Grab These Taylor Swift-Approved Red Lipsticks Before She Graces the Stage in Singapore!

She’s iconic, she’s fearless, and she’s got that red lip, classic thing that we like.

Of course, we’re referring to none other than Taylor Swift, the iconic pop culture figure who will be returning to our little red dot for the Eras Tour.

What better way to gear up for the occasion than with the perfect Tay-approved red lipstick? Read on to discover the ones she’s worn throughout the years and others we recommend to replicate her signature look.

Taylor’s red lip: A brief history

We’ve always associated the pop star with her red lip, but when did it all start?

Believe it or not, it wasn’t until March 2009, three years into her career, that the country-turned-pop singer embraced the lip shade that would continue to be associated with her for over a decade.

At that time, Taylor had just released her successful album, “Fearless,” and was featured on the cover of Allure magazine. Gucci Westman, her makeup artist for the shoot and the founder of the clean beauty brand Westman Atelier, played a significant role in introducing her to the world of the red lip.

Having worked with Taylor multiple times, Westman fondly recalls being the one to suggest the red lip for the Allure shoot.

Despite initial reservations from Taylor’s management, who claimed that “Taylor doesn’t do red,” Westman stood firm, stating that Taylor should give it a try. The makeup artist aimed to give Taylor an updated Vargas-girl look with striking lips and flawless skin.

Taylor fell in love with the red lipstick so much that Westman gifted her a tube to take home. This became her look for her first-ever headlining tour, The Fearless Tour, and marked the beginning of a recognisable look that has since become a defining element throughout Taylor Swift’s illustrious career.

Since then, the 11-time Grammy and 40-time American Music Awards winner has referenced her signature pout multiple times throughout her discography, cementing her position as Hollywood’s queen of the red lip.

Besides her aptly-titled album “Red”, you may also recognise lyrics from instant pop hits like Wildest Dreams and Blank Space, such as “Red lips and rosy cheeks” and “Cherry lips, crystal skies.”

5 Lipsticks to Get Taylor Swift’s Red Lip Look

While the singer has remained fairly tight-lipped on the exact red lipstick she prefers currently, a look into a few of her older interviews and images have led us to uncover some products that have contributed to her iconic looks.

As a bonus, we’ve also included the closest dupes for some of them to consider adding to your cart!

NARS Velvet Matte Lip Pencil in Dragon Girl

In preparation for the 2014 Met Gala, Taylor took to Instagram to share a picture of her and model Karlie Kloss getting their glam on. Eagle-eyed fans spotted the bold red lip the singer was holding, which is NARS’ Dragon Girl.

This matte lip product has an application of a lipstick, but the convenience of an artist’s pencil.

NARS Velvet Matte Lip Pencil retails for S$40 and is available at Sephora.sg and Lazada. 

Covergirl Exhibitionist Lipstick in Hot

During Taylor’s days as a CoverGirl, she cited a particular drugstore find from the American brand as one of her beloved red lipsticks.

One of her go-to choices was Covergirl Lip Perfection Lipstick in Hot, a cherry-red shade subtly blue-based, which beautifully complemented skin with pink undertones. Taylor often paired this lipstick with her signature makeup technique, the flicked black liner.

In a 2012 interview with Redbook, she shared her application method, stating, “I swipe on my lipstick, place a tissue between my lips, and blot. Then, if I really need the colour to last, I hold the tissue against my mouth and brush translucent powder over it, which sets it.”

While the line featuring the original shade has since been discontinued, Covergirl has fortunately provided a replacement for the exact shade in their Exhibitionist Lipstick collection.

Covergirl Exhibitionist Lipstick in 305 Hot retails for S$28.21 at Amazon.sg.

MAC Retro Matte Lipstick in Ruby Woo

For the Anti-Hero singer, MAC’s lipstick in Ruby Woo is a must-have. She told People back in 2015 that she “recently discovered Ruby Woo by MAC, which I think everyone knows is a staple. I was the last person to discover it.”

The classic cherry-red shade, Ruby Woo, has also been worn by other celebrities like Rihanna, Angelina Jolie, Rita Ora, and Janet Jackson.

MAC Retro Matte Lipstick in Ruby Woo retails for S$37 and is available at Sephora.sg.

Dupe: Maybelline New York Made For All Lipstick in Red for Me

Fancy a more affordable alternative? Maybelline’s lipstick in the shade Red for Me has a matte finish with blue undertones, just like Ruby Woo.

Its highly creamy formula includes moisturising ingredients like shea butter and vitamin E, ensuring that it won’t leave your lips feeling dry.

Maybelline Color Sensational Made for All Lipstick in 382 Red for Me retails for S$18.90 on Shopee. 

Chanel Rouge Allure Luminous Intense Lip Color in Pirate

This cool-toned dark red lipstick from Chanel is a favourite among makeup artists. It’s also the one Taylor Swift pulled off when she posed for the cover of the November 2013 InStyle issue.

Chanel Rouge Allure Luminous Intense Lip Color in Pirate retails for S$62 and is available at Chanel.

Pat McGrath Taylor-Made Lip Kit

What better way to get Taylor’s iconic red lip than one inspired by the singer herself? Pat McGrath’s “Taylor-Made” Lip Kit is a collaboration between the renowned makeup artist and the pop star that was created during their work together on Taylor’s stunning Bejeweled music video.

The standout feature of the “Taylor-Made” Lip Kit is Pat McGrath’s LiquiLUST Legendary Wear Matte Lipstick in Elson 4.

This lipstick boasts a matte finish designed to remain intact without smudging. As the kit is currently sold out at the time of writing, read on to see a near-exact dupe to it from MAC.

Keep an eye out for restocks of the Pat McGraph Taylor-Made Lip Kit here.

Dupe: MAC Lipstick in Russian Red

This medium-dark, moderately cool-toned red lipstick with a matte finish will give you a similar look to the one from Pat McGrath.

The creamy and trustworthy formula is a favourite of many for its high pigmentation and non-drying formula.

MAC Lipstick in Russian Red retails for S$37 and is available on Sephora.sg.

Featured image credit: Taylor Swift and @chanhsexton/Instagram