There's a certain tyranny, isn't there, to the pronouncements of beauty? A kind of glossy-magazine absolutism that dictates, season after season, the precise geometry of our faces. This spring, it was all about the "barely there" lip, a phrase that seemed to send half the population scrambling for nude lip liners. And don't even get me started on the contouring craze of seasons past, a trend that had us all looking like we were perpetually lit for a performance of Macbeth.
But the myth I want to dismantle today is one that's been lurking in the shadows for far too long: the idea that eyeliner and red lipstick are mutually exclusive. That choosing one is a declaration, a commitment to a certain kind of femininity. The inky flick, we're told, is for the smoldering seductress, the woman who lunches on cigarettes and side-eye. The scarlet slash, on the other hand, belongs to the flamboyant extrovert, the life of the party, the one who collects compliments and ex-husbands with equal zeal.
Nonsense. Utter, unadulterated nonsense.
I remember, years ago, attending a fashion show in Paris. It was one of those sweltering July days, the air thick with the scent of Gauloises and anticipation. Backstage, a renowned makeup artist – I won't name names, but let's just say he was known for his way with a kohl pencil – took one look at the model I was with and declared, with the air of a priest delivering a benediction, "Red lipstick. Always red lipstick on a face like that."
My friend, bless her heart, was mortified. She was a creature of smoky eyes and nude lips, a devotee of the "undone" aesthetic that was so in vogue at the time. But the makeup artist, with the unshakeable confidence of someone who'd spent decades painting the faces of supermodels, wouldn't hear of it. And you know what? He was right.
The red lipstick, a classic crimson, didn't clash with her usual look; it amplified it. It gave her a kind of unexpected edge, a touch of old-Hollywood glamour that felt both modern and timeless. It was a masterclass in the power of breaking the so-called rules.
Because here's the thing: makeup isn't about following dictates. It's not about adhering to some arbitrary set of guidelines laid down by people who claim to know better. It's about experimentation, about play, about figuring out what makes you feel good. And if that means pairing a bold red lip with a graphic cat-eye, then so be it. In fact, I encourage it.
Think of the possibilities! A swipe of electric blue liner against a backdrop of fiery orange-red. A precise, razor-sharp wing of black liquid liner paired with a velvety matte crimson. A smudged, smoky eye topped off with a sheer wash of cherry red. The combinations are endless, limited only by your imagination (and perhaps the number of lipsticks you own – but that's a whole other conversation).
Of course, there will always be those who cling to the old rules, the ones who believe that a woman must choose between her eyes and her lips. But I say, ignore them. Let them have their beige lipstick and their perfectly blended eyeshadow. You, my friend, are going to paint your face with the confidence of someone who knows that true beauty lies in breaking the mold.
So go forth and experiment. Embrace the inky flick and the scarlet slash. And remember, the only rule that matters is this: there are no rules.
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