01/03/2024
What Is Lipstick Color Theory? Makeup Artists Explain How to Choose a Shade
Finding the perfect shade of lipstick sounds fun in theory, yet in many cases, it can be a stressful task that leaves us with analysis paralysis. You have countless shades to choose from, yet nailing down one that complements your skin tone, undertones, and personal aesthetic is quite a different story. "Lipstick color theory" has even been trending on TikTok recently, as creators with different skin tones have been recording themselves swiping on the same products with drastically different results. The good news is that understanding the science of color theory will help you to pick out the right shades and makeup combinations, and lipstick is no exception to this. Ahead, two pro makeup artists explain lipstick color theory and how to choose your best shade.
What Is Lipstick Color Theory?
The search for the right lipstick shade can seem endless, as it often looks very different in the package than against our skin and lips. Pro makeup artists Kira Stevens and Alexandra Loughton are familiar with lipstick color theory, as they work with over 200 brides per year who—you guessed it—want the perfect lipstick shade for their wedding day. "The fine balance of picking your right shade of lipstick has nothing to do with luck and everything to do with knowing your skin tone, undertones, and how they relate to color theory," Loughton explains.
If you need a refresher on color theory, you've come to the right place. "Lipstick color theory is similar to the color theory used in painting," Stevens says. "Mixing primary colors—red, yellow, and blue—in different combinations will create every color you could imagine. The colors in our skin work in the same way, too. We are all made up of different ratios of red, yellow, and blue (which we can refer to as our undertones), and brown and white (which can be referred to as our skin tones.) All of this, put together, creates our unique, individual complexion."
When choosing a lipstick shade, it's important to consider how the color coordinates with your skin tone, lip color, and how they relate to the color wheel. "To understand lipstick color theory, one must simply understand how well colors play together in the proverbial sandbox (or how they might not get along)," Stevens explains.
