How to choose the right lipstick shade for your undertone

By , September 24, 2026

Have you ever bought a lipstick shade that looked stunning in the store, only to put it on at home and feel like something looked completely off?

The reason a lip colour looks washed out or overly bright often has nothing to do with the wearer’s application skills or product quality. It comes down to your skin’s undertone.

While your surface skin tone refers to how fair, medium, or deep your complexion appears, your undertone is the subtle hue beneath your skin.

Matching lipstick using undertone testing ensures every shade you wear complements your face naturally.

Finding your true undertone

Testing your undertone at home requires no special equipment. You can use the same methods beauty professionals rely on for foundation matching.

First, check your veins. Stand near a window in natural daylight and look at the veins on the inside of your wrist.

A woman's wrist held up to natural window light, showing the color of her veins for undertone testing.
A woman’s wrist held up to natural window light, showing the color of her veins for undertone testing.

Greenish veins point to a warm undertone. Blue or purple veins indicate a cool undertone. If you see a mix of both or cannot easily distinguish the colour, you likely have a neutral undertone.

Second, do the jewellery test. Gold jewellery tends to enhance warm undertones, while silver brightens cool undertones. If both look equally flattering on your skin, your undertone is neutral.

Third, observe how your skin reacts to the sun. Skin with warm undertones tans easily, whereas skin with cool undertones burns or reddens quickly before tanning.

This also explains why certain shades work better than others. As research published in the Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology notes, “melanin distribution, rather than just warmth or coolness, plays a critical role in how colors interact with skin.”

Matching lipstick to your undertone

Once you identify your undertone, selecting a flattering lipstick becomes simple.

If you have a warm undertone, opt for lip colours with yellow, orange, or golden bases. Peachy nudes, corals, warm brick reds, and terracotta shades harmonise effortlessly with your skin.

A woman applying a terracotta-toned lipstick in front of a hand mirror, surrounded by other lipstick choices.
A woman applying a terracotta-toned lipstick in front of a hand mirror, surrounded by other lipstick choices.

If you have a cool undertone, choose lipsticks with blue or purple bases.Mauves, rosy pinks, deep berries, plums, and classic blue-based reds brighten your complexion.

If you have a neutral undertone, you can wear a wide variety of shades. Soft berries, dusty pinks, and true reds with balanced pigments are particularly complementary.

Always test lip colour directly on clean lips in natural light when possible. Matching your undertone eliminates guesswork and ensures every lip shade flatters your natural complexion.

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