The Best Red Lipsticks of All Time, According to Allure Editors
There's no denying it: Red lipstick is a power move. Sure, we can all rattle off the Hollywood bombshells that made the stuff a glamour-girl essential — Rita Hayworth, Marilyn Monroe, Audrey Hepburn, and Liz Taylor, to name a few. But consider these other powerful ladies in red: Queen Victoria believed her red lipstick could work magic and even repel death. (She was wearing nearly a half-inch of it when she died.) America’s first-ever First Lady Martha Washington made her own red lip salve with a recipe including hogs’ lard, alkanet root, and raisins. Elizabeth Arden herself handed out red lipsticks to women fighting for voting rights at the 1912 New York City Suffragette March. During World War II, red lipstick became patriotic (Hitler reportedly hated red lipstick) and women proudly wore their Victory Red as a big middle finger to the dictator.
Fast-forward about 75 years, and MAC Ruby Woo (another F.U. red) was the unofficial lipstick of the 2016 Women’s March. More recently, after becoming the youngest woman to ever be elected to Congress, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez tweeted followers the name of her red lipstick, Stila Stay All Day Liquid in Beso. It sold out almost instantly.
The thing about red lipstick is that there’s a fine line between yassssss and please, no. If it’s too slick and glossy, the only thing missing is a leather catsuit and matching flogger. Too matte, and your mouth looks like a shriveled Craisin. The very best reds are bold, bright, and long-lasting, with a velvety-matte finish that won’t leave prints on your coffee cup. We know there’s a perfect power-red lipstick out there for every person, and we’re going to help you skip the trial and error.
Here, we’ve whittled down the very best: the brightest crimsons, the sexiest scarlets, the vampiest blood-reds, and the smoochiest rubies.
All products featured on Allure are independently selected by our editors. However, when you buy something through our retail links, we may earn an affiliate commission.
Courtesy of brand1/22MAC Retro Matte Lipstick in Ruby Woo
MAC has always been a red-lipstick expert, so it's no wonder three of its bullets made it on to this list. First is Ruby Woo. A bright cherry red with a cooling hint of blue that has seen more red carpets than Ryan Seacrest. Proof it looks amazing on every skin tone? A diverse fan club including Christina Hendricks, Tracee Ellis Ross, Priyanka Chopra, and Women’s March organizer Sarah Sophie Flicker. Before creating her own makeup line, Rihanna was so obsessed that she partnered with the brand for her own limited-edition version called Riri Woo in 2013. It sold out in three hours.
$19 (Shop Now)
Courtesy of brand2/22MAC Matte Lipstick in Russian Red
This vampy crimson’s neutral-to-cool undertones make it the essential go-to winter red. Even its origin story is amazing: The then-up-and-coming cosmetics company created it for Madonna’s 1990 Blonde Ambition tour, and it’s been a fan-favorite ever since.
$19 (Shop Now)
Courtesy of brand3/22Sephora Collection Liquid Lip Stain in 01 Always Red
This is the bright, satiny lip color that gets the Radio City Rockettes through sweaty shows, endless high kicks, and lightning-fast costume changes — all without smearing. The infamous Christmas Spectacular show buys the liquid lipstick in bulk; our former digital beauty director Sophia Panych went backstage and confirmed that the dancers go through about a tube per holiday season.
$14 (Shop Now)
Courtesy of brand4/22Tatcha Kyoto Red Silk Lipstick
This universally-flattering matte red lipstick is cut like a jewel, and it’s basically as precious as one. It’s so frequently sold out, fans — including makeup artists — have been known to hoard their tubes. "I love the color — true red, bright and vivid," says makeup artist Quinn Murphy, who first spotted the shade on a city street. "I literally stopped a girl in her tracks to ask her what lipstick she was wearing."
$55 (Shop Now)
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Courtesy of brand5/22Fenty Beauty Stunna Lip Paint in Uncensored
Leave it to Rihanna to create one of the sexiest reds of the modern age with this mega-pigmented liquid lipstick. The rich color miraculously doesn’t sap lips of moisture because of its "soft matte" finish. It’s comfortable, non-drying, and best applied sparingly. A tiny bit goes a long way.
