"Latina or caramel-colored southeast Asian (yellow-based) skin tones look best in orange-based reds," says Shackleton. "For olive skin, blue-red to burgundy and wine lipstick shades are perfect. I love MAC Ruby Woo, which is what I used on Catherine Zeta Jones at the Oscars earlier this year," adds Barnes.

Frances Loved: Lipstick Queen Saint Lipstick in Fire Red, $22. "I don't usually wear red lipstick, because I don't feel like it suits my face. But I could tell right away this color was a warm, orange-based lipstick, which looks good with my skin tone."

Not So Much: E.L.F Royal Red Lipstick, $5. "This color is way too brown, which I knew even before I put it on. I grabbed it hoping I was wrong, but this ended up making my whole complexion look darker."

"Those with tan skin usually look best in pink or brown-based reds," says Shackleton.

Erica Loved: Avon Ultra Color Lipstick in Scarlet Siren, $8. "I just like darker reds. I like that it's smooth and glides on well. It looks polished and makes me look more put-together instantly."

Not So Much: Cle de Peau Beaute Extra Rich Lipstick in Matilda, $65. "There was something almost clownish about this color on me. The satin finish was trying to be matte, but wasn't quite pulling it off. The lipstick is also shaped weird. It's sharp on the ends, which I guess is good for getting the corners, but I'm not a fan."

Dark skin tones complement just about any red, according to Barnes. "They can run the gamut. The only thing I'd stay away from are those really orange, bright, coral reds because they don't tend to look as rich on this skin tone," says Barnes. Shackleton recommends a purple or deeper brown-based red.

Tiffanie Loved: MAC's RiRi Woo, $15. "I love this lipstick. Its matte texture makes my lips look like they're naturally that red color -- like I'm not wearing any makeup. It makes a statement in a subtle way."

Not So Much: Maybelline Color Sensational Vivid Lipstick in "Red Revival," $7.49 "I don't typically go for darker colors, but as a beauty guru, I know that they're trending right now. I still don't know if I can pull it off. It's not a big enough contrast with my skin."

I wasn't alone in my red lip phobia. Several of my coworkers shy away from the classic shade, too...even though we work in the makeup industry. But over the course of this experiment, we all found ourselves embracing it.

"I wear it all the time now," Frances says. Allie agrees: "I usually never wear lipstick. I stick to sheer glosses. But after this, I'm wearing them a lot more. I tried a neon pink the other day."

As for me, I've definitely started shedding my color shyness. I recently wore red lips to a party, and though I walked out the door asking, "Are you sure this looks okay?" and "You'll tell me if it gets on my teeth, right?" I was also complimented more than once. (Okay, it was only twice, but it was a small party.)

A piece of advice: Definitely invest in a lip pencil to wear under your lipstick. While I previously thought lip pencils fell into the category of "beauty products you don't actually need," I've learned otherwise since trying bold colors. For red lips, I like MAC's Lip Pencil in "Ablaze," $15, and Tiffanie swears by Urban Decay's 24/7 Glide-On Lip Pencil in Ozone (Clear), $19. These miracle workers will keep your lipstick from bleeding and you won't have to run to a mirror to reapply every 15 minutes.

A final word on red lips: "If you try a red and love it, then it can't be wrong. Go with your gut. If you feel beautiful, you will look beautiful. Rules are made to be broken," advises Shackleton.