I’ve always been afraid of red lipstick opting for softer browns and pinks but one of  my beauty and style resolutions of 2012 is to embrace the bold hue. On other people I think it looks super glam and vampy. Taylor Swift has never seen a shade of red lipstick she didn’t love. It was also the signature shade of Marilyn Monroe and sexy sirens of the past. If all of these women including 20-something Taylor Swift can rock the shade with confidence, why can’t I?

I decided to start with a berry shade to ease my transition into this new world of saturated color.Full on vamp red would be overwhelming and I haven’t gotten over the mental block that red takes my lips to mega watt 5000. I don’t want my lips to enter the room before I do. I found a wonderful creamy lip pencil from Inglot that is long wearing and goes on smooth.

It’s not Marilyn quite yet but maybe her less sexy kid sister =).