Find Your Perfect Red Lip

February 14, 2023

Here at LUCY, we love a red lip, no matter if we’re going for subtle every-day glam or nighttime beauty - but not all red lipsticks are made the same, and we find that sometimes that puts people off of trying a red lip. 

Here’s what you need to know about picking out your perfect red lip.  

Sheer or bold?

If you’re used to wearing bolder colours, we recommend opting for a matte or satin red lipstick: this will give you a much brighter pigment overall. Not sure you’re going to like how it looks on you? 

Red lipsticks are versatile enough that you can sheer them out to create a wash of colour, similar to a lipstain or a lip oil, and it’ll still look like you have colour on your lips. If you’re not totally comfortable with even that much on you, we recommend starting out with a tinted gloss. 

Warm or cool toned?

Here’s the thing: we think you should wear any shade of red lipstick you want, even if it doesn’t match your skintone - but if you’re worried about finding a red lipstick that will look good, here’s a quick rule of thumb to help you along. 

In general, red lipstick can be split into three broad categories: red lipstick with orange pigment in them, red lipstick with blue pigment in them, and red lipstick with an equal amount of orange and blue tones in them. 

If you’re really worried about whether or not your lipstick is going to match your skin, always go for a red lipstick with both a blue and an orange tone. This is called a true red lipstick, and it’ll look good on every skintone, no matter what your skintone actually is. 

Again: we think you should wear whatever lipstick you want! But makeup is about being comfortable, and we’re all about making sure you’re comfortable to rock a new colour. 

Here’s where it gets a little complicated

• If you're fair with a lot of pink undertones, a red with blue or pinkish pigments in it will really make your skin glow, whether you opt for a sheer wash of colour or fully opaque. Think raspberry red. 
• If you’re light, with green or yellow undertones, go for something with orange in it. This is going to pick up on the neutral and warm tones in your face and make you glow - so anything like tomato red is going to look stunning on you. 
• If you have medium skin, you’re in luck: you can wear both! Your skin will tend to have brighter undertones in summer than in winter, so pick a true red or an orange red to realy make the most of your suntan. In winter, when your tan fades, go for a blue-based red.
• If you have olive skin, go for a darker, browny red or a neutral red. This will show off your gorgeous summertime glow without being so bright that you might feel like it clashes. 
• If you have dark skin, you’re in luck: any red is going to look beautiful on you, but if you want to stand out, pick an orange-based red to really make your skin shine. Want a statement that’s a little more understated? Pick a deep blue-based red, like merlot, which will still give you some colour without the in-your-face. 

Help! What colour do I pick?

If you’re still not sure what kind of red you’d like to try, that’s okay - lip palettes such as the Pixi + Louise Roe Palette have a selection of shades that you can try out so you can find your perfect colour, every time!

There you go, LUCY lovers - a way to pick your best red shade before Valentine’s Day, and we can’t wait to see you lovelies wearing your new red lipsticks! Leave us a picture on our socials, or drop us a message: we’re dying to see what you can do!

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