$24 (Shop Now)
Courtesy of brand6/22Pat McGrath Labs MatteTrance Lipstick in Elson
When Pat McGrath, legendary makeup artist and queen bee of Fashion Week, conjures up her own red lipstick, you know it’s going to be an instant classic. The vivid, blue-based crimson red is named for redheaded supermodel Karen Elson. It debuted on the catwalk at Prada’s resort 2018 show to internet fanfare that has yet to die down.
$38 (Shop Now)
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Courtesy of brand7/22Maybelline New York SuperStay Matte Ink Liquid Lipstick in Pioneer
"This is a deep, true matte red that really lasts," says makeup artist Neil Scibelli. "I keep it in my kit for recording artists and dancers who need long staying power while performing—it doesn’t budge." Plus, the unique oval-shaped applicator makes it easy to apply neatly.
$9 (Shop Now)
Courtesy of brand8/22Lancôme L’Absolu Rouge in Absolute Rouge
This Allure Best of Beauty Award winner held its Best Red Lipstick title for two years straight (class of 2009 and 2010), and it can still be found on vanities and in makeup artists' kits nearly a decade later. "It’s a classic movie-star red that evokes that glamorous old Hollywood feeling, but it’s also a chic, modern red you can wear during the day," says makeup artist Nick Barose, who also loves that it works for so many skin tones. "I use it on fair skin like Rachel Weisz and dark skin like Lupita Nyong'o."
$32 (Shop Now)
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Courtesy of brand9/22Jouer Cosmetics Long-Wear Lip Crème Liquid Lipstick in Fraise Bonbon
This juicy shade of strawberry red is decidedly un-shiny. "Most liquid lipsticks can be hard to work with because they dry fast and can accentuate dry lips, but this strawberry color is super creamy and goes on smooth," says Scibelli.
$18 (Shop Now)
Courtesy of brand10/22Dior Rouge Dior Lipstick in 999
Rumor is this lip color was worn at the first-ever Christian Dior runway show in 1947. (Then it was known as 9, and later as 99.) It’s also referred to in Dior circles as iconic. Brightly pigmented with a creamy consistency and mega-flattering satin finish, it’s hard not to agree.
$38 (Shop Now)
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Courtesy of brand11/22Giorgio Armani Beauty Rouge d'Armani Lipstick in 400
Known aliases: The Red and b. This timeless shade is so tied to the brand that it mirrors their red lipstick cases. Its creation myth is that Giorgio himself believed it was the "perfect" red, reproduced in the lab from a flawless red rose he had brought his chemists. "I’ve never been one for rules, but 400 is the perfect universal red. There is no better," international Giorgio Armani makeup artist Linda Cantello says.
$38 (Shop Now)
Courtesy of brand12/22Revlon Super Lustrous Lipstick in Fire & Ice
The ad campaign for the Fire & Ice lipstick and nail polish duo was all anyone could talk about in 1952 — a two-page spread starring one of America’s first supermodels, Dorian Leigh, offered a full-page quiz for magazine readers to determine if they were bold enough to wear the "foolproof formula for melting a male." (i.e. Would you streak your hair with platinum without consulting your husband? Does gypsy music make you sad?) If you answered yes eight times, you were a Fire & Ice girl. If not, presumably there’d be a nice pot-roast recipe on the following page for you. The shade was re-released with much fanfare in 2010, including a reshoot of the iconic ad with Jessica Biel playing Leigh.
$9 (Shop Now)
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Courtesy of brand13/22Revlon Super Lustrous Lipstick in Cherries in the Snow
One year later, Revlon launched yet another iconic red. This time, Dorian Leigh (still on top!) modeled a bright cherry red with a cool touch of pink. The glossy red has a bit of an edgy reputation, too — it was doomed poet Sylvia Plath’s favorite lipstick in the summer of 1953, when she lived in NYC and worked as a guest editor at Mademoiselle magazine. More than 60 years later, Cherries in the Snow is still a bestseller.
