The great thing about lipstick is that no matter who you are, you’ll be able to find a shade you love, that’s right for you. Plus, it’s a cost-effective way to transform your look too. Even in times of high living costs and war, lipstick tends to be the item that you’ll still treat yourself to!

Here’s my tips to help you choose the right shade of lipstick, every time.

1. Know your skin-tone

The undertone to your skin will generally be warm or cool. Some people have a neutral base, which is neither warm or cool.

This is relevant because lipsticks will also have cool, warm, or neutral undertones to them. Once you know the undertone of your skin, you can choose a lipstick with a similar undertone to create a flattering look.

If you’re warm, your skin will have a more golden colour to it naturally, while cool skin has more of a pink, red or blue tinge to it. Lipsticks with a warm undertones will have a more yellow/orange base to them such as peachy-tones and coral-reds. The cooler ones will be pinky-toned and berry-reds instead.

You can learn your full colouring type, including your undertone during my Complete Colour Analysis Consultation. What’s more, you’ll receive a makeup application personalised to your skin tone during the session and take away a lipstick too! Find out more here: Colour Analysis Consultations

2. The finishing look

What kind of look are you going for, as this will help you decide on the product to use.

Is it a light, tinted and subtle finish which can be achieved with a tint, balm or cream. A sleek and shiny look where a sheer or lipgloss finish might be needed instead? If you prefer a matte look, this could be achieved with just a lip pencil, or with a different lipstick.

Just like your clothes, makeup is all about balance, so if you’ve dialled up the focus on your eyes, go more subtle on the lips. If you’ve had your colours done, use your swatches as a guide. As a broad rule, if you can wear it in clothes, you can wear it on your face!

3. Matching lip liner

Lipstick and lip liner are a match made in heaven! Choose a lip pencil shade that is similar to your lipstick. One which is slightly darker will work just as well if it’s not a perfect match. A lip liner can be useful for creating definition, shape and adding depth.

4. Tried and tested combinations

In my experience, lipstick can look completely different on different skin tones! There’s rarely a shade that will suit every skin tone. The only way to accurately test it, is to try it out for yourself. This is why you can sample the lipsticks I have in the studio before committing to buy them. There are over 20 to choose from in the studio, and I’m happy to recommend any based upon your colouring type, if you know it.

As a general rule, if you are very tanned, or have dark skin tones, be aware that much like the colours you wear, paler lipstick shades can often look to wash you out. Opt for a deeper, richer or bolder lipstick colour instead, or try a darker shade of lip liner beneath your lighter lipstick to add a little depth.

Those with much fairer or lighter skin tone will find that a bold lipstick can overpower them, so a lighter or softer shade will be more flattering.

Here’s some tried and tested combinations from the Colour me Beautiful cosmetic range if you already know your colouring type. This range has been exclusively designed for each colouring type and you can view the full range online.