I’m a make-up artist – how to pick your perfect shade of lippie in seconds, just by looking at your wrist

SALES of lippy are on the up – thanks to the cost-of-living crisis.

When times are tight, women still like to treat themselves. And while designer handbags might be out of reach, smaller luxuries get a boost.

A third (32 per cent) of UK make-up buyers have bought a product as a “treat” in the past year, according to global market intelligence agency Mintel.

Spending on lipsticks is projected to have risen 12.3 per cent last year.

Purchases of colour cosmetics — make-up designed for skin, cheeks, eyes and lips — also climbed in 2023, with market spend projected to have grown by almost 8 per cent to £1.84bn.

But if you’re keen to bag a new lippy, you’ll want a colour that looks good on you — and that can be a lottery.

While a nude or beige shade might look great on some, it turns others into a corpse.

Make-up artist Bethan Owens says: “Just as certain clothes will look better on you than others, there are also lipsticks that you will pull off — while others won’t.

“It all depends on the undertones in your skin. A good rule of thumb is to look at the veins on the inside of your wrist. If they appear blue, you likely have cool undertones.

Dramatically different

“If your veins appear green, the chances are that you have warm undertones.

“If they are a mixture of blue and green, you are neutral and can wear a broader range of shades.”

Once you’ve worked out what your skin tone is, you’ll be better placed to pick a lippie that flatters.

Bethan (@makeupbeth) continues: “If you have cool skin, seek out a lipstick with cool bluish undertones.

“Purplish pinks, cool reds and dusty rose shades all work well, as do shades like violet and even blue. Olive skins, which have a yellow undertone, work well with vibrant reds, oranges and plums.”

It’s not just skin tone that dictates whether a lip colour suits you.

“Features like your hair colour and your eyes also play a part,” says Bethan.

“And for ageing lips, I’d recommend lighter shades, unless you have a darker complexion, as some of the darker browns and purples can make you look older.”

To show how the same lipstick can look dramatically different on various people, we asked five women to try out the same five lipsticks.

They are: Chloe Haywood, 49, a sustainable fashion designer from Cheddar, Somerset; Paulomi Debnath, 44, a jewellery designer from Romford, Essex; Joyce Connor, 60, a make-up artist from Reading; Niki Woods, 47, a wellness coach and menopause educator from Leeds; and Jo Francis, 50, from Maidstone, Kent, who runs a digital marketing agency.

Here, Bethan shares her verdicts.

Beige

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Bethan says: Chloe is fair but has warm undertones so this nude just works. It is quite close to her skin colour so gets a bit lost[/caption]

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Bethan says: This barely there shade really did nothing for Paulomi, because it kills the natural colour of her lip. Not good[/caption]

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Bethan says: As with Paulomi, this light shade kills the natural colour of Joyce’s lip. It’s unflattering, and does nothing for her[/caption]

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Bethan says: Quite a subtle look, I liked this on Niki as it softened the reddish tones of her skin. Her skin has cool undertones and she is quite tanned[/caption]

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Bethan says: Jo was confident in this colour, she prefers heavier eye make-up, so this is a good option for her. It suits her cooler undertones and paler skin[/caption]

Rose pink

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Bethan says: The subtle earthy pink of this lipstick is subtle and has a nice, easy, daytime look. The colour makes Chloe’s face look strong and full[/caption]

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Bethan says: Still too nude, it doesn’t complement Paulomi’s warmer and darker skin tones, which need rich oranges and plum colours[/caption]

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Bethan says: This is still too pale a pink, too light for her warm skin. It’s not vibrant enough for Joyce, whose personality alone needs a brighter shade[/caption]

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Bethan says: My favourite. Niki has quite strong brows and dark hair, but this softened her features and brought out the colour of her eyes[/caption]

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Bethan says: My least favourite application of this product. The pinky colour was perhaps a little lost on Jo. It looked like she wasn’t wearing anything[/caption]

Classic red

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Bethan says: The red was very glamorous and a real wow on Chloe. This one draws attention to her cheekbones and her eye colour. It really pops[/caption]

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Bethan says: Quite a statement look. The red and the two darker shades look great on Paulomi. They are warm and complement in her face a little more[/caption]

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Bethan says: Because of her darker skin and yellowy undertones, I preferred the darker shades of lippy on Joyce[/caption]

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Bethan says: The red blends with Niki’s features and tan – it flatters her and gives her a glamorous look[/caption]

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Bethan says: This flattered Jo’s complexion, making her eyes and hair stand out. A glam look for an evening out[/caption]

Claret

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Bethan says: This brings out the natural warmth in Chloe’s skin. She looks more tanned even though the rest of her make-up stayed the same[/caption]

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Bethan says: This darker shade emphasises Paulomi’s pretty lips and her warm skin tones carry it off[/caption]

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Bethan says: Joyce is best able to carry off the darkest shades. She looked fab in this, it just popped[/caption]

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Bethan says: This looked a little harsh on Niki. The lipstick wasn’t unflattering but I feel that softer colours made her look more youthful[/caption]

David Cummings

Bethan says: Jo’s neutral undertones make the the nude my favourite, but she can still carry a deep plum shade like this. Rich and striking[/caption]

Rust

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Rimmel Lasting Finish Coffee Shimmer, £6, Tesco[/caption]

David Cummings

Bethan says: Quite dark and a little vampy, but Chloe’s warm skin tones mean she can still carry the colour off. This also makes her eyes stand out[/caption]

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Bethan says: This deeper shade really brightens and frames Paulomi’s face. She could afford to go a shade darker than the colour she chose for herself[/caption]

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Bethan says: When this rusty colour was being applied, you could really see Joyce’s features starting to lift and brighten[/caption]

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Bethan says: I felt the rust colour thinned Niki’s lips and was unflattering. This was my least favourite on her and it made her skin appear a little too dark[/caption]

David Cummings

Bethan says: Jo’s hair colour complemented the orange hues in this shade, even though it was warm and her skin is cooler. It made her eyes stand out[/caption]