Have you ever gone to buy lipstick, but then just ended up feeling super overwhelmed and opting for a nude gloss instead? Because same. But today we’re talkin’ two, yes only two tips that will help you pick a shade of lipstick that compliments that gorgeous face of yours perfectly! Let’s get started.
Let’s begin with what we expect out of a lipstick:
- Smooth application. This is key because you definitely don’t want a lipstick you have to drag over your lips.
- Appears to white your teeth. Choosing the wrong shade can make your teeth look a little lackluster. Remember back when bright red lipstick was the thing? Well, some of us really struggled with that because the combination of a red lip with our skin tone made our teeth look … not as white as they actually are.
- Doesn’t wash you out. This is just kind of a rule of thumb with all makeup, you definitely don’t want to opt for colors of any cosmetic that wash you out.
- It sticks around. What’s worse than applying lipstick only to have it completely gone an hour later?
- It doesn’t bleed. Too many lipsticks have done this to us leaving our lips looking a little sloppy, so we simply can’t have a lipstick that bleeds.
(image via: istock)
Everyone will have their own criteria for what they’re looking for in a lipstick, but we think it’s safe to say that most of us can agree with these expectations.
Okay, on to the tips!
Determine Your Skin Undertone
This step in the process is so important that it could probably be the only tip we give you (don’t worry, it isn’t the only one!) Undertones fall into three categories – warm, cool, and neutral, and each one contains tones you should be looking for.
Warm: Gold, peachy, or yellow.
Cool: Bluish, red, or pink.
Neutral: A mix of warm and cool.
(image via: maybelline)
Choose a Color Based on Your Undertone
Unfortunately, there is no magic formula for choosing the *perfect* lip shade, but the best thing you can do is swatch your arm with samples.
If you have warm undertones you’ll want to look for a lipstick shade in a warmer, almost earthier tone such as terracotta or brick red.
If you have cool undertones, you’ll be searching for colors such as a brighter cherry red because it veers more toward blue than orange or berry shades.
If you have neutral undertones you have the least restrictions and more room to play with mauve, pinky tones, or berry shades.
(image via: istock)
A few more tips:
- If you desperately want to try a dark lip but it’s a little out of your comfort zone, ease into it by applying a gloss on top.
- Decide if you want to focus on your lips or your eyes; if you want your lips to be the center of attention, go bold! If it’s the eyes for you, opt for a nude lip.
- If you want your lips to appear plumper, first line your lips, then once they’re filled in, apply a gloss.
- If you’re really want to rock the full lip look, steer clear of dark shades of lipstick.