As far as timeless beauty goes, it’s hard to beat a classic red lip. The best red lipstick shades are the secret weapons of your makeup bag: They spark unbeatable confidence, instantly elevate your look, and never go out of style.
Don’t believe us? Take it from the pros: “Red is beyond a trend; it’s never out of fashion,” Terry Barber, MAC’s director of makeup artistry, tells Glamour. “There’s always a moment for red, whether it’s in the lives of people in every day, or high glamour on editorials and runways.”
Top red lipsticks
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Jump to all of the best red lipsticks
Whether you love to wear a red lip everyday or for special occasions, it’s the perfect time to test-drive some new shades. Red lipstick has never been out of style, but it’s undeniably in right now. Taylor Swift, arguably the number-one celebrity red-lip ambassador in 2025, has doubled down on her smudge-proof pout for yet another era, and her Showgirl take on the makeup look is inspiring us to have a little more fun with our glam.
Red lips have been a part of Swift’s go-to beauty formula for years, not because they’re trendy, but because they make a statement. “Red lipstick is the one thing that you could put on your face where you’re immediately ready; it immediately transforms,” Barber says. “I feel that you could put a red lipstick on with practically zero makeup on the rest of your face. It’s just the ultimate final touch.”
Swift is also far from the only star who’s worn a signature red lip: Grace Kelly, Marilyn Monroe, Sophia Loren, Sade, Madonna, and more have inspired the retro-glam look for decades.
“With red lipstick, in particular, there’s such an emotional and nostalgic factor,” says MAC executive director of trends Cat Quinn. “It’s Russian Red’s 40th anniversary with MAC, and Madonna made Russian Red go ‘viral’ in the ’80s.” (The pop icon famously wore the shade on her Blond Ambition World Tour.) “Now we’re revisiting and updating it for a new generation.”
Every red lip enthusiast shares two common experiences: the euphoria of swiping on a color that was made for you, and the immediate recoil from a shade that just feels wrong. Luckily, there’s a pretty simple science to finding a great lipstick for your skin tone. “If you have cool undertones, you might like reds that have a bit more pink or purple to them—think cherry reds and burgundy,” says makeup artist Emily Amick. “If you’re warmer in your undertone, try a brick red or something with a bit more orange and warmth. It’s all about experimenting!”
For a quick way to determine whether you have a cool, warm, or neutral palette, think of how you feel and look in the color orange—an undeniably “warm” shade. If you like yourself in orange, you’re probably warm and should consider warm shades like brick red, cherry red, and coral tints, as noted above. If you don’t, you could be cool and might want to try vivid blue-reds, cranberries, crimsons, and plum shades.
More of a visual learner? Take Priyanka Chopra Jonas, who has cool undertones and dazzles in cool tones like purple-tinted crimson and plum. Kerry Washington, on the other hand, has warmer tones and tends to opt for warm cherry, orange, and brick reds.
Barber’s ultimate tip, however, is to test IRL. “You’ve got to try it on. As a makeup artist, I always say that, because I don’t like gimmicky theories about finding the right colors,” he says, explaining that you simply have to see what happens to your face upon application. “When you try on the right red, you’ll know: All of a sudden your skin becomes fresher, your eyes become brighter, your teeth become whiter, whatever you need.”
While Glamour editors can’t necessarily try on the best red lipstick shades for you, we did the next best thing, which is try them on ourselves so you can see what they look like on. Ahead, see the best red lipstick shades that Glamour editors—and some celebrities—actually use IRL.
“It’s hard to talk about a red lip without mentioning MAC’s Ruby Woo,” says Amick. “This opaque, waxy, matte lipstick is a forever staple in makeup artist kits and it’s flattering on just about everyone.” It’s true: Everyone from Rihanna to Taylor Swift to Tracee Ellis Ross has worn the shade with blue undertones, and it’s nearly universally considered to be the one true red lipstick as a result. It’s so well-known as the perfect red, in fact, that it’s the one red lipstick shade Quinn’s husband knows. “I recently asked my husband to name a lipstick and his response was Ruby Woo,” she tells Glamour. It’s also one of the lipsticks Taylor Swift is alleged to wear, she adds.
As for why that is? “We’ve seen so many people use it,” she explains. “It’s become one of those shades that is so famous you can clock it from across the room and immediately know what it is.” That said, Barber is torn, and not sure whether Ruby Woo or Russian Red is the true, classic red shade. I suppose it never hurts to have a backup.
Look, you can’t write a “best red lipsticks” story in 2025 without acknowledging Taylor Swift, okay? While Swift has been rumored to wear the aforementioned MAC Ruby Woo, she has also definitely worn Nars red lipstick in shade Dragon Girl. Swift was even photographed holding it ahead of the 2014 Met Gala. As shown by the singer, Dragon Girl is an ideal bright choice for fair skin tones.
Glamour senior beauty editor Ariana Yaptangco’s favorite shade of red? Patrick Ta’s highly pigmented Major Headlines Matte Suede Lipstick in That’s Why She’s Late: a bright cherry red with a matte finish that dazzles on tan and deep skin tones.
