A girl in my high school French class used to blow me away with her amazing makeup. It was always so perfect and pulled together (at 16!) that I assumed she spent at least an hour getting ready in the morning. Then, one day when I asked her to teach me some of the tricks, she looked at me like I was nuts. Turns out that all she did was put on a bright red lipstick.

That was the precise moment that I learned the power of a red lip.

A good red lip can make your whole face look "done" -- even when it's the only makeup you're wearing. Even better, a red lip can also distract from imperfections -- like that rogue zit near your nose or those unruly brows that desperately need to be shaped. And it's always a winner at parties -- particularly at holiday time.

Now, I know that wearing red lipstick can be daunting but, for all of you skeptics out there, here's some news that may change your mind: A red lip doesn't have to be the classic Hollywood version -- the one that bleeds, flakes, fades and stays anywhere but on your mouth. These days there are so many ways to wear a red lip that you can find one that suits you. Read on and you'll see.

See 6 ways to wear a red lip now.