1. DECODE YOUR SHADE

Whether you’re a red lipstick connoisseur or new to wearing a bold, ruby lip, let’s start with the basics: finding your perfect shade. It all comes down to undertones, so start by looking at the veins on the underside of your arm. Are they purple? Green? Their colour helps you determine your perfect match…

If you have purple or blue veins: you’re cool-toned, so tend to suit red lipsticks with warm orange or coral undertones.

If you have green veins: you’re warm-toned, which means cool purple- or blue-toned reds look positively radiant on you.

If you have a mixture of both: your undertone is neutral, so you can wear any shade that sweeps you off your feet.

Is there anything quite as timeless as red lipstick? It’s been in style, in different variations, for thousands of years. In ancient Egypt and Rome, it was even worn as a symbol of social status!

However, red lipstick is not one size fits all, and choosing the right shade of red lipstick for your skin tone is key to pulling off your look. With all the choices out there, you might be wondering: What shade of red lipstick should I wear? Whether you gravitate toward a deep, matte maroon or a glossy, fiery crimson, finding your perfect lipstick shade has never been easier with our favorite tips and tricks, including:

Finding the right red lipstick for your skin tone really comes down to selecting a shade that has the same undertones as your skin.

Undertones can be tricky, but these tips can help you find yours. There are three undertones you should consider when looking for the right makeup shade. To find your undertone, begin by looking at the veins on the inside of your wrist.

• Warm undertones: If your veins appear green, you more than likely have a warm skin tone. Warm skin tones tend to be yellow, peach or gold in color.

• Cool undertones: If your veins appear blue or purple, you likely have a cool undertone. Cool skin tones tend to appear pink, rosy or blue in color.

• Neutral undertones: If your veins are a mixture of green, blue or purple, your skin tone is likely neutral. Neutral skin tones feature a mixture of warm and cool undertones, like olive.

Once you’ve determined your undertone, it’s time to find your shade.

• Warm lipstick shades usually have an orange, brown or gold undertone—think fire and ruby reds.

• Cool lipstick shades tend to feature blue or pink undertones—think cherry or sangria reds.

• Neutral lipstick shades contain a mixture of warm and cool undertones.

Whatever shade you choose, lipstick applies best to healthy lips. Prep for your red lipstick application with FixMySkin 1% Hydrocortisone Healing Lip Balm. With cocoa and shea butters and hydrocortisone, this medicated balm helps transform dry, flaky lips into a soft, smooth canvas for the perfect shade of red lipstick. It comes in an unscented version as well as a vanilla flavor.

If you have warm undertones, the right red lipstick for your skin tone has gold, brown or orange undertones. Look for reds in shades such as tomato, ruby and coral. Here are two lip colors to try:

Creamy and long-wearing, this proprietary formula offers lightweight hydration as well as UV and antioxidant protection using a blend of green tea, an array of vitamins and titanium dioxide. This gorgeous red shade features an orange undertone, making it the perfect complement to warmer skin tones.

This red lipstick provides nourishing benefits and vibrant color in one application. Moringa and avocado oils work to soothe and soften skin while Tahitian vanilla and blackberry extract provide a pleasant but subtle scent. This deep shade of coral is just the right red lipstick for your skin tone if you have warm undertones. The tube also has a magnetic closure so you can be sure it’ll stay nice and neat in your makeup bag.

If you have cool undertones, the right red lipstick for your skin tone will have blue, violet or pink undertones—think berry, maroon and crimson. Here are two of our favorites:

Designed to provide high color payoff with a velvety, matte finish, this long-wearing formula allows you to precisely apply lipstick without over drying the lips. The blue-purple undertone perfectly complements those with cool skin tones and provides a gorgeous, antioxidant-rich finish.

This matte lip stain is formulated to be single-pass—that is, it’s so intensely pigmented that just one swipe across your lips is needed for all-day wear. Rapture is a rosy red that leans toward the berry side of the color spectrum, making it very flattering for those with cool undertones.

If you can’t seem to determine if your skin has a warm or cool undertone, chances are your skin is more neutral. In this case, it’s easy to answer the question: “What shade of lipstick should I wear?” Any red is the right red lipstick for your skin tone. You can mix and match your favorite red lipstick to match your outfit, makeup or mood. Here are our recommendations:

A liquid lip color with a matte finish, this formula also conditions and softens lips with jojoba seed oil and vitamin C-rich sea buckthorn oil. Its lustrous ruby red will up the boldness of any look, making this an excellent red lipstick for neutral undertones. You can use the tip of the sponge applicator to line your lip shape, and then, use the curved side to fill in the rest of your lips from the center out.

For a soft finish with a bit of glossy shine, you need look no further than this lipstick from Koh Gen Do, a Tokyo-based beauty brand that’s a mainstay on Japanese movie sets. This classic shade is a superb choice of red lipstick for neutral undertones. In addition to delivering highly pigmented color, it also moisturizes and softens your lips with avocado oil, argan oil, jojoba oil, shea butter and vitamin E. To pump up the shine, you can add a layer of the Koh Gen Do Maifanshi Lip Gloss in the same hue.

Now that you’ve determined your skin’s undertones, keep reading to find out how to find your perfect lipstick color beyond just red shades.