“When I hear the word classic for red lipstick, my brain immediately goes to Marilyn Monroe,” says Amick. “For me, a ‘classic’ red lip will always conjure up images of 1950s glamour.” Intrigued, we set out to identify which red lipstick the starlet wore. According to The List, Guerlain’s KissKiss Tender Matte Lipstick in Kiss Rouge is nearly an identical dupe of the Rouge Diabolique color Monroe wore.
Glamour contributor Andrea Navarro swears by the long-lasting power of Maybelline Super Stay Matte Ink Liquid Lipstick Makeup in Exhilarator, proving that you don’t need to splurge to get your hands on some on the best red lipstick. This luxe shade is ideal for deeper skin tones.
Fenty calls this shade a “perfect universal red,” and Glamour copy manager Charlotte Twine agrees: As a daily red-lip devotee, this liquid formula has been her go-to for years. She says that the blue-red shade “lights up her face,” even when she’s not wearing any other makeup, and confirms its impressive staying power—a hallmark of the liquid matte formula.
Glamour editor in chief Samantha Barry has been known to wear a head-to-toe red look front row at NYFW—lipstick included. Her go-to? Charlotte Tilbury’s Hollywood Beauty Icon Lipstick in Hollywood Vixen.
Some red lipsticks work best with crisp edges and sharp liner, but if you’re after a softer look (and less smudge-risk), Glamour associate beauty editor Grace McCarty swears by Chanel Rouge Allure Velvet in 051 Legendaire. Chanel is always a reliable source for a classic red (celebrity makeup artist Pati Dubroff used Chanel Rouge Allure L’Extrait High-Intensity Lip Colour in 854 on Margot Robbie on the red carpet for the premiere of Barbie), but this buildable Velvet texture and soft sienna shade brings a particular French-girl vibe that’s great on the go.
Glamour editors are huge fans of Fenty lip products, and the brand’s cult-favorite liquid lipstick is no exception. Social media manager Jazmin Gathers’s vote for best red lipstick? Fenty’s Velvet Liquid Lipstick in the MVP, a gorgeous blue-based red shade with a velvet matte finish.
Glamour senior trending news and entertainment editor Sam Reed exclusively wears Dior Addict Refillable Shine Lipstick in Dior 8, due to its long-lasting shine, pigment, satin finish, and added hydration.
Looking for the best orange-red lipstick? Look no further than Glossier’s Ultralip in High Shine Lipstick in Coup. Formulated with hyaluronic acid to keep your lips hydrated, Glamour commerce editor Malia Griggs is a major fan.
Gwen Stefani is yet another celeb known for her signature red lipstick, so it’s no surprise that Glamour senior commerce editor Jenifer Calle prefers her beauty brand Gxve’s take on matte, true red.
If you’re looking for the best red lipstick for fair skin tones that’s long-wear, smudge-proof, and seamlessly glides on, look no further. Glamour contributor Danielle Sinay says this deep red is always flattering and never washes her out. Plus, it stays put all day long without drying her lips out.
For a more goth-glam take on red lipstick, consider MAC Lustreglass Sheer-Shine Lipstick in Spice It Up! It’s a deep brown-tinted brick red ideal for warm skin tones that’s not too dark for daily wear but still makes a serious statement, as shown by Glamour senior social creative development manager Anastasia Sanger.
For something bright, warm, and with serious color payoff, take Glamour contributor Allie Folino’s advice and opt for Revlon’s ColorStay Suede Ink Lipstick in Feed the Flame. It’s long-lasting and moisturizing, and it certainly doesn’t hurt that you can get it at your local drugstore.
Commerce editor Malia Griggs’s must-have cranberry lippie? MAC Retro Matte Liquid Lip Color in Dance With Me, due to its long-lasting matte formula and serious color payoff.
A cool pinkish red, Dior’s Couture Color Satin Lipstick in Feel Good is one of the best satin finish red lipsticks for cool skin tones. In fact, it’s Glamour contributor Kathryne Hall’s favorite: “The amount of pink in the red makes it pop in a way that is striking and fun,” she says.
Contributing editor Emily Tannenbaum swears by Violette_fr Pet Bouche in Amour Fou, and it’s not hard to see why. Highly pigmented, dramatic, matte, and long-lasting, if you want to make a serious statement, this lipstick will do the trick.
Need a red lipstick that both lasts all day and still feels good on your lips after hours? Glamour commerce writer Alanna Martine Kilkeary swears by Armani Beauty Lip Power Long Lasting Lipstick in 400 Neutral Red. It stays flawlessly intact (even when she’s eating or drinking) and is not too sticky or drying thanks to its satiny finish.
For a bold statement in a single swipe, a heavily pigmented liquid formula is your best friend. Glamour senior commerce editor Jenifer Calle reaches for MAED’s Ritual Red, which adds long-lasting drama and a strong pop of color in just one coat.
Hourglass Cosmetics Unlocked Lipstick in Red 0 is one of the best bright red lipsticks for warm skin tones, as proved by Emily Ratajkowski, who loves to wear the shade. Other pros? Its semimatte finish, staying power—it truly doesn’t budge after hours of wear—and the fact that it doesn’t wash out fair complexions. But the best part? It’s 100% vegan and cruelty-free.
