If summer had a signature look, Tracee Ellis Ross would be the poster child. On June 29, the entrepreneur took to Instagram to share a photo dump from the past few weeks of her life, featuring everything from workouts to behind-the-scenes moments on set for a commercial with her haircare brand, Pattern. I almost didn’t make it through the entire carousel, however, because the very first image stopped me dead in my tracks—it was that good.
In a stunning selfie, Ross smiles at the camera wearing a bold red lipstick. Aside from what appears to be a touch of mascara, her skin is completely bare, letting her freckles and beauty marks take center stage. Adding to the chic, model-off-duty look is a slicked-back bun with soft tufts of gray hair angelically framing her face, almost like a halo.
Aside from a few necklaces, Ross skipped any accessories, letting her red lipstick be the focal point of the look. It’s a move that aligns with what's been dubbed the "red lipstick theory," popularized by influencer duo, the Lipstick Lesbians. The theory suggests that when you wear a bold red lip and little to no other makeup, your skin appears brighter and clearer because the eye is naturally drawn to a single focal point: your lips.
It's a hack that's been quietly embraced by Hollywood for decades—intentionally or not—with stars like Tamera Mowry, Beyoncé, and more using it to their advantage. It’s one of those timeless beauty tricks that never truly go out of style. As a red lipstick lover myself, I feel like I’ve been training all my life for this exact moment, so keep scrolling for the red lipsticks that'll help you recreate Ross’s exact look with ease.
This is my favorite red lipstick of all time. A gorgeous neutral crimson, it flatters most skin tones, and the velvety dry down is, what can only be described as, the feeling of a rose petal.
