There’s a time and a place for a bold, precise, red carpet-worthy lip look. Power meeting? Yes. Black tie event? Yes. Casual night out? Maybe not. But this new low-maintenance red lip is. It’s all about embracing a little imperfection, with a softly smudged matte finish and dialed-down vibe. The secret weapon: Pop Lip Shadow Cushion Matte Lip Powder, a light-as-air matte lipstick with a silky powdery texture that melts into your lips, making them look as plush as velvet. The formula was actually inspired by an insider makeup artist hack of setting a cream lipstick with translucent powder to create a rich matte finish. Pretty genius, right? Here’s how to get the look.

Step 1: Prep and prime lips.
Before wearing any matte lipstick, always prep and condition your lips with a nourishing lip balm for super smooth results. We love Pep-Start Pout Perfecting Balm in Clear because it intensely hydrates and helps reduce the appearance of fine dry lines, which can quickly ruin a matte lip look. Swipe it on, then lightly blot off any excess.

Step 2: Pucker up.
Purse your lips and press the sponge applicator of Pop Lip Shadow in Bright Pop, a punchy red, only onto the very center of them, where the color should be most concentrated. Keep building up the color until you reach the intensity you want. Tip: For even more color payoff, or if your lips have a lot of natural pigment that compete with the color of the lipstick, first apply a wash of foundation over your lips to neutralize them.

Step 3: Blot it out.
Use a clean eye shadow brush, like the Contour Brush, to diffuse the lip color out towards your lip line. Make sure the lipstick doesn’t cover your entire lips, but instead fades out into a blurred edge. 

Photos: Nick Stokes | Still Life Photo: Jon Paterson | Words: Hilary Presley | Hair: Holly Mills | Makeup: Maki H | Wardrobe Stylist: Seppe Tirabassi | Manicurist: Gina Edwards