How To Find The Best Red Lip Color For Your Skin Tone
Red lips make a woman appear bold and in charge. But it has to be done the right way because a red lip on the wrong skin tone can look cheap or even clown-like (yikes!).
When I imagine red lips, my mind goes straight to Marilyn Monroe. There are few who wore it better than the icon herself. But red lips aren’t just reserved for the Monrocore beauty trend, it can be worn with many looks. But the key is finding just the right shade of red for you, and that has a lot to do with your skin tone.
Your skin tone will fall somewhere between fair to dark, and each skin tone also has undertones of either yellow, red, or blue. Undertones are also categorized by warm, cool, or neutral. This is how you will determine what shade is the best fit for you. Those considered warm might notice gold, peachy, or yellow undertones in their skin. For people with blue, pink, or red undertones, you’re considered cool. And those with a mixture of warm and cool are considered neutral.
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What To Wear If You Have Warm Undertones
Once we determine what undertone our skin is, we can use that information to pick a shade of red lips. If you’re a warm skin tone, then a fire engine red color would work for you. The reds with the peachy and golden undertones look excellent on you, so pick the shade based on that.
Here are a few shades that could work:
Gucci Rouge à Lèvres Voile Sheer Lipstick in “Goldie Red 25,” $45
Charlotte Tilbury Hot Lips Lipstick in “Hot Emily,” $34
MAC Lipstick Matte in “Lady Danger,” $21
Celebs with warm undertones: Kim Kardashian, Nicole Kidman, Kylie Jenner, Jessica Alba, Viola Davis, and Claire Danes.
What To Wear If You Have Cool Undertones
For the cooler skin tones, it’d be smart to choose a red lip color with a blue base or a pink base. Typically someone with fair skin would rock these shades. The undertones of the lipstick will help make your features pop.
Here are some red lip ideas for cool tones:
Makeup by Mario Ultra Suede Lipstick in “Kiana,” $26
NARS Velvet Matte Lipstick Pencil in “Cruella,” $27
Pat McGrath Labs MatteTrance Lipstick in “Omi 107,” $39
Celebs with cool undertones: Anne Hathway, January Jones, Lucy Hale, Adele, Mindy Kaling, Lupita Nyong'o, and Lucy Liu.
What To Wear If You Have Neutral Undertones
If you are neutral-toned, you can really rock a red lip with any kind of base. A classic red color would suit you really well.
Check out these shades for neutral tones:
Fenty Beauty Stunna Lip Paint Longwear Fluid Lip Color in “Uncensored,” $26
Yves Saint Laurent Rouge Pur Couture Satin Lipstick in “Le Rouge,” $38
MAC Retro Matte Lipstick in “Ruby Woo,” $21
Celebs with neutral undertones: Selena Gomez, Natalie Portman, Drew Barrymore, Victoria Beckham, and Kerry Washington.
Closing Thoughts
Who knew there were so many shades of red? Choosing your red lip color is essential to avoid looking clownish or cheap. A red lip can be classic and bold, or it can be worn to be soft and sweet. You can choose your shade with the help of the undertones of your skin. Once you know what skin tone you are, you can base your makeup shades on that to really enhance your features. Hopefully, this little red lip guide gives you some help!
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