How Do I Find the Right Shade of Red Lipstick For My Skin Tone?

Red lipstick is one of the most iconic beauty trends, worn by women for thousands of years as a symbol of power and status. It’s been worn by everyone from Ancient Egyptian royalty to Hollywood movie stars and is a universally flattering shade for most complexions. But if you’re on the hunt for your perfect red, it can be difficult to know where to start. You can find the right shade for your skin tone by understanding how undertones work and swatching different colors to determine what works best with your coloring.

If you’re unsure of your skin tone, look at the veins on the inside of your wrist to see what color they appear to be. If your veins look green, it’s likely that you have warm undertones, while blue and purple hues indicate cool undertones. If your veins are a mix of green and blue, you have neutral undertones.

When it comes to choosing a red lipstick, there are endless options that can make your look classic or bold, depending on your preference. A light and bright red will work well with fair skin tones, while those with medium complexions can wear both warm and cool shades of the color. For those with darker complexions, a deep red can really stand out on you, but it’s important to test the color against your natural lip color and see how it looks. If you’re worried about adding too much pigment to your lips, consider trying a lighter texture like a gloss or sheer lipstick.

To help you find the right shade of red lipstick for your complexion, check out some tips from Beauty Bakerie to determine what works with your skin tone. The first step is to figure out your skin’s undertone, which is the subtle color beneath the surface of your skin. According to Beauty Bakerie, cool undertones work well with light and neutral skin tones, while warm undertones work with medium and tan skin tones.

The next step is to swatch and try on lipsticks with a variety of undertones. When you find a shade that works well, it’s time to commit.

If you’re unsure about which red shade will work for your complexion, ask a sales associate to sanitize a tester lipstick and test it against your skin tone. This will prevent you from purchasing a red lipstick that turns out to be too dark or too light for your coloring.

If you have a cool skin tone, Beauty Bakerie recommends burgundy or berry red lipstick shades, such as Tom Ford’s F*ckin’ Fabulous, or Maybelline New York’s Ruby Red. Warm skin tones, on the other hand, will look stunning with orange-based red lipstick shades, such as Wet n Wild’s Mega Last High-Shine Lip Color ($3) in Fire-Fighting or Becca Cosmetics Ultimate Lipstick Love ($20) in Rouge.