I will start with the fact that every woman looks great with red lipstick! Ladies, you just need to find the specific nuance that suits you best. And when you do ... that's where the magic happens.
The scarlet colour has always had my attention, but not the confidence to wear it as part of my personal makeup routine. It was as if I suddenly “grew up" and it and became a part of my identity.
And now I find it so easy - I have decided that every red lipstick looks good on me :)

Red is a symbol of love, passion, power, war, revolution, sex, danger, territory, self-esteem, culture, medicine, femininity, masculinity, history, status, religion, art, life… and so much more. It is the pigment with perhaps the longest millennial and dynamic history, as well as the most multifunctional element of makeup over the centuries, starting with Antiquity and Egypt, passing through Eastern cultures, tribal groups, the Renaissance, the world wars and going on to this day.

Back in time, thousands of years ago, a mixture of ground gemstones, plants and bugs (carmine, which is still used) was made to produce the red hue. People added fish flakes to achieve a pearl shimmer. The ancient formulas included the use of lead and a mixture of the toxic pigment vermillion , which often led to poisoning, disfiguration and even a fatal end. Imagine how much risk they took to dye their lips and face.

There was a time when only courtesans were accepted with makeup, and later on the actresses began to promote makeup in public spaces. In the past rouge was often in and out of favour - wearing it was either a privilege of the upper class or a stigma of low social status.

In the early 20th century, Elizabeth Arden gave away tubes of red lipstick to the marching suffragettes - the women fighting against discrimination and for the right to vote . From then on, it became a symbol of women's strength, courage and freedom.

Today we have a huge selection of brands, colours, textures and formulas, here are some of my favourites:

The first collection of Lisa Eldridge- Velvet Jazz, Velvet Ribbon & Velvet Morning.

Iconic limited lipsticks with a great texture and an exceptional look. It shows that these lipsticks were created by a true make-up artist who had invested an enormous amount of work and attention to every single detail. Lisa Eldridge is one of the best in the industry and one of those timeless makeup artists you know you can trust, who are true conductors of the artistry and have a massive background experience and culture behind them. I can safely say that I am the first makeup artist in Bulgaria to work with these jewels of lipstick since she made them available to all connoisseurs two years ago. It was love at first sight. I am often asked why not only keep them for myself, but how do you not pamper the women- my clients- who trust you with their looks.

Uncensored by Fenty Beauty- the true red. I remember I was working on a campaign in Rome, and after the shooting day was over we had reservations for a very special dinner place. The whole team was already at the restaurant, but I had to have the lipstick- that true red, which was not yet launched in Bulgaria…and of course, I arrived to the dinner a bit late.
My colleagues made up a “punishment” for me being late -
I had to put this famous red in front of everyone at the table to see if it was worth it. And so it survived all the antipasti, lasagna, tiramisu and wine …a true red.

Photography: Georgi Andinov

Poppy Sauvage - the red lipstick from Estee Lauder's first limited edition collection with Violette Fr - their global beauty director. Again a splendid makeup artist and a young woman with great creative energy. A very specific strong, bright and active red that does not fade after you apply it. It looks somewhat plush on the lips. I was sure I was going to love it, when I did a research on it. Not only it was very difficult to get to the lipstick (I looked for it in the States, because I didn’t find it in Europe), but it is unfortunately no longer on the market.

Last but not least, an affordable lipstick that does not compromise on quality and can convince you from the first application that it is worth it - the Matte Legend by Avon.

Avon sent me the lipstick to test it before the campaign entered our market. I had high expectations because the previous collection of the matte lipsticks with a bullet were spectacular. The colours Legendary and Ultimate are my absolute favourites. A wonderful blue and orange red. I know I can count on their dense texture, velvety finish and a formula that lasts and does not move up the contour of the lips. They are not inferior to high-end lipsticks and have a well deserved place in my professional and personal set.

For some, the red lipstick is a way to stand out, or to hide insecurity, for others - the strongest accessory that is reserved for special occasions ... For me, it is my favourite part of my short beauty ritual and the ultimate shortcut to feeling more beautiful.

“On a bad day, there’s always lipstick” - Audrey Hepburn

Photography by Georgi Andinov | Art direction by Alina Manova

The Red Lipstick- My Beauty Icon

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