Why doesn't this lipstick color look good on me? | Cosmetics & Makeup

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Why doesn't this lipstick color look good on me?

It happens to all of us. You spend an hour at the store, glancing over every lipstick color, every shade, and every texture, only to bring it home and discover? well, it just doesn't look right. Elke Von Freudenberg, editorial makeup artist and hair stylist, shares with us the secret to finding the right shade.

Undertone color
Why doesn't lipstick look good on you, the same way it does in the tub? It's usually not the color that you saw in the tube that looks bad (otherwise, you wouldn't have bought it!), but the underlying or undertone color in the lipstick that shows it's true colors after you've applied it.

How can you tell what your undertone color is? Run a tester lipstick onto a piece of white paper (we do this for photo shoots all the time to find the right color, because on film, those undertones can look off), and look, what color do you see besides? It's easier to see on white paper, harder to see on skin tone until it's too late. What are you looking for? For theory's sake, let's take your favorite brown toned lipstick Your basic lipstick undertones that you might see would be:

Red/pink
Makes the color seem warmer, but harder and deeper as well. Can also bring out all the red tones in your skin as well so be careful!

Yellow/orange
Makes the color warmer, and softer. Looks great on warm skin tones, but if you're really pale, can bring out the green/blue undertones in your skin. To be on the safe side, go towards the yellow side, rather than the orange. Too much orange can make skin look gray and sluggish.

Green/blue
A way to make a lipstick more dramatic? deeper. Try to stay clear of these if possible, they can make you look like you're still standing under fluorescent lighting.

Silver/gray
Adds shimmer, softness, depth. Easy to spot in those light shimmer lipsticks that are so popular now. Adds light and softness to the lipstick, just make sure that it's not too much on the blue/gray side. Can make those under eye circles stand out.

Green
Huh? Green? Yep, sometimes. The trendy colors have them, and it's usually paired with a yellow tone as well. You'll look cool and hip, but you'll also feel as if you need more color on your face. (Hint: that's why the big blush trend is also prevalent... just check out the lip color!)

Lipstick Rule of Thumb
Whatever skin color you have that you don't like (like blue or gray under eye circles, redness, pink, etc.), try not to copy in your lipstick color or undertone as well. It's like wearing a red dress with sunburn. It just makes the problem appear worse than it is.

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