Dare you to wear Red Lipstick every day for a week!

This week I’m daring you to wear red lipstick.

All week.

From morning till night, regardless of the occasion, company or mood you’re in.

The idea came about this time last year. I’d just read a book called The Anonymums about a few mothers who, bored with the perceived monotony of their lives, gave each other dares to spice things up a bit. As I turned the last page and reluctantly closed the back cover, I decided I’d try one of their dares myself: wear red lipstick every day for seven days straight. And I’d challenge the readers of Fox in Flats to do the same.

Fast forward to one year later, and Style Dares have become a regular feature on Fox in Flats.

In fact, we’ve thrown down 26 style challenges so far – from wearing a dress or sparkles all week, to trying a different hairstyle everyday or throwing an ‘arm party’ for seven days in a row. And tens of thousands of photos have been shared on the internet, by women from around the world who’ve joined in the fun of getting a little more creative with how they look.

What happened when I did The Red Lipstick Dare ?

I’d been avoiding wearing red lipstick since the early ’90s, after a couple of boneheads at uni teased me about it. But challenging myself to give red lippy another go after all these years was great because it came with a very unexpected side-effect: I became more noticeable.

My regular local barista eyed me with an approving glint. The mums at school drop-off did a double take. People kept asking me “Where are you off to?” And the women in my boxing class at the gym struggled to keep up with me. Seems it’s true what they say: red makes you go faster.

But more importantly than other people noticing me, I became more noticeable to myself.

Red lipstick demands extra time, as well as an element of precision on application, and that effort is poorly offset by a scraped-back messy bun and a pair of old cargo pants. So over the week of The Red Lipstick Dare, I found myself carving more time into my manic mornings so I could make more of an effort with coordinating my outfits, and styling my look. And it felt bloody great to give myself that extra attention.

And with all of that extra attention, I thrived.

Wearing red lipstick made me feel more glamorous. Ever worn red lipstick to the beach? I did, and it rules.
Wearing red lipstick made me feel more ladylike. Something about a matte-red lip demands pearls. And I obliged.
Wearing red lipstick made me feel more spontaneous. I snuck down to the beach to dip my toes into the water when I should’ve been working, and I grabbed a blanket and laid it down in the backyard with my little one so we could watch the clouds.
And it made me feel indulgent. I indulged all week! I indulged in a chocolate croissant for breakfast, I drank an extra glass or two of wine, I watched The Bachelorette without shame, and I popped into a florist and bought a bunch of brightly-coloured roses – not as a gift for someone, or to decorate the home, but for just for me. For me! I set them in a vase next to my makeup mirror all week.

And that happiness left a trail of smudgy red lipstick marks all over coffee cups, babies’ cheeks, wine glasses and, until I got the knack of it, my teeth. For a full run-down on how that week transpired, hop over to Mamamia or xoJane where I wrote about it in full.

So how about it? Are you up for the fun of giving it a go?

Dare of the Week: Red Lipstick

The rules:

Wear red lipstick everyday, from when you get dressed in the morning till you brush your teeth before bed at night.
Join in whenever you like, but to fully complete the Dare, you need to do it for 7 days straight.
Tell us all about it as you go. Tweet @FoxinFlats using #RedLipstickDareFoxinFlats, post pics on our Facebook, add to the Comments section below, or Instagram it.

But Red lipstick doesn’t suit me!”

If you don’t have what Gwyneth Paltrow calls a “Kick-Ass Red Lipstick” in your cosmetics bag, then now’s the time to sort it out. There’s a shade of Red Lipstick to suit everyone.

Click on the pic for a larger version

MAC Russian Red $14

Chanel Rouge Coco Shine Hydrating Sheer Lipshine – # 63 Rebelle $43

Giorgio Armani rouge d’armani sheer lipstick $30

Nars Velvet Matte Pencil in Dragon Girl $20

Maybelline Color Sensational Lipcolor in Are You Red-dy $7

Lancome L’Absolu Rouge Lipcolor SPF 12, Smoky Rouge $30

More tried and tested lipstick reccommentions here.

But it’ll never stay on all day!“

Use these tips and it will.

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More application tips:

Keep the rest of your makeup neutral – for a fresh, polished look.
Check and re-apply regularly or you’ll end up with crazy red rings around your mouth without realising it.
To avoid getting lippy on your teeth, poke your finger in your mouth, close your lips around it and pull it out.
For day, you don’t want a wet jammy lip, so go easy on the gloss. A tiny dot of clear gloss on your lower lip is the most you’ll need, if at all.

I’m just too Chicken!”

Before you become the chicken that crosses the road, here’s just a small selection of the many lovely lips that came our way during last year’s Red Lipstick Dare. It just goes to show that no matter what shape your lips (or your thighs!) are, or the shade of red you choose, red lippy is a super-easy way to add some cheer to your day.