Best Berry Lipstick For Your Skin Tone
Ever stared at a wall of berry lipsticks and felt totally unsure which shade will actually flatter your face? One off shade can leave you feeling flat instead of fabulous.
The good news is that berry is one of the easiest lipstick families to wear when you match the depth and undertone to your own skin. With the right shade, berry can look soft and romantic or bold and dramatic.
In this guide we walk through fair, medium, olive, and dark skin tones, then suggest specific Red Apple Lipstick berry shades that will help you find your best berry lipstick match.
Berry lipstick is often treated as a fall or winter color, but professional makeup artist Jennifer Viveiros loves berry lips in spring as well. Berry is flexible enough to wear all year.
Quick tip: if a berry lipstick ever feels a bit bold, tap it on and blend with your fingertip for a soft stain, or layer a softer shade like Strawberry Lips on top to dial things down.
Step One: Know Your Skin Tone And Undertone
The key to a flattering berry lip is matching your lipstick to both your skin tone and your undertone.
Skin tone is the overall depth of your complexion:
- Fair or Light
- Medium or Tan
- Olive
- Dark or Deep
Undertone is the subtle cast under your skin that does not really change, even when you tan:
- Cool (pink based) veins look blue or purple.
- Warm (yellow based) veins look green.
- Neutral veins look both blue and green, or you cannot easily tell.
Keep both your tone and undertone in mind as you move through the berry lipstick ideas below.
Berry Lipsticks For Fair / Light Skin Tones
Fair and light skin tones usually look freshest in softer, slightly brighter berries instead of very dark shades. Think juicy raspberries and soft plums that bring life to the face without taking over.
Warm Undertones: Soft, Warm Berries
If you have fair or light skin with warm undertones, you will want berries with a touch of warmth and lightness. The goal is color that wakes up your face without looking harsh.
Berry Blast looks deep in the tube but applies as a soft berry stain that you can keep sheer or build up. A hint of shimmer catches the light, and the shade flatters almost every skin tone, which makes it a very easy first berry.
Plum Sexy Crazy is a multi dimensional red plum with golden shimmer. One light coat gives a soft berry wash, while several coats create a rich warm plum that still feels lively on fair warm skin.
Cool Undertones: Sheer Plums And Rose Berries
Cool undertones pair beautifully with berries that lean slightly blue, such as plums and rose berries. On fair skin, lighter or sheerer formulas keep the look fresh.
Boys N Berries is a playful violet fuchsia blend with silver sparkle. It feels like a balm, smells amazing, and adds a fun cool berry glow without feeling heavy or dark.
Mayberry is a medium depth dusty rose mauve with a cool berry undertone. It is not too bright or too dark, which makes it a perfect everyday berry for lighter cool complexions.
Vogue is a classic berry lipstick with a hint of sparkle and shine. It reads like that polished berry you can wear from office hours straight into dinner.
Berry Lipsticks For Medium Skin Tones
Medium skin, from light medium to tan, can handle a wide range of berry shades. You can wear brighter berries for daytime and deepen them for evening without the color feeling too intense.
Warm / Neutral Undertones: Rich, Warm Berries
Medium skin with warm or neutral undertones looks amazing in richer berries that carry both warmth and depth.
Hibiscus is a vibrant true raspberry, a deep berry pink with a touch of red. Wear it full strength for a juicy bold lip, or blot it down for a softer berry stain.
Petal To The Metal is a creamy rosy mauve medium pink with hints of berry and a soft shimmer. Because it has both warm and cool elements, it flatters a wide range of medium warm and neutral complexions.
On medium warm skin, Plum Sexy Crazy can be worn as a sheer berry or built to a glowing red plum statement lip with golden shimmer that plays beautifully off warm undertones.
Audacious is a cool medium deep berry with no shimmer. It gives you a sophisticated jewel toned berry lip that still feels comfortable enough to wear all day.
Cool Undertones: Deeper Plums And Wine Berries
Medium cool complexions can handle deeper cool berries that might overwhelm fair skin. Look for plum berries that lean more blue than brown.
On medium cool skin, Boys N Berries becomes a fun party shade. The violet fuchsia base and silver sparkle make lips look fuller and really catch the light in photos.
