London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Thursday, Jul 31, 2025

How to Choose the Best Red Lipstick for Your Skin Tone

How to Choose the Best Red Lipstick for Your Skin Tone

Find the perfect red lip to match your skin's undertone by using these simple tricks.

Red lipstick is timeless–Old Hollywood stars like Marilyn Monroe prove it–but not all shades are created equally. The key to finding the best red lip actually has nothing to do with the lips at all. The main factor in picking the right red lipstick is finding a shade that complements your skin tone and its undertones.

Skin tone is the level of melanin in the skin that ranges from fair to dark, while undertones are the colors (red, yellow, or blue) that, within your skin tone, create your specific complexion. Those with more peachy or yellow undertones are considered warm, blue or pink undertones are cool, and those with neither or both are considered neutral. When finding your perfect red lipstick, in the same way that you would find a foundation, keeping your undertones in mind will lead to a more complementary look.

How to Find Your Skin's Undertone


        

There are a few tricks that can determine your skin's undertone. The first is whether your skin tends to burn or tan in the sun. If you burn, you most likely have cool skin, and those who tan are probably warm. For those with light to medium skin, you can also look at your veins on your wrists: do they look blue/purple or green? Cooler skin tones will see blue or purple, while warmer skin tones will see green.

For those with dark skin, another undertone test is to hold a piece of white paper to your face in the mirror. In comparison, does your skin look more gold or yellow? If so, you have warm skin. If your skin looks more reddish or purple, you have cool skin.

There’s also the question of what jewelry looks better on you: silver or gold? Silver looks better on cool, and gold on warm. Those with neutral skin have both undertones present, so they may have a mixture of answers that don’t necessarily fall on one side or the other.

Once you know your undertone, you can start shopping for the red lip that bests suits your skin.

For Cool Tones


                            

For cooler skin tones, blue-based red shades are the way to go. One easy trick to tell if your red lipstick is cool-toned is by applying a light layer first. If it looks pinkish, then it's most likely a cool color. The Nars Velvet Matte Lipstick Pencil in Cruella is a deep red, perfect for holiday parties or a romantic date night. For a more classic, everyday hue, try Tom Ford's F*cking Fabulous Lip Color. Those with darker skin may opt for the Bobbi Brown Lip Color in Blackberry for a more natural red tint.

For Warm Tones


                

Warm reds boast golden or peachy undertones-think fire engine red. To find a bright shade that matches your skin, look to products like Gucci Beauty’s Rouge à Lèvres Satin in Goldie Red or the Charlotte Tilbury Hot Lips Lipstick in the shade Hot Emily. Both colors give off an orange glow that won't wash out warm skin tones. For a deeper blaze, the Nars Semi-Matte Lipstick in Shanghai Express carries subtle golden undertones with a brick red result.

For Neutral Tones


                

Neutral-toned individuals get the best of both worlds—from dark to light, they can wear blue-based or peach-toned reds. This means that a classic red offers a happy medium that complements neutral tones. Fenty Beauty's Stunna Lip Paint in Uncensored provides a top-tier color in a matte liquid formula, while YSL Beauty's Rouge Pur Couture in No. 1 Le Rouge goes the more traditional route with a cream satin finish. Aptly named, Chanel's Rouge Allure Ink Fusion in True Red is another timeless shade for a bold lip look.

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Former Judge Charged After Drunk Driving Crash Kills Comedian in Brazil
Jeff Bezos hasn’t paid a dollar in taxes for decades. He makes billions and pays $0 in taxes, LEGALLY
China Increases Use of Exit Bans Amid Rising U.S. Tensions
IMF Upgrades Global Growth Forecast as Weaker Dollar Supports Outlook
Procter & Gamble to Raise U.S. Prices to Offset One‑Billion‑Dollar Tariff Cost
House Republicans Move to Defund OECD Over Global Tax Dispute
Botswana Seeks Controlling Stake in De Beers as Anglo American Prepares Exit
Trump Administration Proposes Repeal of Obama‑Era Endangerment Finding, Dismantling Regulatory Basis for CO₂ Emissions Limits
France Opens Criminal Investigation into X Over Algorithm Manipulation Allegations
A family has been arrested in the UK for displaying the British flag
Mel Gibson refuses to work with Robert De Niro, saying, "Keep that woke clown away from me."
Trump Steamrolls EU in Landmark Trade Win: US–EU Trade Deal Imposes 15% Tariff on European Imports
ChatGPT CEO Sam Altman says people share personal info with ChatGPT but don’t know chats can be used as court evidence in legal cases.
The British propaganda channel BBC News lies again.
Deputy attorney general's second day of meeting with Ghislaine Maxwell has concluded
Controversial March in Switzerland Features Men Dressed in Nazi Uniforms
Politics is a good business: Barack Obama’s Reported Net Worth Growth, 1990–2025
Thai Civilian Death Toll Rises to 12 in Cambodian Cross-Border Attacks
TSUNAMI: Trump Just Crossed the Rubicon—And There’s No Turning Back
Over 120 Criminal Cases Dismissed in Boston Amid Public Defender Shortage
UN's Top Court Declares Environmental Protection a Legal Obligation Under International Law
"Crazy Thing": OpenAI's Sam Altman Warns Of AI Voice Fraud Crisis In Banking
The Podcaster Who Accidentally Revealed He Earns Over $10 Million a Year
Trump Announces $550 Billion Japanese Investment and New Trade Agreements with Indonesia and the Philippines
US Treasury Secretary Calls for Institutional Review of Federal Reserve Amid AI‑Driven Growth Expectations
UK Government Considers Dropping Demand for Apple Encryption Backdoor
Severe Flooding in South Korea Claims Lives Amid Ongoing Rescue Operations
Japanese Man Discovers Family Connection Through DNA Testing After Decades of Separation
Russia Signals Openness to Ukraine Peace Talks Amid Escalating Drone Warfare
Switzerland Implements Ban on Mammography Screening
Japanese Prime Minister Vows to Stay After Coalition Loses Upper House Majority
Pogacar Extends Dominance with Stage Fifteen Triumph at Tour de France
CEO Resigns Amid Controversy Over Relationship with HR Executive
Man Dies After Being Pulled Into MRI Machine Due to Metal Chain in New York Clinic
NVIDIA Achieves $4 Trillion Valuation Amid AI Demand
US Revokes Visas of Brazilian Corrupted Judges Amid Fake Bolsonaro Investigation
U.S. Congress Approves Rescissions Act Cutting Federal Funding for NPR and PBS
North Korea Restricts Foreign Tourist Access to New Seaside Resort
Brazil's Supreme Court Imposes Radical Restrictions on Former President Bolsonaro
Centrist Criticism of von der Leyen Resurfaces as she Survives EU Confidence Vote
Judge Criticizes DOJ Over Secrecy in Dropping Charges Against Gang Leader
Apple Closes $16.5 Billion Tax Dispute With Ireland
Von der Leyen Faces Setback Over €2 Trillion EU Budget Proposal
UK and Germany Collaborate on Global Military Equipment Sales
Trump Plans Over 10% Tariffs on African and Caribbean Nations
Flying Taxi CEO Reclaims Billionaire Status After Stock Surge
Epstein Files Deepen Republican Party Divide
Zuckerberg Faces $8 Billion Privacy Lawsuit From Meta Shareholders
FIFA Pressured to Rethink World Cup Calendar Due to Climate Change
SpaceX Nears $400 Billion Valuation With New Share Sale
×