How Do I Pick the Perfect Lipstick?
Choosing the perfect lipstick that suits you and your unique undertone can be overwhelming! With so many brands and shades to choose from, they can all begin to look the same and hard to distinguish between. However, the most important thing to take into consideration when selecting a lipstick is that the colour will look much different on the lips, compared to how it looks in the packaging. This is why understanding the perfect shade that matches your skin tone is a must so that you can clearly identify the perfect shade for you! Our lipstick guide is here to help.
Identify your Skin's Undertone
You may be thinking under-what? However, identifying the undertone of your skin is a great trick to choosing the perfect shade of lipstick (and can also help with choosing foundation colours too!) There are two categories of skin undertones, warm or cool. Those with cooler undertones tend to have fairer skin, whilst those with warmer undertones typically have more golden or olive skin. To add another into the mix, it is also possible to be a neutral undertone, meaning that you are a mixture of both warm and cool! (This is often the category you will fall in if you are struggling to fit into either warm or cool categories.)
As a side note, it is important to remember that skin tone and undertone are two separate ideas. Skin tone attributes to the depth of your skin such as fair, dark, deep, etc. Skin tone can also change slightly depending on the season for example you may be fairer during Winter, yet deeper during Summer! Then comes undertone of which highlights the base of your skin! These fall into the categories of cool, warm and neutral that we mentioned previously. There is a common misconception that fairer skin can't be warm-toned or deeper skin can't be cool-toned, however, we're here to debunk this myth! Keep reading to find out how to identify the undertone of your skin and find the appropriate lipstick for you!
Cool Undertones
If you have a pink, red or blue hue to your skin you probably have cool undertones. You can also have a look at the veins in your wrist if you're unsure and if these look blue, cool undertones it is! Additionally, if your skin tends to burn easily this can also lead to cool undertoned skin.
Best Lipstick for Cool Undertones:
Lip colours with blue or purple undertones are best! (not to be mixed up with literal blue or purple lipstick!) Think cherry red, rosy and pink nude. When selecting your lipstick veer for more deep, bluish reds instead of orangey reds, taupe or beige nudes rather than coral. These blue or purple undertones will compliment your skin tone effortlessly and enhance your makeup look.
Our Picks:
- Napoleon Perdis DeVine Goddess Lipstick – Calypso
- Youngblood Intimatte Mineral Matte Lipstick – Hotshot
- Elizabeth Arden Beautiful Color Bold Liquid Lipstick – Seductive Magenta
Warm Undertones
If you have a golden, yellow or olive tint to your skin then chances are you will fall under the warm-toned category. When looking at your wrists, the veins will appear green (as opposed to blue for cool undertones). Moreover, if you tend to tan quite easily then this is also an indication of warm undertones.
Best Lipstick for Warm Undertones:
This tip is easy to remember, warm undertones equals warm shades! Imagine bright oranges, terracotta or even brick reds. In contrast, when choosing a nude, ensure you use your skin colour as a guide. For example, if you have fairer warm-toned skin stick for a paler nude, or if your skin is deeper go for a richer nude! Warm undertones really suit fiery reds and orange lipstick, so maybe its time to dare to go bold?
Our Picks:
- Lancome L’Absolu Rouge Lipstick – Pourquoi Pas
- Eye of Horus Velvet Lips – Vixen Rouge
- Raww Coconut Kiss Lipstick – Petite Peach
Neutral Undertones
As we mentioned earlier, it is possible that you could have a mixture of warm and cool tones in your skin. This means that your complexion is both pink and yellow and means that you fall under the neutral category. A plus side of a neutral undertone is that a wide spectrum of lipstick shades suit you!
Best Lipstick for Neutral Undertones:
Majority of lipstick colours are complementary to your skin tone, so dream big! We love going for pinky hues for fairer skin and berry shades for deeper skin tones. Anything from a pale nude to a deep red will suit your skin tone and you will be sure to make the cool and warm undertoned lipstick wearers around you incredibly jealous!
Our Picks:
- Youngblood Lipstick – Naked
- Lancome Juicy Shaker – Boom Meringue
- Eye of Horus Bio Goddess Lipstick – Aurora Peach
To conclude, if you get stuck when next choosing your lipstick, try to remember your skin undertone. Cool undertones will suit cooler shades of lipsticks whereas warm undertones will better suit warm shades. Using this rule as a guide will give you a foolproof way of choosing that perfect shade!