How to Choose the Best Lipstick for Your Skin Tone
Lipstick often feels like the easiest part of your makeup routine.
You can stock up on a few shades to add to your beauty bag, and simply choose the one that stands out to you, dependent on your look for the day.
Unfortunately, nothing is ever that easy. While it's fine to invest in multiple options, some shades just won't look right with your skin tone.
With a few key guidelines, however, we can help you choose the right lipstick shade every time. Keep scrolling for our tips.
Know Your Undertone
Choosing the right lipstick starts with knowing your skin's undertone. This is far beyond the overarching shade of your skin that often determines your foundation color. Undertone refers to the underlying hue of your skin that influences various aspects of your complexion. We all have different hues that make up our skin tone, but finding your undertone picks out the dominant shade that will help you determine the lipstick that will most complement your complexion.
Cool Undertones
Cool undertones have a pink, red or bluish hue, and are often found in fairer skin. If you have a pink undertone, your veins will look blue, and silver jewelry will complement your skin.
When choosing a lipstick for cool undertones, blue and purple shades are most complementary. Anything that leans too orange will clash with your skin tone, and shades that are too light will make you look washed out. You can still wear a flashy red, but make sure it has a blue base so it complements, instead of clashes with, your skin tone.
Warm Undertones
Warm undertones have a yellow, golden or olive hue. If you have a warm undertone, your veins will look green, and gold jewelry will complement your skin.
Lipsticks that work best for this undertone are also warm in appearance. Anything with a brown base will complement your skin beautifully by creating a monochromatic look. Oranges and reds are also complementary for this skin tone, as well as any yellow-based nudes.
Neutral Undertones
People with neutral undertones have a perfect balance of warm and cool undertones in their skin. If you have a neutral undertone, you'll look good in both silver and gold jewelry, and your veins will appear both blue and green.
Neutral undertones are quite lucky when it comes to lipsticks, as they can often wear any color without worrying about clashing with their skin. However, floral shades and light colors will look especially complementary on this skin tone, as they'll bring out both the warm and cool undertones of your complexion most effectively.
What If I Don't Know My Undertone?
If you're struggling to determine your skin's undertone, there are still some basic rules you can follow that will help you to choose a lipstick based on your skin tone. People with fairer skin should stick to bold, bright colors that will stand out. Those with olive tones should invest in pinks, oranges and nudes that will blend with the warmer shades of their skin. If you have darker skin, you'll want to look for deep shades that won't wash you out like some lighter colors might. But always remember, guidelines can only get you so far. At the end of the day, it's up to you to determine what looks best on your skin.
Looking for more beauty tips? Click HERE for the best summer hair colors for girls with dark skin.