The search for the perfect lipstick for your skin tone can be difficult! Trying to determine your skin tone, the undertones of the lipstick and if it even looks good on you can be frustrating. Luckily, we have made this little quick reference for you before you go on the hunt for your perfect lipstick! Determine your skin tone, how to pick the right hue and then read on for some recommendations to help you find the perfect shade!
First, consider your skin tone:
Warm: your skin has undertones of gold, peach or yellow.
Cool: your skin has undertones of blue red or pink.
Olive: often misrepresented as just a warm or neutral tone, your skin has undertones of yellow, green and gold.
Neutral: your skin is a mix of warm and cool.
Next, look at the lipstick color:
Warm lipsticks have undertones such in red, peach, orange or yellow colors. The lipsticks tend to be more orange hues such as coral, gold copper and can even include siennas and browns. Peach shades, orangey-red and rosy pink shades will look best on a warm skin tone.
Cool-toned lipsticks will have blue and purple undertones. Blue hues like plum, cherry, mauve, crimson and purples are what you should be looking for if you have a cool skin tone.
Neutral skin tones have both cool and warm tones, as explained above. Since your skin is a mixture of both, you can wear all hues of lipstick. Totally not fair!
This perfectly plum color is perfect or those with fair skin with cool undertones. It’s not too dark, not too pink and has a perfect matte finish that will last all day (even through your five cups of coffee!) Along with plum, try raspberry shades for a pink lip and nudes that lean towards a mocha hue for the perfect pout!
This shade works great for those with fair skin with warmer undertones since it features a warm, dark peach tone. Peach looks great on those with warmer shades and this color gives you a rosy finish without being too in your face with the color. With this skin tone, you can’t go wrong with pale, subtle pinks and a blue-based red for the evening.
If you have medium skin with cool undertones, this pink/mauve color pulls some warmth into the skin while staying understated and sweet. You can also try mauve with more of a chocolate undertone or any berry shade for a fun pop of color! Give a cranberry shade a try when you’re looking to do a bold lip.
For someone with medium skin with warm undertones, try to go bold with deep, rich colors and bring out your warm undertone. This color is perfect for your every day go-to or for a special evening out. Definitely give colors with an orange or brown undertone a try, you’d be surprised by how pretty they will look! If you’re looking to try something different, copper or bronze shades will bring out your golden glow.
Olive skin with cool undertones looks great in deep rose or wine colors. These colors will bring warmth to the face and brighten the eyes. Olive skin also looks great in all shades of brown, but a caramel hue will bring more warmth to the face and highlight your golden skin.
If you want to enhance the golden honey tones of your olive skin with warmer undertones try a deep red, berry or a warm nude with an orange tint. For evening wear, reach for a darker berry or plum to making your features pop. A good rule of thumb for olive skin tone is the warmer the better!
When you have deep skin with cool undertones, you can basically pull off any shade (lucky you!) Try shades with blue undertones that are darker colors that will pop against your skin. Walnut, caramel and wine should be your go-to hues and as long as you choose a warm color, you’ll look amazing no matter what!
If you have deep skin with warm undertones, try a cabernet wine or merlot (basically all the good wine colors) to make your face pop and bring out the gold in your skin. Copper or bronze based colors look especially great on you and if you’re feeling bold, try a classic cherry red for a bright and fun pop of color!
If you have a neutral undertone, lipstick is a free-for-all for you! Since you can look good in basically anything, have fun trying out new lippies. Everything from subtle pink to bright blue is a fun color for you to try. This Kat Von D lipstick is moisturizing and will melt right into your lips while still being super pigmented, giving you the perfect touch of color. All of the brand’s lipsticks are vegan and cruelty-free so you can use confidently!
This last lipstick is a wild card because, at the end of the day, makeup is supposed to be fun and experimental. If you’re looking to break out of the undertone box, try black lipstick! This one from Bite Beauty is made with all-natural ingredients so the navy-black blend isn’t too harsh but can definitely be built on if you are going for that look.
So, what do you think? What lipstick will you be reaching for when you get ready? Let us know in the comments below!
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