Deciding on your ideal lipstick color can be daunting when there are hundreds of shades to choose from. Where do you even begin? Well, you can narrow down a lot of shades to choose from by determining what undertones your skin has. If you find that you have a cool tone skin, then some amazing colors will bring out that gorgeous complexion. We've found which colors you can add to your lipstick collection that will highlight your natural beauty and coloring.
These lipstick shades are a great place to start when you want to find a shade that complements your cool undertones:
- Dusty Pink
- Burgundy
- Mulberry
- Fushcia
- Fandango
- Plum
- Chocolate
- Crimson
Don't let the endless list of lipstick shades overwhelm you. You may not look great in every shade, but there are so many perfect shades that are ideal for your skin tone. Keep reading to see what lipstick shades are best for your cool skin tone!
This article may include affiliate links and elements that were carefully created by our team using advanced ai to help you envision the best style advice.
Best Lipstick Shades For A Cool Skin Tone
Dusty Pink
When you are looking for a nude shade to match your cool undertones, you may find that a lot of shades start to look orange when you apply them. These tones are too warm, so aiming for a soft dusty pink, which has blue undertones, will be a beautiful shade of pinky-nude for your lips.
Click here to view this product on Amazon.
Burgundy
The perfect mix of pink, purple, and red, burgundy is equal parts dramatic and mature. On cool undertones, it will bring out more of the purple hues, giving it a luxurious look. Burgundy is the perfect shade to opt for a lip stain instead of lipstick, so it avoids looking too cakey or dark.
Click here to view this product on Amazon.
Mulberry
Most shades with "berry" in the name are going to have purple undertones that will make them smart choices for your skin tone. Mulberry is a muted purple that can be seen as a more neutral shade when you have natural-looking makeup on. If you have a medium skin tone with cool undertones, this shade may come close to a nude shade as well.
Click here to view this product on Amazon.
Fuschia
Fushia is the best bright pink shade for cool-toned skin. Where hot pink would be too warm with its more orange undertones, fuschia's hint of purple makes it the ideal bright and flirty shade for your lips.
Click here to view this product on Amazon.
Fandango
Fandango is a darker version of fuschia. It has all the gorgeousness of pink and purple hues without the bright, almost hot pink shade of fuchsia. It's perfect for those with cool stone skin who want a bold look.
Click here to view this product on Amazon.
Plum
Plum is a deeper purple with hints of gray. Although it is often shown as darker shades, plum can range from very dark, almost black with a purple hue, or to a bright and light shade of purple-gray. Either way, this cool-toned purple will look dramatic and beautiful on those with cool tone skin.
Click here to view this product on Amazon.
Chocolate
Often, those with cool undertones have fair skin, which can make darker shades of lipstick intimidating. There are a lot of shades of brown with orange or red undertones, so for a brown, you have to really look at those shades.
Chocolate is a deep brown shade with cool undertones. If you are feeling confident enough to pull off a dark neutral, this is the shade that will look best with your cool skin.
Click here to view this product on Amazon.
Crimson
Crimson is a rich and beautiful shade of red perfect for those with cool tone skin. Its blue undertones allow it to complement your skin tone without looking orange.
If you aren't a fan of crimson, remember that there is a wide range of red lipstick shades. When we say there is truly a red for everyone, we mean it. It's a color everyone looks amazing in as long as you find your shade.
Click here to view this product on Amazon.
Pink
Pink is one of those colors that can land on either side of the color wheel, depending on its undertones. You can find pinks with warmer red undertones, and those with purple or blue. A true pink color, however, has a purple undertone.
This shade looks sweet on fairer cool-toned skin and will highlight those with blue eyes.
Click here to view this product on Amazon.
How Do You Tell If A Lipstick Is Warm Or Cool Toned?
It may not always be the easiest to tell the difference between warm and cool-toned lipsticks. You have to look at a color's undertones to tell, and that may take some practice to have an eye for noticing it quickly.
Let's look at the most popular color of lipstick—red. Technically red is a warm tone, but looking at its undertones will tell you if it's warm or cool. Warm reds will have an orange, yellow, or pink undertone, so think brick or scarlet.
