Red Lipstick Confidence: Why 2026 Is the Year of Authentic Boldness
- Amanda Van Meter Burch
- 4 days ago
- 3 min read
2026 Is the Year of Red Lipstick
There’s something about red lipstick.
It’s bold. It’s classic. It’s a little rebellious.
It’s feminine and powerful at the same time.
And for years, I avoided it.
Not because I didn’t love what it stood for—but because it didn’t love me back. Red lipstick pulls the red in my skin. It highlights every little flaw. It’s not my color.
So what?
That’s the point.
Looking Back at 2025
2025 was a year of big milestones for me.
My son Ari turned 10.
My marriage turned 20.
I turned 40.
Let that sink in.
We cruised the Caribbean; 3x's. I watched my business grow in ways I once only dreamed about. I experienced deep joy, deep gratitude, and deep clarity.
And somewhere in all of that… something shifted.
I stopped asking, “Is this okay?”
Turning 40 Changed Everything
Here’s the truth no one tells you.
Confidence doesn’t come from fixing yourself.
It comes from accepting yourself fully.
At 40, I no longer want to blend in.
I don’t want to tone it down.
I don’t want to make myself easier to digest.
I want to be honest.
Bold. Unapologetic.
Even if it makes people uncomfortable.
Especially if it does.
Let me be honest...
Somewhere in all of this, I need to tell the truth.
This was my second self portrait session this month.
The first one bombed. Hard.
I walked away second guessing everything. My talent. My eye. My body.
I looked at myself with mean eyes instead of kind ones.
I saw the weight I’m still carrying.
My belly.
How far I feel from where I want to be.
I remember thinking, I hate my body.
But this shoot was never about pretending I love every inch of myself.
It was about honoring myself anyway.
Honoring where I am.
What my body has carried me through.
What 40 looks like on me right now, not someday, not after, not when.
Putting these images out into the world scared me.
I almost didn’t.
But confidence isn’t waiting until everything is perfect.
It’s choosing to be seen anyway.
And this, right here, was that choice.
Red Lipstick Is the Metaphor
Red lipstick isn’t about beauty.
It’s about permission.
Permission to take up space.
Permission to be seen.
Permission to choose what you love—without explaining it.
This year, I’m wearing red lipstick proudly.
Even though it shows my flaws.
Even though it’s not my “best” color.
Even though someone might have an opinion.
Because I don’t dress, speak, or live for approval anymore.
2026: The Year of Authentic Boldness
2026 is the year we stop hiding.
No more waiting to feel ready.
No more shrinking.
No more apologizing for who we are.
This is the year we:
Speak the truth, even when it’s scary
Show up as we are
Choose joy over perfection
Take bold steps without needing permission
Confidence isn’t loud.
It’s grounded.
It’s calm.
It’s choosing yourself—over and over again.
You’re Not Meant to Stay Small
So many women are playing small on purpose.
They wait.
They hesitate.
They second guess.
Not because they aren’t capable.
But because they’re afraid of being seen.
Let me tell you something.
You were never meant to live quietly.
The Avy Confidence Community
This year, we’re growing something special.
The Avy Confidence Community is a space for women who are ready to step out of the shadows and into their confidence.
We’ve already hosted our first workshop—and it was powerful.
Women showed up.
Women opened up.
Women were transformed.
In 2026, we’ll be meeting monthly.
Learning.
Growing.
Supporting each other.
This isn’t about fixing yourself.
It’s about becoming more of who you already are.
Wear the Red Lipstick
Do the thing.
Say the truth.
Take the step.
Wear the red lipstick.
Even if it’s not perfect.
Even if it feels scary.
Even if you’ve never done it before.
Because bold doesn’t ask permission.
And neither should you.
Welcome to 2026.
This is the year we show up—fully.
Great job, very proud of you! Thanks for being so transparent and encouraging! Red lipstick definitely a different way to see it.