Full transparency: this is a sponsored collaboration with Merit, a beauty brand I love. Their Black Friday sale launches next week, but you can shop early with code EAASHLEEG20 and get 20% off anything on their site. As always, all opinions are my own.
“I wish I could pull off red lipstick,” I sighed wistfully to a friend a few years ago.
We were out to dinner and she was, as usual, rocking a red lip.
“What are you talking about?” she smirked, elbowing me in the ribs, “You can pull off anything!”
I shook my head in disbelief.
No … I can’t.
Like many writers, if you go digging around in my Google drive, you’ll find a plethora of drafts I’ve never finished, including an essay I started a while back about how 80% of the clothes in my closet are beige—and what that says about me.
My wardrobe hasn’t always consisted of 50 shades of oatmeal. Once upon a time I used to wear color, and plenty of it. But at some point, I stopped. When? Why? What was the impetus?
(Possible theories include: 1) when I became a mother, 2) when I started having vulnerability hangovers from writing on the internet, or 3) when a former friend accused me of taking up too much space in the friendship 😬)
I’m still trying to figure out exactly when, and why, I began avoiding all things bright and bold, shying away from anything—be it a red sweater or a red lip—that could potentially suggest a “look at me!” vibe.
After all, a red lip is brazen. Daring. Audacious. When I think of red lipstick, I think of Taylor Swift. Rihanna. Gwen Stefani. I think of glitz, glamor, cocktail parties, and the cast of Gossip Girl traipsing around New York City.
Then again, I also think of my friend Sonya, who is not a celebrity but a red lip aficionado all the same, who once told me nonchalantly that red lipstick is like a superpower to her. She wears it when she needs to get stuff done.
For her, red lipstick is not an accessory or a “look” — it’s a mindset.
When you Google, “Who can wear red lipstick?” this is what AI spits out:
Anyone can wear red lipstick, regardless of age, skin tone, hair color, or eye color. Red lipstick is a versatile, classic beauty staple that can be worn for any occasion and can suit a variety of styles.
I am not one to blindly believe the Google robots, but I find myself wanting to believe this.
With the exception of an occasional costume party, I have avoided every shade of scarlet, crimson, ruby and carmine—both in my wardrobe and in my makeup—for most of my adulthood.
At the end of 2023, though, at a whopping 37 years old, something came over me. I still didn’t consider myself brazen or daring or audacious, but I was also getting tired of living 80% of my life in beige.
So I wore a bold red lip to Christmas Eve (!). Then to my book club holiday soirée. Then to a dinner with friends. Then, naturally, to a New Year’s Eve party. And the craziest thing happened: I felt pretty great.
Festive, even. Dare I say, a tiny bit confident. I didn’t overthink it, second-guess it, or spend all evening wondering if I was being (what are the kids saying these days?) cringe. I spent the entire holiday season slipping in and out of little black dresses, and sequins, with a satin bow in my hair, lips as red as a firetruck.
Am I pulling this off?
I never asked anyone. Turns out, I didn’t need to.
One year later, I’m gearing up for another Red Lip Season™️ ✨
My current favorite? Merit signature lip in Vermillion. I’ve been using Merit products consistently for six months now and the more I use them, the more I love them. If you’re not familiar with the brand, Merit takes a holistic approach to beauty, making products that are safe for the body, skin and planet. I’ve said this before, but Merit is a great makeup choice for people who love skincare (hi, it’s me!). All of their products are vegan, cruelty-free, and non-comedogenic.
Right now, Merit is doing their ONLY SALE OF THE YEAR and you can get 20% off their entire site with the code EAASHLEEG20. Every order gets a free mini signature bag and they’re also offering free shipping on orders over $40. Not sure what to get? Here are my current favorites:
Signature Lip – Buttery soft, gorgeous pigment, lasts for hours. I use Ginger for a natural, everyday wear, and Vermillion as my bold red lip. One thing I love about Merit is that they show their lip colors on different models of varying ages and skin colors. Sometimes buying makeup online feels like a real gamble, but seeing the lipstick shades on real people made it easier to choose. I have medium skin with warm undertones and the two shades I ordered were perfect home runs.
Flush Balm – This is my all-time favorite Merit product. The application is everything; this blush glides on like a dream! I wear Beverly Hills every day and switch to Rouge when I want a real pop on my cheeks.
The Minimalist – According to Merit, this is “not a foundation or a concealer, but it’ll replace both in your makeup bag.” I stopped wearing foundation a few years ago, opting for a tinted SPF instead, but love using The Minimalist under my eyes, and to spot treat any blemishes if needed. FWIW: I find that most (all?) of the Merit products work best on a fully hydrated face. When your face is prepped well, the Minimalist (and blush and highlighter!) glide on like your favorite chapstick. I wear Ochre.
Day Glow – Runner-up all-time favorite Merit product. This might be the California girl in me, but I love a sun-kissed glow on the cheekbones. Again, the application is everything. Citrine is my shade of choice.
What I’m personally ordering from the sale: another Flush Balm (going to try the Persimmon shade!) and more Clean Lash (their proprietary tubing mascara that doesn’t run, streak, smudge, or flake).
Any questions about Merit? Do you have deep thoughts on red lipstick? I’d love to know. 😜
One last gratuitous red lip photo from Halloween. Caption this: it’s a mindset.
I spend my life wearing black and have the same semi recurring thought about wanting to pull off a red lip. I appreciate this post! 👄
Red lipstick forever. (Red nails too.) It’s something I wrote about in my next book. For me, for going on two decades, it has been the color I’ve chosen whenever I need a symbol of courage to show up fully as myself.