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Picking out the right lipstick shade is one of the best ways to elevate your makeup look. Unfortunately, it can be tricky to decipher which colors will flatter you best. Worse yet, if you choose incorrectly, you could end up accentuating all the wrong things, washing out your skin, and aging yourself.
With that in mind, keep reading on the best ways to make sure your lipstick is working for you (and NOT against you).
Start with lip balm
The first thing you need to do is make sure your lips are moisturized. Chapped lips are never a good look, but with the added pigment of lipstick, this dry skin can be exaggerated in the worst possible way.
The solution? Try incorporating chapsticks and lip balms into your routine so that your lips are always lipstick-ready. You also might want to try out an overnight lip mask, which can help keep your lips looking supple and smooth.
Don't avoid color
You might be tempted to stick to more neutral tones, but don't feel any pressure to--especially not if your goal is to look more youthful.
A colorful lip can actually help you look young by keeping the focus away from any eye bags or crow's feet. Vincent Oquendo, celebrity makeup artist, explains to Southern Living, "My mother had an old trick. Whenever she felt tired, she would put on some red lipstick. If you're not feeling your best, sometimes lipstick is the perfect thing to brighten you up. It instantly makes you look more awake and calls attention to your lips instead of tired eyes!"
Pick the right shade
Although you should wear whatever lipstick makes you feel confident, there are some guidelines to picking out a color that will flatter your skintone. By choosing your shade carefully, you'll be able to avoid any colors that might wash you out and make you look older.
First, check to see if you have cool or warm undertones. According to Byrdie, you probably have warm undertones if you have a "yellow, golden, or olive hue to your skin." Conversely, you most likely have cool undertones if you have a "pink, red, or bluish hue to your skin." Cool undertones are more common in people with pale skin.
Once you've identified your skin's undertones, it's so much easier to pick out a flattering lipstick shade. Just keep a few basic rules in mind. Namely, warm undertones typically look best with lipsticks that have red and orange undertones. Meanwhile, blue and purple undertones flatter skin with cooler undertones.
