8 Celebs Who Have Mastered The Art Of The Red Lip

It's tough to find a makeup product more universally flattering than red lipstick, and many celebrities are well aware of this. The red lip never goes out of style, and it flatters every skin tone. As if it wasn't flexible enough, red lips work as both a daytime color and as a mega enhancement for an evening out. While it might initially be one of the most intimidating pieces in a makeup collection, red lipstick is everyone's friend. Plus, bringing a pop of red into your beauty regime is a great way to harness seduction and power. 

For some stars, a red lip is a signature part of their look. Think of Taylor Swift, who loves a fiery pout so much that she has several favorite shades of lipstick. Rihanna is another celeb who frequently rocks a red lip, and proves that the color works well by day or night. Heck, she founded Fenty Beauty, so she knows a thing or two about lipstick! Tracee Ellis Ross and Megan Fox are also devoted fans of the dramatic shade, proving time and again that it can take a look from great to absolutely fabulous.

While Megan Fox loves a range of lip colors, she has consistently leaned into red lips at critical moments in her career, like when walking the red carpet or for the 2021 Met Gala, where Fox wore a cherry red gown to match. Makeup artists Tobi Henney, who works with Fox, gave the formula for one of her favorite red lip looks. Henney said that Fox loves the Giorgio Armani's Smooth Silk Lip Pencil in 05 followed by Bare Minerals' BarePro Longwear Lipstick in Cranberry. The combo creates a sumptuous finish of long-lasting red.

Of any contemporary celeb, the "Anti-Hero" singer might be the one most connected with red lips. On the few occasions where Swift's makeup has been a miss, it's usually in part because she's not wearing red lipstick. In fact, throughout her entire, illustrious career, Swift has sported different hues of red lipstick. It's such an essential part of her makeup look, we'd be lost without it! And for fans who want to wear her exact shade, well, the options are pretty vast, because Swift has quite a few red lipsticks that she loves. MAC's Retro Matte Lipstick in Ruby Woo is a Swift favorite, as is Nars' Velvet Matte Lip Pencil in Dragon Girl. 

Tracee Ellis Ross frequently sports a bright, red lip at events. The actor is open to all ranges of red, from high-voltage red to dark, rich tones, and everything in between, including ombre lips. For the 2024 Vanity Fair Oscar Party, Ellis Ross wore the Lip Suede Matte Lipstick in Le Rouge by Westman Atelier. The punchy, tomato color was playful and alive. For other occasions, Ellis Ross turns to a dark liner in burgundy to outline the shape of her lips, while keeping the center a bright red. Talk about dramatic!

Angelina Jolie doesn't shy away from bold red lips. The actor has leaned into red frequently throughout her long career in moments when she wants a bold touch. Even her iconic character Maleficent in the eponymous Disney movies sported a bold, glossy red lip. Jolie has stepped out in moody burgundies, orange-reds, and the classic reds. Whatever the tone, red is always a hit on the star. 

Rihanna doesn't just wear the perfect red lip. She also makes the perfect red lip. The Fenty Beauty founder has an abundance of options for red lipstick lovers everywhere, and we're certain that she rocks her own products. We know for a fact that one of her favorite combos is the Fenty Beauty's Trace'd Out Pencil Lip Liner in The MVP followed by Fenty Beauty's Icon Velvet Liquid Lipstick in the shade MVP. The cool blue tones in these Fenty Beauty's products makes her lips stand out. 

Amal Clooney knows the power of a red lipstick. For big events and red carpet walks, the lawyer and human rights activist goes for a red pout. And at least for one occasion, we know exactly what kind of lipstick Clooney wore. For the 2022 Albie Awards, makeup mogul Charlotte Tilbury shared on Instagram that she did Clooney's makeup. Tilbury wrote that Clooney wore her Matte Revolution Hydrating Lipstick in Red Carpet Red. The ruby red tone was a bold and decadent choice, perfect for the event. 

Gemma Chan frequently wears red lipstick, and is so talented at applying it that she even gave fans a tutorial on how to apply the color. In a guide for Vogue in 2021, Chan explained that her go-to was a modern, soft-focused red lip. For a liner, Chan used Charlotte Tilbury's Pillow Talk lip liner. She followed this with L'Oréal Paris Colour Riche lipstick in shade 125, Maison Marais. Chan generously applied lipstick to the center of her lips first. Then she came in with a clean, fluffy eyeshadow brush to buff out the color to the outer corners of her lips. Chan said that she loved this technique because it was such an easy way to wear red, particularly in the day. 

Lupita Nyong'o knows red lips. The actor, as an ambassador for Lancôme, even has signature red lip shades made just for her. Clearly, she's the queen of this rich color range. On Instagram in 2022, Nyong'o shared a photo of her gorgeous, red lips and added in the caption: "THEM: What lipstick are you wearing? ME: Oh this? It's called 'Mademoiselle Lupita'!" The deep, sumptuous red tone is available to everyone, so it's even easier to mimic Nyong'o's dramatic makeup look.