Defector Writers Test Red Lip Tutorial for Reds Week

Lauren and Alex decided to try a red lip as modeled in a brief tutorial for Reds Week at Defector. Their effort was framed in the style of The Not-So-Great Defector Bake Off.

Alex shared that her lips have always been a source of insecurity due to their small size, noting she once considered lip flips but found the idea too drastic. She recalled wearing Too Faced’s “Lady Balls” matte red liquid lip on Election Night 2016, a night she referenced as notoriously difficult, and now prefers low-maintenance options like Clinique’s Black Honey or Glossier’s Generation G, or just Vaseline for moisturizing.

Lauren described a similar trajectory, having been a gloss user before being influenced by a roommate’s endorsement of products tied to a self-made billionaire. She now favors neutral shades, explaining that red lips highlight every detail, which can lead to self-criticism-she recalled fretting over a red lip before a first date despite her roommate’s reassurance.

Alex noted the common belief that a red lip can make a bare face look more put together, a tip she relies on given her dislike for eye makeup. She emphasized the challenge of finding the right red tone for one’s skin, warning that the wrong shade can resemble Ronald McDonald, and said she has shifted toward mauve-y, rusty reds as she’s aged.

Lauren, who enjoys heavy eye makeup, said she was preparing for an off-off-Broadway show at a warehouse in Bushwick, while Alex said she was hosting friends for an art night featuring a local artist, snacks, and conversation.

During application, Lauren used a powder from the tutorial video and appreciated being able to keep her glasses on. Alex opted to over-line her lips using Charlotte Tilbury’s “Supersize Me,” a reddish pink, as a base. Lauren admitted she lacks confidence in drawing even lines around her lips.

Alex reflected on her trauma from the liquid lipstick era, saying her current products are intentionally unfussy. She recalled Glossier’s early marketing of Generation G, which encouraged describing the shade as looking like one had just eaten a red popsicle-an ideal that stuck with her. She noted that lining is the most precise step and that she only feels confident drawing a tiny X at her Cupid’s bow, a habit from learning via YouTube a decade ago.

Alex explained that many use lip liner not just to outline but as an all-over base to improve longevity and prevent feathering into fine lines. She also said she doesn’t have enough lip volume to line just the outer edges without it looking unnatural.

Lauren said she had filled in more liner and was ready to powder again, commenting on the tutorial speaker’s Canadian accent and the memorable line, “I’m telling you, red lips are something else,” which Alex affirmed.

When Lauren asked if Alex was using concealer like the instructor, Alex said she was going rogue, stating that concealer around lips and eyebrows feels like too much beauty bullshit for her.

Lauren admitted to using her finger to apply concealer out of frustration with brushes, then preparing for the final step, expecting to dislike the result before tidying it up to her satisfaction. Alex agreed that sounded accurate.

Alex shared her trick of applying lip color in light layers and blotting with tissue between applications, which she believes helps set the color and reduces its intensity, even if she doesn’t know the science behind it. She said she uses a Rouje lipstick palette bought in Paris, designed for finger application, mixing, and messiness. She favors the two colors on the left-starting with a berry-toned lower left shade, blotting, then dabbing on a truer red and blotting again.

Lauren said she applied liquid lipstick but felt she disturbed the liner and planned to reapply it. Alex highlighted the large mirror in her Rouje palette, noting her lips look ridiculous up close but better when viewed from a distance in a larger mirror, warning against trusting close-up mirrors.

Lauren updated that she was beginning to question whether she ever had an upper lip. Alex related, saying she avoided red lipstick for years because it accentuated her small top lip, a concern she still holds but doesn’t want others to confirm.

Lauren said she was hovering near the “McDonald Zone,” to which Alex responded with encouragement: “I believe in you!!! When in doubt … blot??”

Lauren said she blotted heavily to achieve the look of someone who’ve had a busy day, eventually reaching a final form that appears passable in photos but fails under close inspection. She added that she actually prefers how it affects her smile more than her serious expression.