Your Perfect Shade of Red: Understanding Why Red is not Your Cup of Tea

Is it just me or red lipstick seems to be the only color that has withstood the test of time? I would assume that red lipsticks were among the first shades of lipsticks to be invented but they actually are, yikes. As we look back at all the lip colors that we embraced back then, the blacks, blues and purples, we realize that their popularity has decreased a thousand fold. This is just my observation and not to mean that people no longer put them on but that people have drawn more attention to nudes and reds. However, finding your perfect shade of red can be really strenuous. Therefore, on today’s piece, I will guide through picking your perfect shade of red and make you understand why your shade of red isn’t popping as it should.

Just like skin, lips have undertones. Similarly, in as much as choosing foundations requires knowledge on your undertone, red lipsticks require the same background knowledge. Therefore, not all red colors can compliment anyone. There are dark lips, light, medium, and dark pink lips, light red and purple lips. These different lip colors also have different undertones hence are grouped into two, warm and cool. To find out if your undertone is cool or warm, it is recommended that you check around your wrist. If your veins appear purple in color then you have a cool undertone and if they appear greenish, then your undertone is warm. Disclaimer! This tactic works for people whose wrist color matches that of their face. However, if it does not, it is essential to understand that dark colors are widely associated with cool while light colors are warm. This would mean that dark pinks, dark and purple lip colors are grouped as cool.

When it comes to these two skin undertones, different red lipstick undertones work best. For red lipsticks, they exist in two undertones, orange and blue. Having a good balance of the two can make a perfect red shade. While people with dark lips and skin look exquisitely good in blue under-toned red lipstick, orange under-toned red lipstick ends up looking funky on dark skin unless well underlined with lip liner. Mostly, light-skinned people look good in both blue and orange under toned red lipsticks. Have you ever had a red lipstick on and was too off your skin tone? Yes, now you know the reason why. Honestly, you can never go wrong with a red lipstick.

Red lipsticks have proven to indicate a higher social status, high class, to be specific. The sight of minimal makeup(‘clean girl’ makeup) matched with your perfect shade of red is the best look for days When in doubt on what to have for your eyeshadow, just apply contour on your eyelids and put on your perfect red lipstick.

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