Nothing says Haute for the Holidays like a strong red lipstick. The season, the focus is on the lips, and the colors are deep and bold. Here are some tips to mastering the perfect red pout.

Lip Liner: The best way to ensure a neat finish is to line the lips ahead of time. But leave the red lip liner in the makeup drawer; the best liners are “your” perfect nude. That means any color lip liner that matches your individual skin tone is perfect for framing the lips.

Lip Brush: This little tool will help you get the color exactly where you want it.

Lipstick: Nothing beats the perfect red lipstick. “Perfect” depends entirely on you. There is no such thing as a “universally flattering red”—no matter what salespeople tell you. Our advice: try on the color before you commit to buying it, and check out your reflection in natural light.

Our favorites:

Illamasqua Lipstick in Maneater

Rouge d’Armani in Rouge 400