'Grown-up women are no longer scared of a red lip. Here are my favourite savey, spendy and mids.'

"Have you ever considered," she wrote, "that red might not be your colour?"

And I didn't even need a moment before I replied. NO.

She was talking about lipstick. And the fact I LOVE a red lip. I'd posted a pic of me in a favourite shade, and her pertinent question was among the comments. And you know what they say, feedback's a gift.

But no. I have not considered that red lipstick is not my friend, and I'll tell you why.

It took me a very long time to find her.

I know it's a bit of a cliché, that at midlife, women decide they might be fading into blurry invisibility and need to employ some stealthy visual tricks to get people to notice that they're still in the world. Big earrings. Exciting glasses. Chunky necklaces. RED LIPSTICK.

Watch: Mia sits down with renowned makeup artist Rae Morris for a masterclass in perfect lipstick application. Post continues below.

Maybe that's it. But maybe, also, the reason I have finally embraced a statement lip after a lifetime of nudes and tasteful dusky roses is... I'm finally brave enough. I have always loved the way a certain kind of red lip - bold, mostly matte, not too pinky - looks on other grown-up women. It looks like I'm alive. It looks like I give a sh*t. It looks like pay attention. That's the kind of grown-up woman I want to be.

So, when I hit 50 and considered an overhaul of my same safe style choices, the red lipstick I'd always coveted but assumed was for someone else became a part of it.

And now, well, let's just say, I have quite the collection. My teenage daughter goes through my bag (because of course my teenage daughter goes through my bag) and laughs at me. "How many red lipsticks does one person neeeeeed, Mum?" Which is a silly question, even for a child. 

Of course, she wouldn't be seen dead in a red lip, which is exactly how it should be.

Her time will come. This is mine. And here are a few of my favourite spendy, savey and mid red lips.

SAVEY. 

Revlon Colorstay Matte Lite Crayon in Ruffled Feathers.

My literal favourite is a Savey by Revlon. It's Revlon Colorstay Matte Lite Crayon in Ruffled Feathers.

And it's around $20, but because it's in Priceline, you can often get it on sale, sometimes for as little as $12. I wanted to take a picture of me in it, OBVIOUSLY, but it's so much my favourite that it's fallen out of my bag. I usually always have a back-up, it's one of those products I buy whenever I see it, so... my life must be a mess right now.

So this is me in my back-up Revlon Crayon, in the shade Air Kiss. It's a bit darker, and I don't always love darker, because my teeth aren't super white, and the darker your lip, the darker your teeth. But these crayons are SO EASY to use and wear and they stay put and they can knock around in your bag super-easily, right up to the point where... you lose them.

Image: Supplied.

MCoBeauty Double Ended Lipstick & Liner in Iconic Red.

Another Savey goodie is this one from MCoBeauty (who else?). This one is the Double Ended Lipstick & Liner in Iconic Red and it's around $14. I have to tell you that the beauty and the texture of this belies its price point. The pigment is STRONG. It makes my list because I adore the shade and how easy it is to use - I am a bit rubbish with lip liner - BUT; it does tend to get everywhere, so it's a blot-blot-blot job.

Image: Supplied.

MID

Elizabeth Arden Legendary Red Matte.

Don't mess around with Elizabeth Arden when it comes to red lipstick. They wrote the book. There are about six shades of red in their classic Lip Colour lipstick range. And you might think this is a bit like when you go to Bunnings and there are 200 shades of white, but every little tinker with every little red does something to your skin tone, just like every one of those whites changes ever so slightly in sunlight. 

So after some very fun research, I've landed on the perfect classic red for me from the people behind the red door. It's Legendary Red, and I like the matte one. It's my current must, go-to, every-darn-day red. And it's around $40.

Image: Supplied.

Basics By B Velvet Lipstick in Vegas.

Okay. Here's an Aussie lady startup that delivers a red that wooed me through my phone. I was influenced to buy Basics By B Velvet Lipstick in Vegas when I saw it on Paula Joye's mouth on Instagram. 

It's a slightly darker red than I usually go for (see teeth, above), but it's classic and, as the name suggests, velvety and matte in all the right ways. If I feel bright and invincible in my Legendary Red, in Vegas I feel more like a badass. And if there's anything more embarrassing than a 51-year-old woman calling herself a badass I don't know what it is but here we are. I can't help it. It's $32.

Image: Supplied.

SPENDY

Gucci Rouge A Levres Voile Satin Lipstick.

Now, this is a controversial category. There is no Chanel in my pick, or Dior, both of whom could boast the most iconic spendy reds of them all, but my pick goes to something a bit different, because, let's be honest, when those ^^^^ lipsticks are all kinds of excellent and less than $50, why would you spend any more on a lippy? 

Well, maybe to get what Gucci gives you. Which for me, with their Rouge A Levres Voile Satin lipstick in Goldie Red, is nostalgia and glamour and the kind of red which, ironically for something so luxurious, I could wear walking the dog.

The packaging - all ribbed gold tubing and kitschy printed roses - reminds me of the lipsticks I used to steal from my grandmother's dressing table. And the surprise (although not once you find out that Voile means Veil) is that it's light. And lovely. And costs between $62-74. So, you, know, Spendy.

Image: Supplied.

So no, since I found the courage to wear a 'bold lip', I have never considered that red might not be my colour. Sorry.

It's just a matter of which one. Or... you know, which ONES.

What's your favourite red lipstick in your own beauty bag? Let us know in the comments below!

Feature Image: Supplied/Mamamia.