HOW TO PICK THE BEST LIPSTICK | SHADES FOR YOUR SKINTONE

Written by Lauren Woodson

There is a method to finding the perfect shade of lipstick to make your entire look POP! Ultimately, you can wear any color you want. But if you want to find the shade that is going to complete your look, really make your complexion radiate AND sometimes make your teeth appear whiter, then listen up!

A good technique to use is to match your lip color to your skin tone. The first thing you need to do is determine your skin tone. You are going to fall into the category of either light, medium or dark. You want to thoroughly examine your skin. Go somewhere where this is natural light. If you don't have access to nature light, avoid light that has any tints to it. Preferably use daylight bulbs.

Cool Undertones

If your complexion is pale, you have freckles or are prone to sunburns, you fall into the "light" category. If you are able to tan without burning, you fall into the "medium" category. If your skin is tan to dark all year round, and you typically do not get sunburned, you fall into the "dark" category.

Next, you want to find out your undertone. You are going to have a cool (pink), neutral or warm (yellow) tone to your skin. In order to find out your undertone, you want to take a look at the veins in your wrist under natural light.

You have a cool undertone if your veins are blue, and you may have a pinkish or bluish hue to your skin. Typically, silver jewelry compliments your skin. If you have cool tones to your skin, we generally suggest choosing shades that have purple or blue undertones. This does not mean purple or blue lipstick necessarily.

For examples, when choosing a red shade of lipstick, go for the deep red (with more blue), something like Obsession Matte Stick. When choosing a nude, for a shade that is more of a rosey nude like Posh Matte Stick. If your skin is light, you can go for a paler nude, but these shades will work nicely for you.

Warm Undertones

If your skin has an olive, golden or yellow-ish hue to it, you have warm undertones. The veins in your wrist may appear to be green. You also tan easily. Generally, gold jewelry compliments your skin tone well.

So you want to go with lip colors that have warm tones. Looking for the perfect nude? You can do bold colors — strong oranges, golds, coppers, wine reds like our best selling Karma Lipstick. Or, try a fiery red like Starlet Matte Stick. The deeper your skin tone, the deeper you can go with nudes. My favorite deep nude is Savage Matte Stick. It is a very flattering shade.