When it comes to makeup at christmas time, we all want to look festive. Whether this is with a little extra glow, some shimmering highlight or most likely the festive red lip. It can be hard (or brave) to wear a red lip all year round but christmas is the one time it is 100% acceptable and not daring to wear a red lipstick.
So whether it’s your first time being brave and wearing a red lipstick or you’re a seasoned professional in bold lip colours. I’m here to make it a little easier to find the best shade for you.
Not Every Red lip Is The Same
Despite having looked for the perfect red lipstick in the past and thinking they all look exactly the same and none of them suit me, this isn’t actually the case. Not all Red lipsticks are the same, there may only be some small differences between those shades. But those little differences could be the difference between suiting you and not.
First Determine Your Undertone
Don’t worry if you have no idea what this is, or where to start to determine your undertone. There are some simple tests to help you work out whether you have cool, warm or neutral undertones in your skin. You may already know this, and if you do great as this will help you find the best shade to suit you.
First test, the jewellery test – Do you look best in silver, gold or do both suit you? If you look best in silver you most likely have cool undertones. Gold suits you more? Then you are more likely to have warm undertones. If you equally suit both then you are likely neutral. For jewlery items, check here and get the best ones!
Other tests include, looking at the veins in your wrist, if they look blue your’re cool toned, green then you’re warm toned. Cant decide? perhaps you’re most likely neutral. Also whether you tan or not can be a good indication. If you tan easily you most likely have warm undertones, if you burn easily you’re probably cool. If you’re somewhere in between you’re neutral.
How does my Undertones help me choose a red lip?
The same way that determining your undertones helps you find a perfect foundation shade, they can also help determine a perfect red lip shade. Obviously other things to take into consideration are obviously the finish you prefer, your personality and whether you want a more subtle or popping red lip.
Cool Undertones – You are more inclined to suit more blue/reds. These are the ones which have a slight purple nod. Glossy finishes will suit you well too, plus the added gloss gives you a fuller looking pout and who doesn’t want that?
Warm Undertones – You are most likely to lean the other way towards the more coral/orange, true red shades. A matte finish will suit you well too.
My Top Red Lip Picks
Now you have determined your undertones and you know what kind of shades you’re looking for. I am going to list some of my top picks, I am one of the lucky ones with neutral undertones. So I have included lip products with nice formulas, shades and some with added extra sparkle for the festivities.
For Warm Undertones
Nars Red lipstick in shade – Jungle Red. It has the perfect amount of orange that will compliment any warm skin tone and just the right amount so your teeth still look a bright white. This lipstick is highly pigmented and nourishing with added natural oils.
For Cool Undertones
Estee Lauder colour envy lipstick in shade – Boldface. This lipstick has the perfect amount of blue to compliment a cooler skintone whilst still giving a glamourous red lip. This lipstick is on the medium to full coverage spectrum. It is very long wearing and buttery.
For Neutral Skin Tones
The Clinique pop lip colour and primer in shades -cherry pop and berry pop. I have both of these shades and love them both equally. these lipsticks are nourishing and are more of a medium coverage lip colour. Cherry pop is more on the warmer side with some coral undertones and the berry pop is perfect for cooler skintones and neutrals alike. This is a more subtle plum/red and is stunning to draw attention to your eyes.
I also love the Anastasia beverly hills liquid lip in shade – Dazed. This is a firm favourite of mine. I think it is more on the cooler side but I think this colour is red and festive yet draws the attention to your eye colouring.
Added Sparkle
For a little bit of added festive shimmer and sparkle. The Huda Beauty power bullet metallic lipstick in shade – NYE. This lipstick provides everything you want from a red lipstick with serious colour pay off and long wearing colour. The added metallic shimmer makes it perfect for the festive season too (pictured below).
Loved this post? find my top nude lip picks here.
