Read on for a complete guide to become a PRO at choosing lipsticks according to your skintone. Plus Be For Beauty’s daytime and night-time favourite shades revealed!
Does it ever happen to you that you see a shade that looks breathtaking on a magazine cover, but NOT when you buy it? As MJ put it, you’re not alone.
Stick to the basics: You knew this but like most of us you forgot—you’re human and you do get carried off by the amount of colours in front of you. Here’s the holy grail of beauty tips to keep in mind when choosing or buying lipsticks.
The rule of thumb, when buying a lipstick (cheap or expensive) is to enhance the natural colour of your lips. When shopping, remember this very simple tip: go a few shades darker or brighter than the original colour of your lips. This way you’ll never go wrong.
Know your skintone: There is more to trying out lipsticks on your arm than you think. If you veins are visible and your wrist looks pale, you’re a cool toned gal. And if your veins are not that obvious, you lean towards the warmer side of the scale. PS: I have cooled toned skin.
Mix and match: For warm or olive skintones (as the firangis put it), look for orange and yellow undertones. Caramels, light pinks with a hint of red, nude with light pink are some colours that look great. For cooler skin tones, it’s wise to look for bluish and pink undertones. Yes, that means a red lipstick with a dash of pink is just the right choice for you.
Test a lipstick for the right reasons: Once you try a swab of your lipstick-to-be on your wrist, have it sanitized and use it on the lips. You can even use a cotton swab and apply it on your lips. Not only will you see how the colour looks on you but also learn more about the texture. Do you want shimmer in a lipstick you were planning to wear in the day? How much matté is too much matté? You know what I mean.
Remember, lipsticks are a great tool to enhance what you already have! So don’t hide them in shades that do nothing for your skintone and features.
Follow these tips will help you get out of a lipstick rut and will help you add a variety of shades to your dresser. Read our review on Deborah Milano’s Milano Lipsticks as well as our views on matte lipsticks and what goes into finding the perfect nude lipstick.
And as promised, here are our top 10, tried, tested, used, smeared, and loved lipsticks for both day and night. We worked very hard to divide it up amongst cool and warm skintones.
If you have a cool skintones, try these:
- When: Day time
What? Avon Ultra Colour Lipstick Hot Pink
Why? Its pocket friendly and a good pick for pink enthusiasts.
- When: Night time
What? Estée Lauder Pure Color Sculpting Lipstick Impassioned
Why? A rich pigment that is just the right mix of red and orange plus sculpts your lips too.
- When: Day Time
What? M.A.C. Cremesheen Crème D Nude Lipstick
Why? Perfect for a nude look, plus it has a cream sheen finish.
- When: Night Outs
What? Elle 18 Color Boost Hyper Orange Lipstick
Why? Ideal to apply when you want all the attention to be on your lips.
- When: All day
What? Benetint
Why? It’s ideal for anyone who likes just a hint of color. Plus it’s BeneTint. Need we say more?
For those of us with with warm skintones, try these:
- When: Day Time
What? Victoria’s Secret Color Drama Initiate Lipstick
Why? It’s a creamy shade of pink to keep things bright and breezy.
- When: Night Time
What? Lakmé Absolute Matté Lip Color Peach Carnation Lipstick
Why? It’s ideal for days you want to keep it matte and to the point.
- When: Day time
What? NYX Soft Matte San Pauli Lip Cream
Why? It’s cute and almost like a lip stain.
- When: Parties and night outs
What? Loréal Paris Color Riche Black Cherry Lipstick
Why? A deep, beautiful colour in semi-matte for all those who are obsessed with reds.
- When: All day
What? Inglot Rouge and Levres #173 Lipstick
It’s a classic mix of pink and brown. Plus it’s got apricot kernel oil which is great for the lips.
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First published on PopXo.
Manavi Siddhanti is a lifestyle journalist and ex-magazine editor based in New Delhi, India. She writes about beauty and lifestyle. Pragati Siddhanti is an IT manager who is based in Basel,Switzerland. She writes on travel, expat life and motherhood.
