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Red Lips, For Valentine's Day

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Solange Smith photographed by Devin Doyle. Styled by Christina Holevas. Makeup by Michaela Bosch. Hair by Shinya Nakagawa. Nails by Momo.

When did being the obvious choice become such a bummer? We're always looking for the new, the unexpected, the thing that makes us question ourselves a million times over... But here’s the rub: sometimes the obvious choice is obvious because it’s right. Like how Kelley was obviously the superior suitor on The Bachelor, or how you can always bet on Meryl Streep to win big on awards night, or how anything other than a burger and fries at a burger joint just isn't that good. Or in today’s case, red lipstick for Valentine's Day. It's obvious, sure—but why fight what works? Here are five different suggestions to make it your own, so obvious never has to mean boring.

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The Lip-To-Cheek Approach

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The most natural way to pull off a red lip is to work in a tonal wash from your lips to your cheeks. After smudging on Fenty Mattemoiselle in Ma’Damn, makeup artist Michaela Bosch tapped her fingers over Solange's lips and blotted the excess on her cheeks. Then, she used Milk Makeup's Glow Lip + Cheek oil in Glimmer as a natural, lit-from-within highlight.

Solange also wears an Orseund Iris jacket over Versace tights.

Bourdin Blush

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A wash of '70s blush high on your temples can still be approachable. It's all about using the right shades: a flattering baby pink like Dior's Rosy Glow in 001 is bright enough to stand out, but sheer enough to read pretty. Bosch paired it with Maybelline's Vivid Hot Lacquer in Classic: a deep, brown-ish burgundy. The high-shine finish offsets the powdery blush for an instant update to Bourdin's signature look.

Solange also wears a Gucci top and pants.

A Wash Of Barely-Red

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Or maybe you're looking for something a little softer—romantic, even. For that, Bosch suggests trying a noncommital red that's almost light enough to be pink. She brushed Peripera's Airy Ink Velvet in Bright Plum, a velvety soft matte lipstick, on Solange to start. Then, Glossier Cloud Paint in Haze worked as a warm veil for the rest of the face, and some natural highlight with a balmy moisturizer finished the look.

Solange also wears a Marc Jacobs jacket and skirt.

Warm And Bronze-y

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Another option: instead of cooling down your reds, why not heat them up? Milk Makeup's lipstick in Name Drop veers orange in a way that doesn't read orange—instead, it's just a bit of warmth to brighten up your whole face. On the rest of Solange's face, Bosch used Charlotte Tilbury's Chic to Cheek blush in The Climax for a bit of immitation glow. Dusted from her apples up to her her temples, down into her cheeks and across her eyelids, a sheer bronze kept an orange-y red from looking too harsh.

Solange wears an Alexander Wang jacket over a bra and undwear set from Eres.

Seeing (Lots Of) Red

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For the final look, Bosch went big and then went home. Starting with brushed up brows, she painted Nars Exhibit A blush on Solange's eyes and diffused it all the way up past the crease. With minimal base makeup, Solange's natural warmth was on full display—color on the cheeks would have been too much for this look. She finished with Nars Audacious Lipstick in Annabella, a good middle-of-the-road red. See? Not boring at all.

Solange also wears a Marc Jacobs slip dress.