collection Lipstick in Cherry.  They're all different shades and textures and great for different times of day and events.  Every time I reach for one, Joe cringes.  Have a hot date?  Skip the red lipstick.

Conquer the Red Lip

Afraid to take the risk of going red?  Don't be! Tackle the hurdle by making sure you consider the hue and consistency of the lip color before applying and you'll look as flawless as Sandra Bullock at the Oscars. Above all, the red lip is an accessory and should be treated as such.  Here are a few tips to rock this glamorous statement: 1)   Texture : Choose a creamy lipstick over matte because they tend to be more moisturizing.  Avoid mattes especially if you tend to have dry lips.

2)   Shade : Consider the season, your outfit, skin tone, and your mood!  If you have fair skin, choose a product with cool, blue undertones, whereas orangey-reds look better on olive complexions.

3)   Saturation : Very very red…or sheer with a hint of red…or somewhere in between?  Depending on how many eyes you want on you when you walk in the room, you can adjust the intensity of your lip color.

4)   The rest of your makeup : A cardinal rule of makeup is to focus on one feature and one feature only.  Fire engine red lip?  Skip the blue eyeliner.  Hot pink blush?  Forget the purple mascara.  Your features should not clash – they should complement each other.  If you're doing a red lip, keep the rest simple.

5)   Time/Place/Outfit . At the mall with jeans and a t-shirt, your best bet would be to sport a red-tinted lip balm.  In a ball gown at the opera, you can up the ante and go for a full-blown deep red.  Always make sure your version of the red lip is appropriate for the setting.