Ditch In-Store Testers With Our Red Lipstick Guide (Product Recommendations Included!)
Isobel is a skincare obsessed Piscean hailing from Byron Bay. She studied law and journalism in Brisbane before moving to Sydney where she’s now living by the beach in Bondi. She’s worked as a Beauty Writer for BEAUTYcrew, a Digital Content Editor for Marie Claire and InStyle, and her words have appeared in Vogue, Gritty Pretty, ELLE, Women’s Health - and of course here - at Adore Beauty.
The beauty world’s answer to the little black dress, red lipstick has the power to elevate your look instantly.
A quick swipe of this showstopping hue effortlessly transforms your daytime makeup into evening-worthy glam like nothing else.
If you’ve ever struggled to choose from the endless array of red lipstick shades available, consider your search over.
Our ultimate red lipstick shade finder is officially here to get you sorted!
Below, you’ll find our comprehensive round-up of all the best red lipstick shades for different skin tones.
How to Find the Right Shade of Red Lipstick
First off, let’s cover how to choose red lipstick for your skin tone.
You’ll want to work out what your skin’s undertones are so you can match the right red.
Undertones are the colours that shine through from beneath your skin. Here’s how you can find out yours.
Cool undertones:
- Your veins appear blue.
- Silver, platinum, or rose gold jewellery looks best on you.
Warm undertones:
- Your veins appear green.
- Gold or copper jewellery looks best on you.
Neutral undertones:
- Your veins appear blue-green.
- Any jewellery suits you.
Side note: You can find some tips for applying red lipstick in the YouTube video below...
Now let's get into the product recommendations...
Red Lipstick for Cool Undertones
Blue- or purple-based reds are the most flattering red lipsticks for cool undertones.
Here are some of our fave red lipsticks for cool undertones:
- Designer Brands Lip Stix Creamy Lip Crayon in Berry Me.
For a brilliant on-the-go option, we can’t go past this raspberry-red lip crayon.
It’s a cinch to apply and comes with a built-in sharpener. Plus, it’s vegan-friendly and cruelty-free.
- M.A.C Cosmetics Retro Matte Lipstick in Ruby Woo.
Want to turn heads? Try this cult-favourite bright red with bold colour payoff and a true matte finish.
Unsurprisingly, it’s M.A.C Cosmetics’ No. 1 selling red lipstick of all time.
This popping, apple-toned, satin-matte pick doesn’t just look gorgeous; it also feels super-comfortable to wear.
The formula is dosed with natural moringa oil to nourish the lips.
Red Lipstick Shades for Warm Skin Tones
The best red lipstick shades for warm skin tone are orange or rust-tinged colours like the following goodies.
Here are some of our fave red lipstick shades for warm skin tones:
- Maybelline Superstay Matte Ink Liquid Lipstick in Heroine.
This rich orange-red matte lipstick will have you feeling like a smouldering vintage film star.
And the formula has super staying power, with up to 16 hours wear time!
- Inika Vegan Natural Lipstick in Auburn Ambition.
For a unique rusty red that looks great against warm skin tones, try this.
With loads of hydrating ingredients like argan oil and shea butter, this Australian-made, vegan-friendly option keeps lips comfortable.
- Clarins Velvet Lip Perfector in Velvet Rosewood.
After a sheer red lipstick? This divine lip product gives a burst of warm, coral-toned colour while moisturising and plumping the lips with shea butter.
Red Lipstick Shades for Neutral Undertones
When it comes to lipstick, those with neutral undertones look amazing in pretty much anything.
Consider the red lipstick world your oyster!
Let your choice be guided by the colours you’re naturally drawn to and the textures you prefer.
A Red Lipstick Guide for Dark, Olive, and Fair Skin
Now that you’ve nailed your undertones, we’ve got some more specific recs for red lipsticks for different skin tone depths.
Perfect Red Lipsticks for Dark Skin
If you’ve wondered whether red lipstick on dark skin tones works, the answer is YES.
Blue-based reds pop nicely against cool-toned darker skin.
Meanwhile, chocolate-toned reds are mesmerising on warm-toned deep complexions.
For dark skin with cool undertones:
- MAKE UP FOR EVER Rouge Artist Lipstick in Crafted Wine.
Introducing the wine-toned deep burgundy of your dreams.
With potent pigmentation levels, this satin/matte hybrid finish looks stunning on deeper skin tones.
For dark skin with warm undertones:
- Giorgio Armani Lip Maestro in Dodge.
For a low-maintenance lip colour that lasts up to 8 hours, we love this formula.
It applies as a pigmented, opaque velvet, chocolatey red and later fades to an effortless stain. No cracking to be seen here!
Perfect Red Lipsticks for Olive Skin Tones
For cool-toned olive complexions, try purplish reds like plum.
For warm-toned olive complexions, try orange-slanting reds.
If you’re a neutral olive, take your pick—most will suit you.
- Eye of Horus Velvet Lips in Black Cherry.
This deep, sultry, plum-toned red provides decadent velvet-matte colour via a convenient click tube for precise application.
It’s vegan-friendly, cruelty-free, and contains no parabens.
For olive skin tones with warm undertones:
- M.A.C COSMETICS Powder Kiss Liquid Lipcolour in Devoted to Chili.
You’ll feel like an absolute smoke show while wearing this toasted red lipstick.
Apply one coat for a blurred, barely there result or top it up for more coverage.
The non-fading formula stays put for up to 8 hours and hydrates for up to 10 hours.
Perfect Red Lipsticks for Fair Skin
Red lipstick for fair skin can be quite the statement.
If you’d like to ease your way in, try a lippie with a softer, stain-like finish. Want to go all out? Go for an opaque formula.
For fair skin with cool undertones:
- Nude by Nature Moisture Shine Lipstick in Deep Plum.
This dark red lipstick delivers sexy, vampy vibes on paler complexions.
The 100% natural, PETA-certified cruelty-free formula keeps lips moisturised with shea butter and hyaluronic acid.
For fair skin with warm undertones:
- Yves Saint Laurent Rouge Pur Couture Lipstick in L’Orange.
Love a luxe lipstick? This bougie gold tube fits the bill. It has a radiant-finish, vibrant orange-red tone, provides medium-to-full coverage, and delivers SPF 15.
That’s a wrap on our red lipstick shade finder. We hope you’ve found our red lipstick guide helpful.
Now that you’ve mastered choosing the right red lipstick shades for different skin tones, check out some more of our favourite red lipsticks.
Shop All the Lipsticks Mentioned in this Article Here
- Designer Brands Lip Stix Creamy Lip Crayon in Berry Me
- M.A.C Cosmetics Retro Matte Lipstick in Ruby Woo.
- Maybelline Superstay Matte Ink Liquid Lipstick in Heroine.
- Inika Vegan Natural Lipstick in Auburn Ambition.
- Clarins Velvet Lip Perfector in Velvet Rosewood.
- MAKE UP FOR EVER Rouge Artist Lipstick in Crafted Wine.
- Giorgio Armani Lip Maestro in Dodge.
- Eye of Horus Velvet Lips in Black Cherry.
- M.A.C COSMETICS Powder Kiss Liquid Lipcolour in Devoted to Chili.
- Nude by Nature Moisture Shine Lipstick in Deep Plum.
- Yves Saint Laurent Rouge Pur Couture Lipstick in L’Orange.
Brand and product inclusions are at the sole discretion of Adore Beauty. We do not seek or accept payment from brands or individuals listed in our guides.
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