Lip Color: How to Determine My Skin Tone and What Lip Colors are Right for Me

Observe the color of your nail bed (or any place the sun never shines). Does the tone tend to appear more reddish-orange, reddish-blue, pinkish-blue, peachy or yellowish? Once that's determined, you'll have a benchmark for your natural tone. The colors that will look most organic against your skin are the colors you find in your skin. Conversely, the colors that will create vibrancy are those that contrast.
In most cases you will be naturally drawn to colors that flatter you. If you're going for a subtle look, stay within the realm of you natural tones or punch it up slightly by layering colors, for more depth, or by adding neutral highlights for shine.


1)    Choose a color that complements the natural shade of your lips and skin. Plums, wines and deep reds flatter a dark skin tone, while light-brown beiges with pink or orange undertones complement a lighter skin tone. Olive skin looks good with brownish reds, light browns and raisin shades of lipstick.
2)    Keep colors lighter for daytime and darker for night. Matte and cream finishes offer a subtler daytime look, while a high-gloss finish adds glamour for evening. A sheer, natural-looking color with a little shine also works well for day.
3)    Create your own shade by combining colors. If the shades you find don't completely satisfy you, mix your own color. The easiest way to do this is by applying each color to your lips with a lip brush, then blending with the brush on your lips.
4)    Opt for a lip liner that is a shade darker than your lipstick and in the same color family.

Tips:

• Try a colored gloss or lip tint for a sheer hint of lip color.
• Buy the colors that look good on you not the one that looks good in the tube.
• Deep or bold lip color complements light eye makeup, while light or nude lipstick flatters heavy eye makeup.