Lipstick is the most basic yet powerful weapon in your makeup bag. The colors, textures, and types of these cosmetics can easily make or break your look. So, how to choose the right lipstick? A seemingly tricky question, but once you get down to the nitty-gritty of matching tones, moods, lights, and occasions, things can be really simple. These tips will help you pick the right lipstick.

Lock on the tone
The first step to knowing how to choose the right lipstick is to know your skin tone. Broadly, there are five skin-tone categories: pale, light, medium, tan, and deep. Although, regardless of tone, anyone can wear lipstick of any color, the shade you pick matters if you want to perfectly complement your makeup and skin. It’s mostly about picking the right shades in the palate. For example, dusty reds, light pinks, nude, coral, peach are traditionally preferred for those with pale and light skin tones. On the other hand, mauve, cherry reds, berry, and rose shades are compatible with medium skin tones.

Know the undertone
Next, determine your skin’s undertone. You will find this to falling under one of the three basic categories: cool, neutral, and warm. Whether your skin tone is pale or dark, the undertone will range between cool and warm. The best way to find out your undertone? Look at your tan.

• Cool undertones
  Your tan will be rosy, deep cinnamon, or reddish.
• Neutral undertone
  There is no specific shade, your skin may burn or tan.
• Warm undertone
  Your tan will be peachy, golden, or caramel.

Don’t ignore the shape of your lips
If you have top-heavy lips, you can try out using a brighter shade on the lower lip. Pick a little darker shade of the same lipstick color and fill it in on your upper lip. For bottom-heavy lips, any shade that is compatible with the skin undertone works well. Pro tip: dab a little nude color in lighter shades right at the center of the upper lip. If your lips shape is asymmetrical, outline your lips using a lip pencil or lip liner of the shade similar to the lipstick you’re using.

Know the size of your lips
Lips with thinner volume can be easily made to look plumper with lipsticks that have a creamy consistency than matte. Also, use lip gloss to add some shimmery volume. Flashy or dark colors are okay once in a while, but these shades make thin lips look thinner. For those with naturally plump lips, extremely light shades of lipsticks will not accentuate the look enough. Also, glossy, glittery textures are not recommended unless you are going for an ultra-glam look.