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.