Cool-toned reds will have blue, purple, or green undertones, like crimson or maroon.
What Makeup Is Good For Cool Undertones?
When creating a makeup look to complement your cool undertones, you want to stick with colors that enhance your natural beauty and coloring.
Foundation
Those with cool undertones tend to have pink or red coloring to their skin. Choosing a foundation with a pink tone will give you a flawless finish without giving you a yellow or washed-out complexion.
Blush And Bronzer
Cool-toned skin also tends to be fairer, so when it comes to blush and bronzer, you need to be light-handed as to not create too stark of coloring on your skin.
Heavy blush and bronzer can look caked on if it goes on too dark and thick. Choose products that are matte and easy to build up to create a more natural look.
For blush, pink-based shades will give you gorgeous and natural-looking color to your cheeks. If you are looking for a more dramatic blush, darker berry shades with blue hues will be perfect for you.
For more information on these two products, head over to this article: Should You Put Bronzer Or Blush On First?
Eyeshadow
Avoid shades with yellow or orange undertones. Nude shades that are super warm will wash you out. For the best shades to complement those cool undertones, choose colors with blue hues like magenta, mauve, jade, or azure.
How Do You Know What Shade Of Lipstick Looks Best On You?
There are two things to consider when trying to find a lipstick that looks best on you. First, whether you are warm, cool, or neutral-toned. Secondly, color theory.
Figuring Out Your Undertones
It's relatively easy to discover your skin tone, you just have to look at your veins. You can usually see your veins clearly on the inside of your wrist, inside of your arm, and around your chest and collarbone. Here's what your veins will reveal about your undertones:
- Green veins mean warm undertones.
- Blue and purple veins mean you are cool-toned.
- Green and blue/purple veins mean you have a neutral skin tone.
Now that you know your skin tone, you can see what lipstick shades should look best on you. Remember that not every shade will work because even warm and cool tones still have differing variations. But it gives you a place to start.
Color Theory
Color theory is widely used by makeup artists and fashion designers. This is the practice of using the color wheel, the combination of primary and secondary colors to create all other colors, to determine what colors complement one another.
Colors that sit directly across from each other on the color wheel are complementary— red and green or blue and orange—and will look impactful when used in styling outfits and accessories.
However, for lipstick and your skin tone, you need to focus on adjacent colors, colors that exist side-by-side on the color wheel. If your skin has more blue in it, then looking at the colors on either side will give you an idea of what is the best color for your tone.
This means sticking with colors that have a blue undertone or hue, like the colors we have talked about here for cool tone skin.
If you have gold or olive undertones, colors with yellow or orange undertones will work best, like and red-orange or brown-red shade.
For neutral-toned skin, you don't have to worry about undertones. Choosing the perfect lip color is not going to be difficult because most shades are going to look amazing on you. Just choose your favorite!
Why Do Lipsticks Look Orange On Me?
If you apply lipstick and you find that the shade turns or looks more orange on your lips, chances are you are using the wrong shade for the tone of your skin.
Lipstick will look orange if you are warm or olive-toned and are using a shade with blue hues or undertones. Blues and oranges/yellows are opposite one another on the color wheel, meaning they contrast. Although these complementary colors are great for pairing clothing, its different for your skin tone.
Because you have warmer toned skin, it's going to draw out the warmer tones in the lipstick and cause shifting that makes you look washed out. Warmer tones need yellow, orange, and coral shades of lipstick.
Why Do Lipsticks Look Purple On Me?
When you have an issue with lipstick pulling purple or blue, you have the opposite problem than orange. You are wearing lipstick that is too warm for your skin. If you have cooler undertones, your skin will draw out the cooler shades in the lipstick.
To avoid this, stay away from colors with warm hues and stick with those with blue undertones, like plum or mauve.
In Closing
Choosing lipstick can seem intimidating. But with a little help in understanding your undertones and the color wheel, you can pick the perfect shade for your skin tone.
If you need more lipstick help, check out these posts on how to match lipstick with your clothing: