Lipstick is a tricky one to get right – anyone who’s loved a look on their mate brought the same tube for themselves and discovered that it looks all kind of wrong on them will know the struggle. The key to hitting the nail on the head is by really thinking about the colour, formula, longevity and general wearability of a lipstick. By taking all these factors into account, you can be sure that you’ll be investing in a beauty product that you’re going to love and it’s going to love you right back! Let’s break it down and take a look at exactly what to look for when you’re one the hunt for the perfect pout…
Consider Your Skin Tone
Skin tone is an incredibly important measure to take when you’re starting on your lipstick search. Generally speaking, everyone either has a pink, yellow or neutral undertone. Pinks are the cooler category, so if your veins are bluer tinged and you love tones such as silver, white, grey and blue, then this is your undertone. Yellow skin tones favour warmer hues and traditionally have more purple in their veins. If you shine when you’re wearing gold jewellery and you’re partial to reds, pinks, creams and browns, then you’re a yellow undertone. There are many people who sit in the middle, if this is you then congrats, you’re one of the lucky ones who can wear whatever colour they like!
Now, of course, you should take this all with a grain of salt – you are the decider of what tone you want to wear, if you fall in love with a colour and it makes you feel your most beautiful, then that’s the shade for you – regardless of the shade or undertone of your skin.
Think Formula
Formula makes a huge difference when it comes to lipsticks! There is an ever-growing amount of options to choose from when you’re shopping for the right product for you. Start with the finish you want to achieve, your options are balm, stain, sheen, gloss, natural and matte. Balms, gloss and sheen finishes are all going to give you a fresh, youthful look that will avoid your makeup looking too ‘done up’. Natural and stain finishes are great if you want a lipstick that’s going to add enough opaque colour whilst still mimicking the texture of your lips. Matte finish products are for those who are looking for a full, dramatic effect. Finishes are always coming in and out of style, so try to stick to what makes you feel your best to avoid investing in a look that you actually don’t really love on yourself.
Longevity
Longevity is a big one if you’re planning on wearing your lip colour all day long or when you want your dramatic look to last a whole night of chatting, drinking and eating. If you want a long-lasting effect, then you should check out matte, full-coverage lipsticks to layer over a lipliner. Layering is the key to getting lipstick to last all day. If you really want maximum impact then consider buying yourself a liquid lipstick, you get precise application, opaque colour and an incredibly long-lasting effect.
Day to Day Wearability
Finally, the logical consider of what you’re going to want to be wearing on a day to day basis. Neutral or nude lip colours are usually going to give you the most wear as they are the most palatable tones and they’re always suitable. If you’re feeling lost, grab a glossy neutral, stain berry tone and a matte true red colour – these three lipsticks will give you every look you need, day or night!