These days lipstick is big business, and no look is complete without a splash of colour on the lips.
The difficulty is, there is so much choice to be had now, how can we possible know which one is the right choice that won’t wash out the rest of the face, but will enhance it instead. Of course it is not just the colour that we need to think of – it is also the texture, how long it lasts, do we want matte or gloss, and how on earth do we stop it going everywhere.
It is quite tricky if you are just starting out on your lipstick adoption. But get it right and it can really change and enhance your entire look. Of course it is easy to browse through all the options and favorite brands on comparison sites like buyviu.us, but you might still need a bit of help to narrow it down. Here are some things to consider.
Think about your skin tone
There are many types of skin tone, and the shade of lipstick you use will need to change accordingly. Typically, skin tones are described as dark, tan, medium, light and fair. Of course there are hundreds of nuances of skin shade within these five areas, but it is a good place to start.
For darker skin brown and purple shades can be really striking, so blue based reds, plum, and dark nude shades are perfect.
For tan tones, most shades, except brown and purple which can wash out the skin, are very complementary, and for medium or fair rose, cherry red and peach shades look great.
Size of your upper and lower lip can make a big difference
For plump lips anything too glossy or glittery can make your lips lose definition, and for thinner lips dark colours can make the lips look a lot thinner. Consider investing in a matching lip pencil to combat this.
There are some tricks for when you have a top heavy lip. Put a brighter shade on the bottom, and then a different colour one shade darker on the upper lip to add a little balance. Where you are the other way round, with a bottom heavy lip, just put a slightly more neutral shade in the centre of your top lip.
Consider other colours in your palette
It is not just skin tone that is important. It is also things like hair colour, eye colour and yes teeth colour.
Some shades of lipstick can actually make your teeth look yellow when they are not, so if you do have a darker shade of teeth then make sure you go for something with a rose, or orange undertone. Reds and purples will not do you any favors.
On the whole it will be a combination of skin tone and hair tone that will make the difference.
Be practical in your choice
There are some practicalities you will also need to consider. If you are expecting to be out in the sun all day, then look for a lipstick or gloss that has SPF already built in to protect you.
If you are prone to touching your mouth a lot, and you are determined to style out a vibrant red then look for a long lasting lip stain that doesn’t smudge everywhere. These are also great for if you are eating or drinking because they tend to require less top up applications.
And of course a top tip if you are planning to be outside and any point and there is the slightest chance of rain. Do not even think about using any type of gloss unless you want to spend the entire time unsticking hair from your lips.
