How To Tell The Difference Between Warm And Cool Lipsticks | Red Apple Lipstick

Hello, Red Apple Lipstick readers. In this guide, I will walk you through how to tell if a lipstick is warm or cool, how that connects to your skin tone, and how to choose flattering Red Apple Lipstick shades with confidence.

Warm vs cool skin tones in simple terms

There are several factors to consider when choosing the right lipstick shade, and one of the most helpful is your skin tone. If you have a warm skin tone, you will usually look best in warm shades such as reds, oranges, warm berries, and warm pinks.

If you have a cool skin tone, cooler shades often look more natural, such as purples, cool pinks, cool berries, and blue based reds. Neutral skin tones can usually wear both warm and cool lipstick colors.

One easy way to check your undertone is to look at the veins on the inside of your wrist.

• If your veins look more green, your undertone is likely warm.
• If your veins look more blue or purple, your undertone is likely cool.
• If you truly see a mix of both, you may be neutral.

Once you have a sense of your skin tone, you can use that as a guide while you shop.

Using the color wheel for lipstick undertones

The color wheel can be a very helpful tool. When you look at a color wheel, you will notice pinks, reds, oranges, and yellows on the warm side. Purples, blues, and greens sit on the cool side. That is your starting point.

Colors are not just one flat shade. Every color has an overtone, which is the main color you see, and an undertone, which shows through underneath. It is the undertone that matters most when you want to know if a lipstick is warm or cool.

Warm colors contain yellow or red undertones, while cool colors have blue or purple undertones. To understand this in more depth, you can read a helpful makeup color theory article that many artists use in training on the site hair-and-makeup-artist.com.

How to see if a lipstick is warm or cool

Short answer: check the lipstick undertone. This short video shows you how to see the undertone of a lipstick and know if it is warm or cool in a few seconds.

The undertone of a lipstick is the color that shows through when the lipstick is applied or spread thinly. I find it easiest to see by spreading the lipstick in a thin layer on white paper or card stock with a cosmetic spatula or even a fingertip.

If the undertone of a color is red, pink, orange, or yellow, it will be warm. If the undertone is green, blue, or purple, it will be cool.

There are some nuances here, especially with red and pink lipstick. Technically, red is a warm color, but red lipsticks can look more warm or more cool depending on the undertone.

A warm red lipstick will have an undertone of pink that leans peach, orange, or yellow. A cool red lipstick will have an undertone of purple, blue, or even a slight green cast when you spread it very thinly.

Pink works the same way since it is a lighter form of red. A warm pink will have a red, orange, or yellow undertone. A cool pink will have purple, blue, or green in the undertone.

I have done a couple of swatches for you. You can see that Risqué is a warm toned red with an orange undertone, while Rebel is a cool toned red with a purple blue undertone.

Note: arm swatches are helpful for seeing how a color might work with your skin and for giving you an idea of its undertone. Lipstick shades can shift a bit on the lips because of your natural lip color and sometimes your body chemistry.

If a cool lipstick turns pink or orange on your lips, or a warm lipstick turns more purple, this is usually why. The color wheel idea applies to other makeup such as eyeshadows and blush too, so it is useful to keep it in mind when you choose shades.

Do I need a warm or a cool lipstick

I have three simple methods you can use to decide.

Method 1: Match lipstick to your undertone

• If you have cool undertones, choose a cool lipstick color.
• If you have warm undertones, choose a warm lipstick color.
• If you have neutral undertones, you can wear both cool and warm lipstick colors.

There are some exceptions. If you have rosacea, you may want to avoid cool toned reds and pinks, even if you are cool toned, because they can enhance redness in your skin. In that case, a warmer lipstick with an orange undertone can soften the look of redness.

Another common change happens as we get older. You might notice that the cool or warm lipsticks you used to wear now look a bit dull. Sometimes switching to the opposite family brings life and warmth back to the face. For example, my mom found that when her hair went gray, her old cool lipsticks started to wash her out, while warmer shades gave her skin a healthy glow.

Method 2: Look at your natural lip color

If your bare lips are naturally more pink or rosy, you may enjoy how cool lipsticks look on you. If your lips are more peachy or brownish, you may like warmer shades more.

Method 3: Consider your overall skin depth

If you have very fair skin, very dark or very bright lipsticks can sometimes look harsh. You might prefer shades closer to your natural lip color. If you have medium or olive skin, most shades will work, though very pale colors may be less flattering.

If you have deeper skin, you can usually wear almost any lipstick color you like, from soft neutrals to bold brights, as long as the undertone supports your skin.

How to pick the best lipstick for my skin tone

The simplest way to tell if you lean warm or cool is to think about which jewelry color makes your skin look healthiest. Try to ignore your personal taste for a moment and just look at the effect.

• If you look amazing in gold jewelry, you likely have warm undertones, so warm lipsticks will be a safe starting point.
• If silver jewelry flatters you and gold does not, you likely have cool undertones, so cool lipsticks will usually look best.
• If you can easily wear both gold and silver, you are probably neutral and can enjoy both warm and cool lipsticks.

If you want specific shade ideas based on undertone, you can read our guide to lipstick colors for cool skin tones and our post on lipstick colors for warm skin tones.

Do you usually wear warm or cool lipsticks, or do you like to mix both and change with your mood

Ashley

Frequently asked questions

What are warm lipstick colors

Warm lipstick colors usually have tones of orange, red, or yellow. These shades can brighten your complexion and make you look more awake. Think peach, coral, brick red, and warm berry shades that show a reddish undertone when you spread them thinly.

Examples include warm shades like Strawberry Lips, Day After Morocco, and soft warm mauves such as Maven Mauve.

What are cool lipstick colors

Cool lipstick colors lean pink, purple, or blue. Nudes, light pinks, pinks, purples, and blue based reds can all live in this category. Some shades, such as pinks and browns, can be either warm or cool depending on their base.

Cool options in our range include Rebel, rich berry shades like Can’t Be Beet, and bright cool pinks such as Hibiskiss.

What color lipsticks should an older woman wear

Many women over 40 feel their best in shades that lift the face without looking too harsh. Medium berries, rosy mauves, and soft reds are often more flattering than very dark or very pale colors. The best choice still depends on undertone and personal style.

For a deeper dive and specific recommendations, you can read our post on what color lipstick an older woman should wear.

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