Decadent, luxe and a little devilish—ruby red lips with a rich velvety finish give this classic go-to a fresh, modern twist. And it’s versatile. Perfect for cocktail parties, date nights or just dressing up jeans and a white tee. Here’s how to get the look.

Step 1: Prep lips with a quick mask.
Always make sure your lips are smooth and flake-free before applying matte lipstick. Clinique Insider hack: Use Pep-Start Pout Restoring Night Mask as a quick fix. Apply  generously, leave on for 2 minutes, then blot with a tissue. Its conditioning blend of petrolatum, murumuru butter, shea butter and ceramides makes lips feel instantly soft, smooth and supple.

Step 2: Create a base layer with lip liner.
For a high drama lip like this, line and fill in your lips with a pencil that matches your lipstick. This will intensify the color of the final look, enhance the dimension to your natural lip shape
and add extra staying power. We used Quickliner for Lips Intense in Intense Passion.

Step 3: Dab, blend, dab with lip powder.
Dab Pop Lip Shadow Cushion Matte Lip Powder in Crimson Pop, a saturated creamy pigment that transforms into a weightless, powdery finish, in the center of your lips, then blend outward. The pointed sponge tip applicator makes it a breeze to precisely fill in your lips, even into the very outer corners, for a flawless, vibrant final look.

Step 4: Keep the rest of your makeup minimal, but chic. 
Don’t detract the drama away from your lips. Keep your eye makeup simple with a sleek black liner look. Pretty Easy Liquid Eyelining Pen is just like using a magic marker. Lay the pointed tip flat against your lashline to draw a smooth, precise line from inner to outer corners. Then go for two coats of Lash Power Mascara Long-Wearing Formula in Black, a smudge-proof formula that’ll stay put til the bitter end.

Photos: Nick Stokes | Still Life Photo: Jon Paterson | Words: Rachel Hayes | Hair: Holly Mills | Makeup: Maki H | Wardrobe Stylist: Seppe Tirabassi | Manicurist: Gina Edwards