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How to choose the lipstick shade that suits you

Lipstick, like clothing, has become seasonless-matching your own coloring is the goal now

Different shades of lipstick

With so many shades and brands to choose from, how do you go about choosing a lipstick that’s right for you?

Do you just grab the one you bought last time? Or do you just go for one that looks good on the store shelves? Just because you love the colour, that doesn’t guarantee that a lipstick will look great on you.

You should be thinking about how a lipstick will look on your particular skin tone and you should be taking into consideration the shape of lips too.

Here’s a quick guide that will help you choose the best shade of lipstick that will suit you the best.

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1. You will need more than one shade

Everyone has their favourite lipstick that is their standard for daytime and work wear, but you should probably be thinking of buying different shades for different occasions.

Your everyday lipstick should be one that is, just few shades up, from the natural colour of your lips. This is the one you can carry with you all the time and the one that will see you through any occasion.

2. Dark skin tones

The exact shade of lipstick that you choose is, of course, a matter of personal preference, but if you have darker skin, then dark reds would be a good place to start.

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If you want to create a warmer look, then bronze and copper shades will look good with your dark skin. If your skin has cool undertones, then try wine and ruby shades of lipstick. The one colour that most people agree doesn’t work so well with dark skin, is orange.

3. Fair skin tones

As a general rule, if you have fair skin, you should be looking at the lighter shades of lipstick, because the stronger colours will be too much of a stark contrast to your paler coloured skin.

For you, nude lipsticks, pinks and light browns will be always a good choice.

4. Medium skin tones

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If you have a medium skin tone, then you do have a wider range of palettes that you can choose from including browns, peaches, reds, and fuchsia shades.

If your skin has cool undertones, then try colours like cranberry and pinks. If your skin would be better described as having warm undertones, then, shades of copper and bronze will work well for you.

5. Daytime lipstick

Next tip on how to choose lipstick color is to think about what time of the day you will wear it. Bearing in mind what we have already said about your skin tone, your daytime lipstick will look better if you keep it casual.

Avoid very dark colours, because they will look too much in the cold light of day. Go for pinks, oranges, beiges, and the lighter shades, and keep the rest of your makeup toned down to match.

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6. Night time lipstick

Night time is the time to go a little wild, so choose the bright shades like bright pinks, reds and mauves. When you want to glam it up for the night, remember to make your lips the main attraction by toning down your eye makeup.

If you don’t, the overall effect may just be too much.

7. Thin lips

The other tip on how to choose lipstick color is to bear in mind the shape of your lips. If you have thin lips, then it is best to avoid the very dark shades, and the very bright shades. For thin lips, it is much better to use light shades, like corals, beige, or light pinks. You could also try lip plumping lipsticks to fill out your lips a bit more.

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8. Full lips

As a general guide, dark colours make lips look smaller and light colours make lips look bigger, so, depending on what you want to achieve, you have more choices when you have full lips.

Other than what we have already mentioned about skin tone, there are no particular colours to avoid when you have full lips.

9. Think about what you are wearing

It’s not all about skin tone and lip shape, though; one of good tips on how to choose lipstick color is to consider what you will be wearing too. You should try experimenting with lipstick shades to see what goes best with your outfit.

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Nude lipstick will go with anything, but, if you are wearing bright red dress, a bright red lipstick will probably look too much.

10. Try before you buy

Another important tip on how to choose lipstick color is to try it on. When you are buying lipstick, don’t be afraid to ask for help from the person at the makeup counter.

A makeup professional will help you match shades of lipstick for your skin tone and a little bit of objective advice is always helpful. Also, don’t assume that the colour on the packaging is how a lipstick will look on you.

Try a little bit of lipstick, before you buy it and try to get to a brightly lit area, so that you can check it out properly.

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