How to Choose the Right Red Lipstick for You

Hey there friend!

I love a red lip! There’s something about a classic red lip that I love and just sets it off. I love how it can be so simple and yet makes a statement. I know when I wear a red lip I instantly feel stronger, bolder, and like I can rule the world. So let’s talk about how you can choose the right red lipstick just for you.

Reds come in two main undertones: orange and blue.

Which main undertone works best for you honestly depends on a few things ranging from your skin tone, your style, and your level of comfort with red. Let’s break down the types of red. Orange reds tend to be spicy or punchy - like a coral red, melon red, mandarin, or fire engine red.  Blue reds tend to be deep, rich, sultry - like a strawberry red, raspberry red, or plum red. All of which are beautiful, but I’m sure you’re asking ok “how do I figure out which is best for me?”

I’m so glad you asked. I like to start with skin tone and corresponding undertone. First your overall skin tone is usually categorized as fair, light, medium, dark. There are shades in between but for the sake of conversation, we’re going to go with these 4 high-level categories. Second, consider your undertone. Is it cool, neutral, or warm?

Now I know, the undertone part is where it gets a little tricky and depending on which makeup brand you use those terms can get tossed around like a ping pong ball in an Olympic match. So the easy way I’ve found to think about it is to think about what your skin looks like when you get a lot of sun. Does your skin get more golden or more red? If your skin tends to become more golden you may have warm undertones. If your skin tends to become more red you may have cool undertones. And I say may because skin does funny things through the seasons and as we age so this is not absolute. But this has been my go to trick over the past 10 years and it’s helped me choose the right red lipstick for clients. If your undertone is neutral, you have the luck of the draw and can go either way.

Pull all of this together and you’ve some options that look like this.

Orange based red lipstick with on fair, medium, deep skin with warm undertones.

Blue based red lipstick on fair, medium, and deep skin with cool undertones

I love it! As someone with deep skin and cool undertones I promise you I have worn all 3 of these shades of these blue reds. I hope this helps you the next time you go shopping for a red lipstick or gloss. Wear your classic red lip with boldness and a smile friend.

*all lip colors shown are from www.narscosmetics.com