Choose your lipstick shade

Brightening, glossy, vivid, joyful. Yes, we’re talking about lipsticks, but these descriptions might as well be about you. Your optimism, your confidence. Still, ever felt like you wanted a little boost to bolster your change-making work in the world? Want to match your mouth to your statement-making voice? Power up the good vibes with the right lipstick shades. And get this, there’s a hack to knowing the most flattering hues. It all comes down to your skin’s undertone (in a nutshell – the base colour that comes through your skin colour). Once you’re savvy to your undertone, finding the most uplifting shades for your complexion is a snap.

The Body Shop Lipstick products

So, what shade of lipstick should you wear?

Painters past and present have made a pretty strong case – complementary colours are the most visually pleasing, creating good vibrations when paired. As in life, opposites attract. Though, that’s not to say your lip colour shouldn’t mirror your bold spirit. Matchmaking lipstick shades with your skin’s natural undertone (not to mention, your hair and even your wardrobe) creates gallery-worthy levels of impact. Just the ticket when you want to stand out to be heard. In short, undertones are the basis of flattering faces – no wonder makeup artists dub the face a canvas. For instance, purple and blue-toned lipsticks best complement cool undertones. So, do you have a cool, warm or neutral undertone? Forget skin colour, simply check the veins on the inside of your wrist – blue veins means cool, green equals warm, and if you can’t tell you’re neutral.

Discover more

These berry nice lipstick colours best suit cool undertones

Yes, you’ve got a cool undertone, but we know you’re also in possession of a warm heart. Whether you wear it on your sleeve or lips, expressing your mood through colour lets you have fun, or, for when you really mean business, make a statement. As your complexion is calling out for blue-tinged or deeper tone lipstick shades, consider purple lipstick your go-to. Seeking a classic red lipstick? Look to those tinged with blue tones, avoiding the orange end of the spectrum. You’ll also find berry-hued reds and pinks work well on you. These shades on your lips – it’s you, but 2.0.

WOMAN PUTTING ON RED LIPSTICK

Buff up on the top lipstick colours for warm undertones

The warmer the undertone, the more daring you can go. Bold lips for your bold voice? Yes please! Your colour cheat sheet centres around orange, the founding hue of your lipstick wardrobe no matter your skin colour. You can then tailor from there – though, remember, these rules are made for playing with, around your mood, hair colour, outfits. If you’re fair-skinned, look to holiday-ready peach or coral lipsticks. Darker skin is made for the most vibrant orange lipstick and deep plum shades. More of a medium skin tone? A hit of metallic copper or bronze colouring strikes the right chord for you.

Seeking lipstick colours for neutral undertones? Look no further

A neutral undertone is one that may be hard to spot, or look like a mix of warm and cool undertones. You know what that means? You’ve got the perfect palette for experimentation. Go wild and pick ‘n’ mix the best colours to express yourself. So, where to start? Play with shades that toe the line – your perfect red lipstick should be not too orange, not too blue. If you’re a fan of the barely-there makeup look and want to find your most natural lipstick shade, there’s a secret we should let you in on. The perfect nude lipstick for you is the same colour as your nipples. Now that’s a fun way to find a lipstick shade!

Red lipstick smear

How to pick a red lipstick shade?

Red lipstick. It’s a turbo-boost in a tube, a little slick of put-together-ness. Forget looking the part of a vixen, this is about looking like the best version of you. To do just that, keep the principles of skin’s undertones in mind and you’ll find the best red lipstick in your sights – whether crimson, pillar box or rose. Even the finish, texture and coverage of the colour will impact what makes it your most flattering red. Red matte lipsticks have an intense pigment, and a flattening effect on the lips – ideal for a bolder look, or even matching with your outfit. Fancy a low-maintenance, everyday sheen? High gloss formulations like our Shine Lip Liquids create a more dewy, youthful feel and a juicy, plumped-looking pout. Or perhaps you want a Colour CrushTM lipstick for its subtle shimmer and formula enriched with Community Fair Trade marula oil, making these The Body Shop lipsticks an absolute treat for your kisser. And who doesn’t deserve that?

Woman applying lip liquid

How to test your lipstick colour? Pucker up and see

Testing, testing. This is your chance to find lipstick that works best for you. In-store testing is the best way to see if you suit and, naturally, like a lipstick shade. Good test practice makes sense when you think about it – when not applying directly to lips, look for where your skin most closely matches your bare lip colour. It could be the side of the hand or inside of the wrist, or even the pads of your fingertips. This will give you a good idea of how a lipstick will look before you take it home.

Get to know all of The Body Shop lipsticks and lip products

The Body Shop Colour Crush Lipstick

Satin feel

There’s nothing more sumptuous or altogether grown-up than the satin feel of our iconic Colour Crush™ Lipstick pressed across your lips. Our satin finish lipstick gives full-pigment coverage with a subtle glaze. Its effect is uplifting, like a cheeky smile in the face of whatever life might throw your way.

Discover more
The Body Shop Lip Liquid

Shine finish

Sometimes only a high shine finish will do. Uber-nourishing, and a pleasure to apply, our Shine Lip Liquid lipsticks do just what they say on the tube. Lips appear glossy, their curvaceous three-dimensionality amplified. No more does a shine finish equal sticky or weighty layers of product – these moisture-enriched, illuminating lip products feel light-touch, but give pouts power with lasting colour and sheen.

Discover more
WOMAN PUTTING ON RED LIPSTICK

Want to make your lipstick last all day?

We get it, there’s more on your plate than making sure your lipstick’s on point throughout the day. But wouldn’t it be nice if it was? Our tips will help you to make your lip colour go further, so you can too. First up, gently exfoliate and moisturise lips for a smoother application. If you’ve chosen an intense colour or matte formulation, start with lip liner to keep everything in place. After applying The Body Shop lipstick, wash your hands and slide your index finger between your lips once to remove any excess that could end up on your pearly whites. Lastly, do you know the tissue trick? Put a tissue over your lips and brush translucent powder over the top. Hey presto, the powder will transfer through, helping to seal your colour for longer.

Have you seen...