Winter is just around the corner and the cool chilly vibes are already getting stronger every day. The coming season is all about experimenting with bold colours and going all in with your makeup- especially lipsticks! Bold reds, vampy maroons, burgundy, plums, browns –  it’s the perfect time to try everything. But choosing between tons of different shades can be a daunting task. So how can you ascertain what colours will work best for you?

Here’s how :

Before we start, let’s understand that these are not hard and fast rules. These are merely guidelines for people who find it difficult to choose between colours or people who need a guideline or suggestions as to what they should opt for if they don’t have the time to experiment or can’t take the risk of failing with a lip shade.

That being said, let’s get into it.

1. Know Your Skin Tone

The very first step of choosing the right lip colours for you is determining your skin tone. Skin tones can be broadly categorized into 5 types:

• Fair
• Light
• Medium
• Tan
• Deep

The most flattering colours for people with a fair or light skin tone are bright pinks, corals, peaches and dusty reds.

If you are in the medium category, try opting for more berries, cherry reds and mauve colours.

Girls with a tan complexion can effortlessly rock the bright reds, deep pinks and corals.
Browns and purples like deep plum, caramel, wine and most blue-based colours look best on deep skin tones.

2. Know Your Undertone

Your undertone is basically the muted underlying pigments in your skin. 2 people could be the same shade of tan but still have different undertones. There are three types of undertones:

• Warm
• Cool
• Neutral

How to determine your undertone?

Look at the insides of your wrist and observe the colour of your veins (I am specifying the area here because it’s the most convenient of the areas where our veins are quite superficial). If the colour of your veins is green-ish, you have a warm undertone. If blue, you have a cool undertone. If you cannot differentiate between the two or you see both blue and green colours, you have a neutral undertone.

Undertones are important because they play a vital role in deciding which colours will work best for you.

Warmer skin tones should go for more orangey colours with yellow undertones. Like burgundy, maroons and deep reds.

Lip shades with blue-ish or pinkier undertones will look flattering on cooler skin tones. Like wine, deep plums and purples.

If you are lucky enough to have a neutral undertone, you can easily rock most lip shades of both categories.

These two factors will help you a lot when choosing lip colours for you as an individual but if you want to be even more particular and narrow down the spectrum, here are some other factors that can help :

3. Know Your Lip Size:

If your lips are heavy or plump, opt for darker shades and matte textures.

If your lips are thin, go for more bright, glossy and creamy lipsticks.

You can also use this as a trick or hack to give your heavier lips the illusion of being smaller by using darker colours. And you can make your thin lips look plump by using brighter shades and glossy textures.

4. Know Your Hair Colour

The colour of your hair can also play a role in what colours will look flawless on your lips. Choosing the right colours can completely take your look to the next level.

Blonder hair colours work best with cool toned lipsticks, like mauve and light pinks.

Brunettes can rock brown and nude shades that work well with their complexion and undertone.

Dark brunettes or Black hair works effortlessly well with vampy, bold maroons and plums to enhance the rich colour of your locks.

For Redheads, bright rich reds will look absolutely gorgeous.

5. Know Your Eye Color

Whether it’s eyeshadow or lipsticks, your eye colour can pop and be complimented in the most exotic ways. It also works the other way around!

Brown eye colour really compliments a deep pink or a nude pout.

Blue eye colours work magic with blue-tones pinks and reds on the lips.

Hazel eyes do wonders with bright red coral or cool brown shades.

Amber eyes work well with warm orange colours or cool pinks and mauves.

Grey eyed beauties should reach out and try cool beige colours and plums.

Green eyes will look enhanced and cooperate well with cool toned colours like bright oranges and bright pinks with blue undertones.

6. Know Yourself – and Just Have Fun!

Makeup – especially lipstick – is all about having fun and trying new colours on yourself. Just feel the mood you’re in and go all in with what you feel like wearing. The best way to know what looks best on you is to experiment. Try anything and everything. Besides, It’s just lipstick! It’ll come off! Don’t be scared and have fun with the colours. You might be surprised with what looks you can rock.