Lipstick is that one part of makeup that has the ability to transform an entire look. However, it is easy to go wrong with it. Not every lipstick is suitable for everyone, and that’s why that shade you saw on your favorite celebrity and got for yourself never quite looked appealing on you and you ended up never using it. Also why you have a particular lipstick that you apply every other time because it looks good on you.
It all goes down to skin undertones and complexions. Your skin undertone is the main determining factor into which lipstick color is suitable for you, as well as your skin tone. If the color of your lipstick clashes with these two, then your lipstick will look all wrong on you. Once you can identify your skin undertone and complexion, you can never go wrong with lipstick colors.
There are three skin undertones: Warm undertone , cool undertone, and a neutral undertone.
Here’s how to know which skin undertone you have;
– If the veins underneath your skin are bluish, you have cool undertones.
– Greenish veins indicate warm undertones.
– Veins that look bluish greenish are neutral.
Once you’ve established the kind of undertone your skin has, you can make the following color choices for your lipstick:
i. For warm undertones: Lipsticks with warm shades such as peach and orange tones.
ii. For cool undertones: Lipsticks with cool shades of blue or purple and reds.
iii. If you have a neutral skin undertone, you can use both warm and collect shaded colors without clashing with your skin.
Away from undertones, skin complexions such as fair, light and dark also influence the color of lipstick to be applied.
Fair Skin Complexion
Fair skin is pale and translucent looking, so it’s very important to bring a bit of vibrancy into it and avoid colors that will make it look washed out. This calls for bold colors such as deep reds. Lipsticks with colors that are too light will have next to no effect on this complexion. Bold colors on the other side will bring a striking effect. Deep shades of peach, coral and pink are suitable for this skin tone. For fair skins with cool undertones, the most fitting shades are raspberry, nude and mocha. Pale pinks are good for warmer undertones.
Dark Skin Complexion
Just as in the case of fair skin, deep shades work best with a dark complexion. Shades of caramel and wine reds are the suitable hues. Dark purple, deep reds and berry work just fine, with ruby and merlot being suitable for cool undertones, bronze and copper complimenting warm undertones
Light Skin Complexion
Light skin is also pale, but not as much as fair skin, and can even tan. Colors such as pink and peach flatter this complexion. Light skin that has warm undertones marches better with orange-based corals, pale pinks and peaches. For the cooler undertones, mocha and raspberry work just fine.
So, to pick the best color for your lipstick, having knowledge about your skin will help you make the best choice.
