How to Find the Best Lipstick Colors for Every Skin Tone

Finding the right colored gloss or lip shimmer seems simple, but searching for the perfect shade of red, plum or beige for your skin tone can leave even the most seasoned makeup maven frazzled.

Whether you choose a matte lip color, a pencil to line your lips or a gloss to add shimmer to your pout the hunt to find the perfect lip color remains a challenge.

But, you can find a hue that makes your lips even more luscious, whether you are puckering up for a kiss or posing for a portrait.

Here’s how:

1 Hue, color, and shade are the essential names in the lipstick game.

Fair skin can wear cooler tone lipsticks that have blue undertones, while darker skinned beauties should wear warmer toned lipsticks.

• If you have fair skin- Stick with lipsticks with apricot, pinks and nude colors.  Warm up your pale complexion with raspberry, fuchsia or hot pink…if you dare.
• If you have olive skin – Bronze, light caramel, and deep berry-colored lipsticks add a pop of color to sun-kissed olive skin. If you want to wear red, choose a darker red with a brown or chocolate base, like Revlon’s “Rum Raisin” lipstick.
• If you have dark skin or are a woman of color – You can be the most adventurous of the skin tone.  Brown skin features dramatic reds, plums, browns, and eggplant beautifully.  Any lipstick color with a hint of purple, brown or caramel is perfect for the many hues and colors of ethnic skin.
• If you have medium skin – Flaming hot reds and rosy pinks are the perfect lipstick colors for your complexion. Nude colors with a hint of peach or pink will complement medium skin instantly.

2 Ask yourself am I wearing my lipstick, morning, noon or night?

I don’t know how anyone can look fabulous standing or sitting under the harsh lights in an office building.

Go to work we must, so choose your lipstick colors according to your work and play schedule.

If you are working from 9 to 5, select creamy and warm shades of lipstick.  A whole lot of pink and a little less red will look best in the office.

In the evening, the lighting is in your favor. Choose a deep pink or fuchsia lipstick if you have fair skin. And if you have a beautiful olive complexion, paint your pout brick red.

3 Stay close to your natural lip color.

Select a tint that is no more than a few shades darker or lighter than your own lip color.

Cool tones (lipsticks with blue undertones) work best for fair skin. Women with warmer toned skin should select lipsticks with orange or red colors.

4 Consider your teeth when you choose the right lipstick color.

Brighten your teeth with lipstick colors featuring blue undertones. If your teeth are a little on the yellow side, your perfect lipstick colors include wine, plum, warm pinks and cocoa brown.

Stay away from colors that are in the orange and coral family, they will make yellow-stained teeth more prominent.

5 Morning or evening lipstick color matters.

Select your lipstick color based on the time of the day. Favor pink lipsticks over red lip colors during office hours.

Under harsh lighting in the office, from 9 to 5, choose creamy and warm shades.

Women with olive skin tones can select brick red for evening, while women with fair skin can wear fuchsia for night time events.

6 Add sheer lipsticks or matte lipstick colors into the mix.

The closer the lipstick formulation is to H2O,(meaning the wetter the texture) the easier it is for the lipstick to rub off.

A sheer lipstick is less permanent than a matte but is easier to smear during the day. To make a long-wearing lipstick, apply your sheer or gloss lipstick over the same colored matte tint.

7  Add instant glamour with a dark lipstick hue.

A study authored by Richard Russell, Ph.D. in the journal Perception, states that women look more beautiful when they choose an eye color and lipstick color that makes these two areas stand out from the color of their skin.

Because our brains are hardwired to use a contrast in color in a face to determine gender, adding a bold lipstick or dark lip gloss enhances your femininity and natural beauty.

Last minute tips to choose the best lipstick color for your skin tone:

• There are a few shades of lipstick that look great on all women: a light pink (not frosty), a sheer berry lipstick and a nude lip color accented with red bronze or gold. If you wear a nude color, swipe a bronzer or blush on your cheeks to keep skin from looking washed out.
• If you want to create a custom lipstick color,(instead of buying the perfect lipstick color for your skin tone) consider adding one part gloss to one part lipstick to customize your lipstick palette.
• Fill out thin lips with the liner to make lips smooch-proof. Apply lipstick, blot and add another layer of color for maximum staying power.
• To fake fuller lips, dot gold shadow above the middle of your lips.
• To prevent fading of the lipstick, first line and fill both lips with a matte nude pencil. Apply the lipstick and top it with a sheer gloss for a little extra shine.