If there’s one shade you absolutely must own, you don’t even need to try it on in the shop! Simply choose a lippie one or two shades darker than your natural lip colour. otherwise you can slick a coat on just one lip or match your lippie to the inside of your lower lip.
Women with fair skin suit nude and apricot shades, medium skin tones suit rose, burgundy and berry, and dark or black skin suits caramel browns for day and plum wines for evening. Warmer complexions suit orange-reds and corals.
If your teeth have a yellow cast, choose blue undertones: warm pinks, plums and cocoa browns rather than coral or orange hues. During the day wear nude or pink; in the evening try brick-red, fuschia or plum.
To plump up thin lips try a glossy variety; mattes are good for playing down full lips. A dab of gloss in the middle of the lower lip will also create the illusion of plumper lips. Complement your lippie with a matching or ever-so-slightly darker lip pencil.
Determined to give red a go? Consider the undertone. Pink-skinned women should opt for cherry red. Those with olive skin can wear fire-engine red. Dark skin looks great with deep reds.
If you’ve bought a shade that isn’t right, try blending it with another to save it from the bin.