Gemma Chan has graced many screens and red carpets over the years – and she always slays. The designer outfits may vary, but many have noted that the 38-year-old actress always perfectly pulls off one signature look: muted red lips.
“Putting on a bright lipstick is such a great way to lift your mood,” Gemma previously told People. “I like this classic, punchy red.”
Bold red lips might not be everyone’s cup of tea, but going for a softer, more muted application is definitely worth a try.
“The great thing about this is a really easy way to wear a red look,” she says.
Gemma calls it the “Snog Lip Look” or “make out lips” – like how lips tend to look after…well, you get the drift.
In a recent interview with Vogue, she also breaks down how to achieve her scene-stealing pout in just three easy steps.
First, definition. In order to get the “invisible lip line,” she foregoes the typical bright red lip liners for the subtler effect of Charlotte Tilbury’s Pillow Talk.
Next comes pigment, of which she applies a good amount “just in the center” before pressing her lips together. Her lippie of choice? L’Oréal Paris Colour Riche Lipstick. Some of her favorite shades are 125 – Maison Marais; and 402 – Devil’s Matte-Vocate Red.
And, before you freak out about the still-uncolored sides your lips, Gemma reveals her secret weapon for that picture-perfect soft-focus effect: a fluffy eyeshadow brush! Using said brush, she buffs out the color from the center out, making sure there are no hard lines.
The best part?
“I’m not gonna be worried about it smudging, ending up over half my face, even if I’ve been wearing a mask,” she shares.
As for her secret to radiant skin, Gemma says it’s because of the beauty routine her mom instilled in her since she was young.
“My mom was very keen on skin care and beauty, and she got me started in my teens cleansing, toning, [and] moisturizing,” she recalls. “That was her number one rule: always make sure you look after your skin.”
