The Perfect Red Lip

6th October 2020

The perfect red lip is a classic, glamorous look that has stood the test of time. The right red lipstick shade can elevate your appearance and make a beautiful statement.

As Dita Von Teese once said, “Heels and Red Lipstick will put the fear of God into people” and she’s right – red lipstick is a game changer when it comes to creating the perfect look, both on and off the red carpet.

Finding your perfect shade is a bonus – let’s face it, just a swipe of red lipstick can make you feel glamorous and gorgeous.

How do you find out which red lipstick shade suits you?

The first step on your journey to red lip perfection is to find a colour that makes you feel powerful. Remember, it’s Your Shade Your Rules, so if you feel fab in a certain shade then stick with it.

We’ve developed 15 red shades that help you celebrate who you are and let you Feel Seen, Feel Ready and most importantly, Feel You.

Understanding your complexion

If you’re a bit unsure of what shade to choose, then start by using your complexion and skin tone to find a shade that compliments your skin. Remember you don’t have to be limited by your skin tone, pick something you love and will feel fabulous wearing.

We have a handy visual guide to help you find your perfect shade based on your complexion if you’re not sure.

What is your skin’s undertone?

Understanding your skin’s undertones is slightly harder, but it’s essential if you want to find your perfect red lip shade. Think of your skin’s undertone as a shadow that’s always there; while your skin tone may change throughout the year your undertone will always remain the same.

You might find yourself fitting into one of three undertones – cool, neutral, or warm. We’ve got a couple of simple ways to help you identify which undertone you have.

Stand in natural light and look at the veins on your wrist

What colour do they appear to be? If you have blue veins you have cool undertones, green or greenish blue means you have a warm skin tone and if you can’t tell you probably have a neutral skin tone.

Hold up some silver or gold jewellery to your skin
This isn’t an exact science, but holding up silver and gold jewellery to your skin can help identify if you have cool or warm undertones. Silver jewellery will typically complement cool undertones, whereas gold will complement warm undertones.

Selecting the right red lipstick shade

For a gorgeous and subtle look, you will want to find a lipstick shade that matches to your skin undertone.

Cool Undertones suit cooler reds such as the sultry Abuja, our deep blue red or for a vibrant statement try the intense berry red of Cape Coast
Neutral and medium undertones were made for true reds – create a bold look , perfect for day and night, with Cape Town – our classic red shade.
For warm undertones, stick to reds with more of an orange or brown base – build up a bold look with our beautiful orange red Casablanca or try Senegal a rich, brown red shade.

If you want a look that seriously pops, you can pick a shade with tones that are opposite to your skin tone for some added contrast. You can easily see what the lip shades look like using our lip shade finder tool.

We developed our 15 red shades to ensure that no skin tone is excluded, and every undertone is celebrated – beauty is for everyone – Your Shade Your Rules.