London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Thursday, Jul 10, 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
Severe Heatwave Claims 2,300 Lives Across Europe
NVIDIA Achieves Historic Milestone as First Company Valued at $4 Trillion
Declining Beer Consumption Signals Cultural Shift in Germany
Linda Yaccarino Steps Down as CEO of X After Two Years
US Imposes New Tariffs on Brazilian Exports Amid Political Tensions
Azerbaijan and Armenia are on the brink of a historic peace deal.
Emails Leaked: How Passenger Luggage Became a Side Income for Airport Workers
Polish MEP: “Dear Leftists - China is laughing at you, Russia is laughing, India is laughing”
BRICS Expands Membership with Indonesia and Ten New Partner Countries
Weinstein Victim’s Lawyer Says MeToo Movement Still Strong
U.S. Enacts Sweeping Tax and Spending Legislation Amid Trade Policy Shifts
Football Mourns as Diogo Jota and Brother André Silva Laid to Rest in Portugal
Labour Expected to Withdraw Support for Special Needs Funding Model
Leaked Audio Reveals Tory Aide Defending DEI Record
Elon Musk Founds a Party Following a Poll on X: "You Wanted It – You Got It!"
London Stock Exchange Faces Historic Low in Initial Public Offerings
A new online platform has emerged in the United Kingdom, specifically targeting Muslim men seeking virgin brides
Trump Celebrates Independence Day with B-2 Flyover and Signs Controversial Legislation
Boris Johnson Urges Conservatives to Ignore Farage
SNP Ordered to Update Single-Sex Space Guidance Within Days
Starmer Set to Reject Calls for Wealth Taxes
Stolen Century-Old Rolls-Royce Recovered After Hotel Theft
Macron Presses Starmer to Recognise Palestinian State
Labour Delayed Palestine Action Ban Over Riot Concerns
Swinney’s Tax Comments ‘Offensive to Scots’, Say Tories
High Street Retailers to Enforce Bans on Serial Shoplifters
Music Banned by Henry VIII to Be Performed After 500 Years
Steve Coogan Says Working Class Is Being ‘Ethnically Cleansed’
Home Office Admits Uncertainty Over Visa Overstayer Numbers
JD Vance Questions Mandelson Over Reform Party’s Rising Popularity
Macron to Receive Windsor Carriage Ride in Royal Gesture
Labour Accused of ‘Hammering’ Scots During First Year in Power
BBC Head of Music Stood Down Amid Bob Vylan Controversy
Corbyn Eyes Hard-Left Challenge to Starmer’s Leadership
London Tube Trains Suspended After Major Fire Erupts Nearby
Richard Kemp: I Felt Safer in Israel Under Attack Than in the UK
Cyclist Says Police Cited Human Rights Act for Riding No-Handed
China’s Central Bank Consults European Peers on Low-Rate Strategies
AI Raises Alarms Over Long-Term Job Security
Saudi Arabia Maintains Ties with Iran Despite Israel Conflict
Musk Battles to Protect Tesla Amid Trump Policy Threats
Air France-KLM Acquires Majority Stake in Scandinavian Airlines
UK Educators Sound Alarm on Declining Child Literacy
Shein Fined €40 Million in France Over Misleading Discounts
Brazil’s Lula Visits Kirchner During Argentina House Arrest
Trump Scores Legislative Win as House Passes Tax Reform Bill
Keir Starmer Faces Criticism After Rocky First Year in Power
DJI Launches Heavy-Duty Coaxial Quadcopter with 80 kg Lift Capacity
U.S. Senate Approves Major Legislation Dubbed the 'Big Beautiful Bill'
Largest Healthcare Fraud Takedown in U.S. History Announced by DOJ
×