Choosing the right lipstick is a must to complete any look. Finding shades that suit your skin tone can be difficult, but here’s how!
How to Select the Right Lip Shade for You
Anyone who’s never done it before might think that it would be a straightforward feat to simply go to the store and choose a lipstick color, but the reality is that it can be quite intimidating! Finding the perfect lipstick color is a difficult task. Not to mention finding the right shade for your skin tone.
Just like colors go in fashion, be it accessories or clothing or makeup, it’s important to find the right ones that suit you. Everyone is different and that’s why the lip shade you see on a model or even on your beauty sales girl might not suit you.
Even though you may like a bright, gorgeous magenta, your skin tone may not be completely suited. It doesn’t imply you can’t ever wear a hue of magenta; rather, it implies you’ll have to adjust it in order for it to suit your skin’s undertone.
If you’re looking for that perfect lip color, your search ends here. Here we have created the complete guide to help you find lip shades according to your skin tone and undertones.
The Best Lipstick Color for Your Skin Tone
The first step is to find your skin tone. This can be done by looking at the veins on the inside of your wrist. If they are blue, you have a cool skin tone. If they are green, you have a warm skin tone. If they are purple, you have a neutral skin tone.
With an understanding of your skin tone, you can choose a palette of colors that works for you. When you know your undertones, you can shop for colors in the right color family, whether you want something subtle for everyday use or something bright and eye-catching.
Particularly when preparing for a wedding, you need to keep this in mind. To ensure that the dress blends harmoniously with the other items in your wardrobe, choose colors that are not too bright.
Choosing a color is only one part of the process. You will also need to select the finish and feel of the product. If lipstick is matte, it can be overpowering, but if it is glossy, it can achieve a more subtle look.
Working With Your Skin’s Undertone
Your skin tone can be cool, neutral, or warm, regardless of your true skin color. Your skin’s undertone is the pigment that radiates from beneath your surface skin. You may determine your skin’s undertone by looking at the veins on the back of your wrist. If your veins are blue-ish, you have a cool undertone. If they are greener, you have a hot undertone.
If your skin appears to be neither blue nor green, it is most likely a neutral undertone. It is helpful to know your skin’s undertone when cosmetic shopping, as it allows you to purchase products that are more tailored to you – thus saving money in the long run. Use cosmetics coupons and deals whenever possible too; this will help reduce makeup expenses significantly.
Cool Undertones – People with cool undertones have a blue, purple, pink, or crimson undertone to their skin. The sun scorches cool undertone people frequently and rarely tans them. The majority of fair-skinned individuals will have a cool undertone.
Warm – Warm undertones, like their fair-skinned counterparts, are not exclusive to darker skin. These might appear yellow, peach, golden, or olive. Some people with pale complexions may have a warm skin tone. Gold jewelry is preferable for warm undertones instead of silver. Warm undertones are associated with sun-tanned skin that burns rarely and readily tans.
Neutral – It’s easy to overlook the undertones in neutral-toned skin. In terms of lipstick and other cosmetics, you can choose from a wide range of colors based on your natural tone.
Rather than having an apparent undertone, those with neutral skin have complexions where the natural color of their skin is most visible. Oftentimes, people with neutral tones also have very even skin. This type can sport both gold and silver jewelry without any difficulties.
Also read: How to Find Your Skin Undertones
The Right Lipstick Shades According to Your Skin’s Undertones
Neutrals
If you are blessed with a neutral skin undertone, there isn’t much worry when it comes to finding a particular shade. Due to your undertones being neutral, you can choose nearly any shade. For those who want to keep things safe, rose gold shades are practically great for any skin tone.
For those who have fairer skin, a subtle pink is a great way to add some color and enhance your complexion. Darker skin tones are complemented by deep berries while mauves and nudes are perfect for medium skin tones.
Cools
Cool undertones should always feature similar hues at the base of their lip colors. If you have cool undertones, look for lip shades that are pink or purple in color and avoid colors that lean towards orange or yellow because these will make your lips appear more pale than they already are.
A perfect choice is to select shades that feature purple or blue undertones such as cherry red. Any berry-colored hue will compliment a cool skin tone. You can also try wine, plum, burgundy or mauve. Avoid orangey shades when it comes to corals and reds.
Warms
For those with golden, warm, or olive undertones you want to find lip colors with the same undertone as your skin. If you have warm undertones, look for lip shades that lean towards orange or yellow in color.
Try to find shades of red with an orange base such as terracotta or brick. You can also go for warm blush pink, magenta or mahogany. Beautiful shades of cranberry and chocolate also look amazing for those with warm skin tones.
Lipstick for Uneven Complexion
If you have warm undertones but are worried that your lipstick won’t look good because of an uneven complexion, don’t worry. This is a common issue but easy to solve. If you want to even out your skin tone, a good base product can help minimize dark spots and brighten your complexion.
Especially when you’re wearing a dark or heavily pigmented lipstick shade like mauve or red, it’s important to wear concealer around your mouth to even out the skin tone. This is what will make your makeup look professional, and will make your lip shade suit you properly.
It’s also a good idea to go to a salon for a makeup trial so that a professional makeup artist can advise you on the right colors. It’s crucial to keep in mind that you can wear any color you want, no matter your skin tone. If you pick colors with undertones that match yours, you’ll look great in anything!
Safe Colors
It’s crucial to know that not all lipstick hues are entirely safe.
Lipstick Safety Tip: Lipstick may include hazardous chemicals like lead and coal tar, which is why it’s essential to research before applying a new color to your lips. The color on the label of many commercially manufactured lipsticks is a pigment derived from coal tar, most commonly known as FD, FD&C, or FDC.
Shop from reputable brands that you trust and know do not use harmful ingredients or known toxins.
Read next:
– How to Wear Dark Lipstick Without Looking Like a Goth Queen
– Types of Blush: How to Choose the Right Blush for Your Skin Tone
Shilpa Ahuja the editor-in-chief of ShilpaAhuja.com, which she founded with the goal of inspiring confidence in the modern working woman through fashion. Other than defining the direction of the magazine, she also writes about fashion & beauty trend forecasts, industry analysis, and opinions.
Shilpa’s work has been published in the University of Fashion blog and Jet Airways magazine. She is also an artist, illustrator and cartoonist. She is also the creator of Audrey O., a comic series that represents the lifestyle of millennial women. She enjoys creative writing and world travel. Her art has been exhibited at Harvard Graduate School of Design and the Aroma Hotel, Chandigarh and been published in Chandigarh Times.
Originally from Chandigarh, Shilpa also has a degree in architecture and has worked in interior project management. She is also the author of the book “Designing a Chinese Cultural Center in India”. Shilpa has a Masters in Design Studies degree from Harvard University.
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