“It’s just lipstick; I can choose any shade.” said no one ever. Lipsticks are one of the most fun parts of any makeup routine, as they help you play with different looks. Irrespective of your outfit, the right lipstick can completely turn around your ensemble. Whether you have recently started buying cosmetics or have been using beauty products for years, choosing the right lipstick palette can be a daunting task. How do you choose the right shades that complement your skin tone? With literally hundreds of options, it can be overwhelming to decide if you should go with a bold red, a statement hue, or a subtle shade. Fortunately, every skin tone has a lipstick palette, and you can learn to choose the right one. Whether you have a pale to light complexion or a strong to cocoa complexion, there is a set of lip shades waiting to be flaunted by you. Here is the ultimate makeup guide for you to learn to choose the right lipstick palette for you.
1. Determine your skin tone.
You need to correctly identify your skin tone before you choose a lipstick palette. Skin tone is nothing but complexion, and is of five types: fair, tan, light, medium, and deep. Bold shades like red or pink suit well on fair skin tone. If you have a tan or deep skin tone, you can go for deep red, pink, or other colours (not brown, though). Berry, mauve, or cherry shades work best for light and medium skin tones.
2. Determine your undertone.
Not to be confused with skin tone, the undertone is the subtle hue beneath your skin. Undertones are of three types: warm, cool, and neutral. But that’s not it. Each of the undertones has tones within them.
- Warm: peachy, golden or yellow
- Cool: bluish, red, or pink
- Neutral: a mixture of both warm and cool
The best way to find your undertone is to look at the colour of your veins in the sun. If your veins are blue or purple, you have a cool skin tone. If you have green veins, you have a warm skin tone. If you have trouble deciding whether your veins are blue or green, you may probably have a neutral skin tone. People with neutral skin tones can choose lipstick palette colours from both the warm and cool spectrum.
3. Consider your lip size.
Your choice of ideal lipstick palette will change depending on how thick or thin your lips are. You should avoid dark shades if you have thin lips and avoid light shades if you have thick lips. This is because dark shades make your lips look smaller, while lighter shades add plumpness. Matte finish lipsticks make lips look thinner, whereas glosses and shimmery lipstick shades make them look fuller. Remember that there is no right or wrong when choosing a lip palette, but a lot of it depends on the look you are trying to create.
4. Consider your hair colour
When choosing a lipstick palette, you should also consider your hair colour. If your hair is of warm tone, for instance, blonde or brown golden, warm shades can complement your look. On the other hand, if your hair is of cool tone, you can choose cool tone shades.
5. Consider your eye colour
Even your eye colour plays a role when choosing lip shades that suit your skin tone. Coral or pink undertones complement blue or green eyes. Warm shades like brown or orange generally complement brown eyes. Neutral or warm lip shades bring out hazel eyes.
Tips to Choose the Right Lipstick Palette
While there is no set formula to choose the “perfect lipstick palette, you can try following these tips based on your undertone.
- Warm tones: People with warm or yellow undertones should try warm-shade lipsticks. Shades such as orange-red, red, terra-cotta, and brick-red will enhance your complexion.
- Blue or pink tones: Cool undertones should try testing out cool-tone lipsticks such as blue-ish, purple, berry, or deep plum shades.
- Neutral tones: People with neutral undertones are fortunate since they can try out a wide range of lipstick shades. Shades such as mauve and subtle pinks work for fair to medium skin tones, while berry shades work for darker skin tones.
You may also wonder what lipstick palette to go for during a black tie event or a casual day outing. Should you wear a dark red or an understated nude? You can wear any shade, given the undertones match the lip colour.
Conclusion
A beauty guide like ours is a good way to start when overwhelmed with a plethora of lip shades available. Once you have determined your skin tone, undertone, and other factors, just follow the tips to choose the right lipstick palette for you. But it does not mean you can’t wear a dark red or an orange if you have a darker skin tone. Do not hesitate to do a quick Google search to see what’s hot in the makeup regimen and see how it suits you. The more you try, the better you understand what lip shades bring out your distinctive features and complexion. The trick is to follow these tips and keep looking until you find the right ones.