What do you think of when you see the color Red? I would venture to guess that most people probably associate Red with the two most impactful emotions.... Love or Anger! That’s probably because of advertising and associations we have with television shows and childhood books growing up.

I’m here to tell you there is so much more to Red than meet eye!

Have you ever thought of how a certain color can make you feel? Not just when you catch a glimpse of the color, but when you wear it personally. Whether it’s a red blouse, red nail polish, or red lipstick, you’re reaping the benefits of red. In my profession, I see so many people shy away from this vibrant and powerful color and they all have the same reason....

Keep reading to find out why!

Chakras

Let’s get to the root of it and dive in to what red symbolizes. (See what I did there?). For those of you that don’t know, your root Chakra is the first of the seven energy centers. The main color of this chakra is red which is also the most dense color of all chakra colors. Red is the slowest of all the wavelengths within the visible spectrum, yet, it is the most stimulating color. It pulls the retina forward so all of our energy and attention is focused outward.

Think of your root Chakra as your base camp for all of your little energy soldiers. It’s your center of protection and grounding. When disrupted, you will naturally go in to fight or flight mode.

If your root Chakra is imbalanced, you may experience feelings of restlessness, lack of energy, and anxiety. However, when the Root Chakra is balanced and energy can flow freely, it helps us increase the sense of belonging, feeling secure in our actions and choices, and have the ability to hold an increased sense of self-worth. A great way to ground yourself and balance your root chakra is to kick off your shoes and go stand barefoot in nature, grass, or even some dirt and reconnect with Mother Nature.

Now, remember when I told you that I constantly see people shy away from Red in my line of work as a makeup artist? It’s because they don’t want to draw attention to themselves and they have applied negative connotations and associations to the color. It’s so much easier to choose a nude or beige tones because you’ll blend it. No one will notice that you’ve gained 10 pounds or that your roots are showing because your beige and neutral. It’s actually endearing when I’m able to gain someone’s trust enough to put on a red lipstick for the first time. Someone will be curious and say “I wish I could wear red lipstick, but I just can’t”. My response is always “Well why the hell not?!” It’s all in your head! You can wear any color lipstick that your little heart pleases. I remember when I bought my very first red lipstick (Mac’s Ruby Woo). I had the sales representative put the lipstick on me and I told her I’d be back. I was so uncomfortable at first. I thought I looked like a clown. But as the time went by, and I continued to do my shopping around the mall, I would catch glimpses of myself in the department store mirrors or the storefront glass. I started to change my mind and I liked what I saw! I had to get comfortable in my own skin to be able to rock that lip. A good red lip exudes confidence, passion, courage, and assertiveness. So when a woman tells me “I wish I could wear that color”, I hear “I want to be courageous, confident, and assertive”.

Don’t believe me?

The color red has been used in makeup for as long as women have been applying it. Typically, women of higher nobility and economic status would wear it (ie: the assertive ones). Egyptians would use a mixture of Red Ochre on their cheeks and lips to get a natural red flush and stain. Cleopatra actually had a special red that she would wear that was made from flowers, red ochre, fish scales, crushed ants, and beeswax. It was her signature color!

So the next time you need a little pep in your step, pop on a red lip! If you’re not ready to commit to the fully pigmented color of a lipstick or stain, go for a gloss with a red tint. It’s my favorite thing to wear when I don’t want to put on any other makeup besides mascara!

Rock a red lip and tag me in your photos on Instagram: @sheena_zar

My Favorite Red Lipsticks

Clarins Water Lip Stain in Red Water (This is great for a more natural look)