Mauve Me is a plum red with subtle shimmer that brightens the complexion and makes teeth look whiter. It is a flattering choice when you want more drama without going too dark.
Cant Be Beet is a cool toned medium berry with a very soft silver sheen. It is perfect when you want a wine inspired berry that still looks fresh and wearable.
Berry Lipsticks For Dark And Deep Skin Tones
Darker complexions look incredible in rich saturated berry shades. You can go bold without worrying that the color will take over your face.
Warm Undertones: Bold Cranberry And Deep Berries
If you have dark or deep skin with warm undertones, reach for deeper warm berries that look juicy instead of muted.
Fierce is a deep Bordeaux red with purple and chocolate undertones. Apply lightly for a maroon stain, or build it up for a lush evening lip that looks stunning against warm dark skin.
Audacious adds a cool jewel tone twist that still reads rich on the lips. On warm dark complexions it creates a striking cool berry contrast that photographs beautifully.
This cool medium berry also works for warm dark skin when you want a slightly lighter berry that still has presence, especially for daytime looks.
Cool Undertones: Deep Cool Berries
Dark skin with cool undertones shines in deeper cool berries. Look for shades described as wine, plum, or cool berry.
On cool undertones, the purple and chocolate notes in Fierce enhance your natural depth and look especially elegant for evening.
Cant Be Beet brings a glowy berry brightness that keeps cool deep skin from looking flat. Blot once for a stain, or build for a rich berry moment.
Berry Lipsticks For Olive Skin Tones
Olive skin usually sits in the medium to deep range with a natural green cast underneath. Because purple sits opposite green on the color wheel, berry and plum shades look especially flattering.
Warm Undertones: Bright, Warm Berries
Olive skin with warm undertones can play with brighter warm berries and warm purples.
On olive warm skin, Hibiscus becomes a juicy raspberry pop that looks lively rather than loud.
The golden shimmer in Plum Sexy Crazy bounces beautifully off olive warmth, giving you a rich berry lip that never feels dull.
For a cooler berry that still flatters warm olive tones, Cant Be Beet adds crisp berry color with a subtle light reflecting finish.
Cool Undertones: Deeper, Blue Based Berries
If you have olive skin with cool undertones, deeper cool berries will complement both the green in your skin and your cool base.
Audacious was made for cool undertones. On cool olive skin it creates that chic cool berry lip that looks polished in every season.
Fierce adds drama for nights out, pairing beautifully with smoky eyes and glowy bronze cheeks on olive complexions.
Layer a light coat of Cant Be Beet when you want a slightly brighter cool berry that still feels sophisticated.
Neutral undertones: if you see both warm and cool in your skin, you can pull shades from either undertone list. A great place to start is with medium depth berries like Mauve Me or softer everyday shades like Strawberry Lips, then adjust deeper or brighter from there.
Strawberry Lips is a soft, wearable strawberry berry shade that feels like a tinted balm. It is perfect when you want an everyday berry that you can swipe on without a mirror.
FAQs
What skin tone looks best in berry lipstick?
Every skin tone can look amazing in berry lipstick. The secret is matching the depth and undertone. Fair skin usually suits softer berries, medium skin can wear a wide range, and dark or olive skin looks gorgeous in richer deeper shades.
Is berry lipstick a warm or cool color?
Most berry lipsticks lean cool, but many have warmer raspberry or red tones. Cool berries tend to have more plum or wine in them, while warm berries lean slightly pink or red. Both can work as long as they complement your undertone.
How do I choose the right berry lipstick for my undertone?
Start by checking your veins or how you look in gold versus silver jewelry. Warm undertones usually look best in warmer berries, cool undertones in blue based berries, and neutral undertones can wear both. Then match the depth of the lipstick to your skin tone.
Can I wear berry lipstick every day?
Yes. For daytime, try sheerer applications or softer berries such as Strawberry Lips or Mayberry. For evening, layer bolder shades like Audacious or Fierce.
What if my lips are sensitive or dry?
All Red Apple Lipstick shades, including berries like Cant Be Beet and Hibiscus, are formulated to be gluten free, vegan, and gentle, with moisturizing ingredients that help keep lips feeling comfortable instead of tight or flaky.