When it comes to picking lipstick, the variety is endless. To this, add the dilemma of formulas, finishes, and undertones. Should you go for liquids, bullets, or crayons? A matte, satin, creamy, or semi-matte formula? Do you know the undertone of your skin tone? Is it cool, warm, or neutral? Do all these questions make you feel that choosing the right lipstick is more like a job, rather than something fun? If yes, don’t worry. We’ll break it down for you.
How do I figure out my skin undertone?
There are two easy ways to do this. First, think about the jewellery that compliments your skin tone. Is it silver or gold? If it is the former, you most probably have cool-toned skin and if it is the latter, then you have warm-toned skin. If silver and gold jewellery both look on you, you have neutral undertones.
The second way to figure out your skin tone is to look at the veins in your wrist. If they look blue then you have cool undertones and if they look green then you’re warm-toned. Now that you’ve figured out your undertone, it’s time to understand how to pick the perfect lipstick shade.
Cool undertones
Match your undertone to your lipstick. Look for colours that have hints of blue and purple. For example, for the perfect nude shade, try rosy pink colours and for reds, go for deep cherry hues. If you’re unsure about which lipstick to go for, simply apply a sheer layer of the colour over lip balm to see if it works for you.
Hot take: Opt for rosy nudes and deeper cherry reds as these look beautiful on cooler-toned skin.
Warm undertones
For warm undertones, lipsticks that have warm shades work best. Think bold colours like orange, coral, bright reds, and browns. Want to pick the perfect no lipstick-lipstick? For fair skin, look for red-toned browns or pink-tinted nudes; for darker skin, peachy-nudes work best.
Hot take: Colours like brick red, bright orange, and fuchsia pink look strikingly good against warm-toned skin.
Neutral undertones
If you have these undertones, you’re lucky because it is very difficult for you to go wrong when picking a lipstick. From shades of mauve and taupe, to dark berry shades, feel free to experiment because every shade works for neutral undertones.
Hot take: A wide array of colours look great on neutral shades so try out different colours till you find one that feels reflects your personality.