The red lips are - I don't want to call them "armor," but they're the clothes of my character, and I'm in the business of entertainment. Wearing red lipstick helps get me into that world.
Red lips and fragrance always top off an outfit for me.
For me the visual is just as important as the music. I would never record without my red lipstick. It was my way of getting into character, sort of like Method singing.