Someone requested a guide to choosing the right red lipstick for you, well boring as it sounds, the best way really is to try them on. Without putting them on your lips, it’s difficult to know exactly how the colour will come out. Don’t test on your hands, as this will give no indication of how it will come out on your lips…
The next best way to find the right red for you is based on your skintone. Generally skin tones fall into two categories, warm and cool. Cool skins tend to be paler skins, which sunburn easily like English rose complexion. They have a pink undertone. Warm skins are often darker, olive skins with a blue undertone.
Some cosmetics companies like Prescriptives have divided their shades up for you to make it easier to pick, and if you visit one of their counters, they’ll work out the shades that will suit you best.
The chart below gives an indication of what might look good on you.
All Skin Tones: True primary red – ie. The classic London Bus colour. Although some argue that true reds still work best on pale skins.
Cool Skin Tones (pink undertones): Pink tones of red, Berry Reds, Blackberry Reds, Brick Reds, Blue tones of Red, Plum tones.
Warm Skin Tones (yellow undertones): Orangey reds, Warm reds, Tomato reds, Brown based reds, Golden reds, Tawny reds.
Finally, it’s worth mentioning that blue toned reds will have a whitening effect on teeth.