$4 (Shop Now)
Courtesy of brand14/22Rimmel London Lasting Finish by Kate Moss in 01
Top supermodel and patron saint of the ’90s, Kate Moss has always been exponentially attractive, cool, and effortless. This gorgeous shade was the first she unleashed on the world — buttery, highly pigmented, and super affordable. Vibrant without being too loud, the classic red is a great go-to color for blondes. (It’s also perfect for looking bored while hanging out backstage with a rock band or picking out engagement rings with a count, just saying.)
$10 (Shop Now)
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Courtesy of brand15/22Nars Velvet Matte Lip Pencil in Dragon Girl
Sharing a signature lipstick with another woman nearly negates the whole point of having a signature color in the first place — unless it’s Dragon Girl. The saturated red is so bright, modern, and insanely sexy that a legion of A-list devotees happily sign up to be sister wives. (Among them, Taylor Swift, stylist Kate Foley, Blake Lively, Amber Valletta, Olivia Munn, and Jaime King.) The easy-to-control pencil feels creamy going on and sets to a long-lasting matte finish without shriveling lips. Hell, you can even use it on eyelids like they did at the fall 2011 Thakoon show.
$27 (Shop Now)
Courtesy of brand16/22Nars Lipstick in Heat Wave
Celebrity makeup artist Fiona stiles says Nars's cream lipstick formula in Heat Wave is a classic red that can be used across all skin tones.
$26 (Shop Now)
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Courtesy of brand17/22Tonymoly Delight Tony Tint in Red
Allure contributor Meirav Devash says TonyMoly's Red Delight Tony Tint didn't budge throughout an entire emergency endoscopy, and if that doesn't say it's long-lasting, we don't know what will. For that high quality, it's hard to believe it's so affordable.
$5 (Shop Now)
Courtesy of brand18/22Bésame Cosmetics Classic Color Lipstick in 1946 Red Velvet
You might recognize this gilded, art-deco tube from vanity tables in period films or TV shows like The Artist, Mad Men, and American Horror Story: Freak Show. The Bésame lip collection is the brainchild of Gabriela Hernandez (a cosmetic historian and vintage beauty fiend) who color-matches every shade to one released the year it's named for. This deep, post-WWII red was the one worn by Marvel's Agent Carter on the show, becoming a cult favorite for retro beauty lovers and the Comic-Con set.
$22 (Shop Now)
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Courtesy of brand19/22Maybelline New York Color Sensational Lipcolor in Red Revival
If ever there was an authority on red lipstick, it’s modern-day pinup Dita Von Teese, who has nothing but love for this rich, drugstore red. (She also swoons for the 1940’s-esque Lucite tube.) The deep red is not-quite burgundy, with all the Old Hollywood glamour you’d expect. It can be tapped on the lips and blotted for a softer look, too — at Suno’s spring 2015 show, makeup artist Alice Lane used it instead of blush to give cheeks a just-pinched flush.
$8 (Shop Now)
Courtesy of brand20/22Yves Saint Laurent Beauté Rouge Pur Couture Satin Radiance Lipstick in 01 Le Rouge
"It’s just pure f’ing fire." That’s what a top beauty editor told us when we asked what she liked about this ultra-bright crimson. Most red lipsticks this vivid skew orange, but not this one — it’s just 100-percent red with enough shine to make sure you’ve turned every head in the room.
$38 (Shop Now)
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Courtesy of brand21/22Kevyn Aucoin The Expert Lip Color in Bloodroses
When Kevyn Aucoin, the makeup artist behind the beauty bible Making Faces, formulated his first lipsticks, the Expert Lip Color in Bloodroses was his favorite. It’s as smooth — and as potent — as an overfilled glass of merlot, and that’s what makes it a little bit exciting — or dangerous, particularly when wearing white.
$35 (Shop Now)
Courtesy of brand22/22Surratt Beauty Automatique Lip Crayon in Megalomane
Surratt Beauty's Automatique Lip Crayon in Megalomane is the exact shade of red to convince everyone you're far more famous and wealthy than you really are, says Allure contributor Meirav Devash. "[People will] assume you’re a rock star or that girl from that show."
$34 (Shop Now)
