How to get the perfect red lip

• First of all, you want to choose your colour. Some red lipsticks can make your teeth look yellow, and we don't want that when we're channeling our inner sexy siren. I would recommend a blue-based red as this will actually make your teeth look whiter. Don't pick a lipstick that is too creamy because they have no staying power and you'll end up with it smudged all over your chin.

• Make sure your lips are well moisturized and smooth. When applying your foundation, apply to your lips also so that you have a clean, neutral base to work with.

• Line your lips with a nude lip liner. You can either follow your own natural lip shape or create a new one but if you must do this, follow the line outside your lips rather than inside. This will make you lips appear fuller without looking like a child playing with her grandmother's lipstick.

• Go over this line in a red lip liner and fill in the corners of your lips with this liner also. That way you won't have to apply lipstick to this area as it's already covered in colour. Since lipstick tends to travel most in the corners of your smackers this will be a wise move, trust me.

• Now fill in your lips with a red lip tint. Apply, let it dry, then if you wish apply a second coat for a deeper colour. Keep applying until you have the desired depth of colour. If you don't have a lip tint you can use red food colouring with a Q-tip!

• If you wish you can then fill in your entire lips with the lip liner for that extra oopmh of va va voom.

• Then carefully apply your red lipstick using a lip brush. Start at the inside of your lips and work your way out. This will ensure that you don't go outside your lip liner.

• If you're like me and you find trouble staying inside the lines while you're colouring, apply some lipstick to your finger and gently pat it onto your lips in quick, low pressure movements. As your lips slightly jut out from the rest of your face, lightly dabbing the lipstick on will catch the natural shape of the lip. You can then go in with your lip brush and fix up any little mistakes, which I usually make.

• Blot your lipstick with a tissue and apply a second coat. Fix up any little mistakes around the edges with a dry Q-tip and go over with concealer. If you wish to apply a gloss over the lipstick do so but make sure it's a longwear lipgloss as it might wear the lipstick off with it!

Now go out, have fun and most likely smear your lipstick all over bottles, glasses and other people. Enjoy!

Aila Maritz xox