Whether you’re a devotee to the red lip all year round, or use the festive season to experiment with a bolder look, there’s no better way to finish off your makeup than with a swipe of red lipstick. But if you’ve often found that red lipstick just doesn’t look quite right on you, we’ll let you in on a secret – it’s not you, it’s the shade.
Picking the right shade of red can completely transform your look, and take your look to the next level. If you’re not sure where to start on picking the perfect hue for your skin tone, though, we’ve got some expert advice from Cult Beauty’s celebrity makeup artist Amy Rostas to help you make the right choice.
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How to work out your skin toneCool undertone: Skin has a pink or blue tint, wrist veins appear blue in natural light, and silver jewellery tends to look best.
Warm undertone: Skin has yellow, peachy, golden, or olive tones, wrist veins appear green in natural light, and gold jewellery is most flattering.
Neutral undertone: Skin shows a balanced mix of blue, pink, and yellow tones, wrist veins appear both blue and green, and both silver and gold jewellery suit you
Amy explains that choosing a red lipstick for fair skin depends on your undertone. She says: “A red lipstick for fair skin should complement the natural flush tones your complexion already has. For example, red lipsticks for a cooler undertone should have cool-hued blues and purples in the base, while those on the warmer end should go for shades with an orange undertone, such as a tomato red.”
Charlotte Tilbury Matte Revolution in Hollywood Vixen (£29) - a great blue-red for cooler skintones
Westman Atelier Lip Suede Matte Lipstick in Le Rouge (£45) - a great red for warmer tones
Amy adds that medium skin tones can experiment with a wider range of reds. Amy notes: “Those with medium skin tones have more variety as they suit both blue toned reds as well as warmer versions. However, lipsticks with a coral tint can make your complexion look slightly dull, especially if you run on the cooler end of the undertone spectrum. Rust red, copper and brick all complement a medium skin tone best.”
NARS Explicit Lipstick in Rendez-Vous (£35) - the perfect red with rose-brown undertones
MAC Macximal Silky Matte Lipstick in shade Chili (£25) - a stunning warm brick red
For deeper complexions, the options are almost limitless. Amy explains: “Those with a deeper complexion can wear any and all shades of red. From muted, orange-y hues to bold and bright brick, red lipsticks for dark skin tones can range across all undertones, textures and finishes.”
PATRICK TA Major Headlines Matte Suede Lipstick in That's Why She's Late (£28) - a great bold and bright red
