How to Choose a Red Lipstick (Yes, You Can Wear It!)

One of the questions I get asked all the time in-store is:
“Can I wear red lipstick?”
The answer? Absolutely yes.
Red lipstick isn’t reserved for a certain ‘type’ of person — it’s about finding the right red for your skin tone.

Here’s the lowdown:

We usually group skin undertones into three main categories — cool, warm and neutral. Of course, skin is a spectrum and these aren’t hard rules. The best shade for you? The one that makes you feel amazing. Full stop.

How to find the right red lipstick shade for your skin tone

But if you’re after a little guidance, here are my go-to tricks for figuring out your undertone:

1. Vein check (yes, really!)

Look at the veins on the inside of your wrist:
– Blue veins = likely cool-toned
– Greenish veins = likely warm-toned
– Can’t tell = probably neutral

2. Jewellery test

Hold up some silver and gold jewellery:
– Silver looks best? You’re cool
– Gold is your glow-up? You’re warm
– Both look good? You lucky neutral thing, you!

3. Skin tone clues

– Cool: Pinkish skin, burns easily
– Warm: Golden or peachy skin, tans easily
– Neutral: Olive or even-toned skin that stays pretty consistent year-round

So, what red lipstick should you try?

💙 Cool tones: Go for blue-based reds (think vintage glam), mauve-pinks, berry tones, even a classic deep red-brown.
🍊 Warm tones: Orange-based reds are your friend, plus peachy nudes and coral-y vibes.
🤸♀️ Neutral tones: Honestly, you can wear pretty much anything — go wild

Here is a suggested lipstick for each tone

Blue based - Aleph Sangha 

Orange based - Aleph Gloria 

Neutral - Ere Perez Carrot Colour Pot in Hello 

Still unsure? Come in and play! I’m in-store every Saturday from 10am–3pm for makeup chats, colour matching, and helping you find your perfect red (or pink, or nude… we don’t discriminate).

Catch you at the lipstick stand,

Court x

By Courtney – resident makeup artist, meme queen & lover of a bold red lip 💋

VIEW OUR RANGE OF NATURAL LIPSTICKS HERE