Let’s all give a big round of applause to Claire Danes, who took the Emmy Awards as an opportunity to demonstrate the lipstick all blondes need to know about:

It's a sheer shade of red - still deeply and profoundly red, but with just a bit of translucence to take the edge off. When you've got blonde hair this is important. A lot of natural blondes are also prone to facial redness, which a thicker lipstick can highlight. As Claire demonstrates, when your lips are glazed or stained, rather than painted, less red shows through on the rest of your skin.

Matte red can also look a little bit cartoonish with pale hair. Which is fine if you want to look bold-bordering-on-Rockabilly, but can also be a bit intimidating. A bit... well, January Jones.

http://cdn.theglow.com.au/app/uploads/2014/08/454155004_10.jpg January Jones at the 2014 Emmy Awards

Now, some of us - present company included - don't mind looking like a painted porcelain doll. But if that's not your bag, then a tint, gloss or sheer lipstick is your saviour. It'll still brighten your face up but it's a lower commitment, and it means you won't have to balance it by wearing thick foundation, like January has.

Here are a few of our favourites:

The Glow's pick of sheer red lipsticks

Benefit's Benebalm Hydrating Tinted Lip Balm

ModelCo's Cheek + Lips Tint in Rosy Red

Burt's Bees Tinted Lip Balm

Clinique Chubby Stick in Two Tonne Tomato

Want more Emmys-inspired beauty? Here's how to get Gwen Stefani's golden skin (even if you're really pale)  and here's how to create the hairstyle of the evening: the wavy long bob.

And just because it's fun, check out all the beauty and hair looks from the night.

Beauty and hair at the 66th Emmy Awards

Giuliana Rancic

Lena Headey

Hayden Panettiere

Sarah Hyland

Sarah Hyland

Natasha Lyonne

Debra Messing

Laverne Cox

Kiernan Shipka

Laura Prepon

Melissa McCarthy

Kit Harrington

Danielle Brooks

Natalie Dormer

Allison Williams

Julia Roberts

Sofia Vergara

Kristen Wiig

Katherine Heigl

Kate Mara

Claire Danes

Jessica Pare

Lena Dunham

January Jones

Julie Bowen

Kaley Cuoco

Kelly Osbourne

Gwen Stefani

What's your favourite sheer red lipstick, stain or gloss?