Have you ever wondered why that perfect shade of pink makes your favourite influencer look like a supermodel, but the same shade has no effect on your look?
One of the biggest beauty mysteries is how the same lipstick shade can vary so dramatically from person to person.
How a lipstick looks on you may depend on several factors. Your skin undertone, natural lip color, lighting, and even the lipstick’s formulation can affect the way you appear.
In this blog, we’ll dive into the science behind lipstick perception and how you can find the best shade that suits you.
The Science Behind Lipstick Color Perception
Lipstick shades don’t exist in isolation—what we see is a result of how light interacts with pigment. When you apply lipstick, light reflects off your lips and blends with your natural undertone and lip pigmentation, altering the way the color appears.
For example, a classic red lipstick might look bright and warm on one person but deeper and richer on another. This occurs due to various reasons like differences in undertones, pigmentation, and the way colors absorb or reflect light.
Skin Undertones: The Biggest Factor
Your skin undertone is the underlying color that affects how lipstick shades interact with your skin. This underlying color is one of the primary reasons why a lipstick shade may appear warmer, cooler, or even completely different on two people.
How Undertones Affect Lipstick Shades
Cool Undertones (Pink, Red, or Blue hues in the skin)
Lipsticks may pull more blue or purple tones. For example, when an individual applies a nude lipstick, it might appear more pink-toned instead of peachy.
Best Lipstick Shades: Blue-based reds, berry tones, mauves, and rosy pinks.
Product Recommendation: Mischievous Wine Creme shade from Colorbar’s Take Me As I Am
Warm Undertones (Yellow, Golden, or Olive hues in the skin)
Lipsticks tend to look warmer and more orangish. For example, when an individual applies a red lipstick might appear more orange-toned instead of classic red.
Best Lipstick Shades: Coral, peachy nudes, terracotta, warm reds.
Product Recommendation: Magic Lust share from Colorbar’s Powerkiss Vegan Matte Lipstick.
Neutral Undertones (A mix of warm and cool hues)
People with neutral undertones are the lucky ones. They can wear both cool and warm shades without significant changes.
Best Lipstick Shades: Most colors look flattering, including true reds, soft pinks, and brownish nudes.
Product Recommendation: Stripped shade from Colorbar’s Sinful Matte Lipcolor.
How to Determine Your Undertone
If you’re unsure about your undertone, try these quick tests:
Look at the veins on your wrist.
● Blue/purple veins = cool undertone,
● Green veins = warm undertone
● Mix of both = neutral undertone.
Once you have determined your undertone, the next step is to
3. Natural Lip Color & Pigmentation
Your natural lip color is another important factor in how a lipstick shade appears. Since lipstick is essentially a colored layer over your lips, it interacts with your lips' underlying shade. Here’s how your lipstick shade may change according to your lip color:
Fair or Pale Lips: If you have fair or pale lips, your lipstick shade might not change much because the natural lip pigmentation doesn’t overpower the shade.
Pigmented Lips (Dark or Mauve-toned lips): If you have darker lips, your lipstick colors may appear darker, muted, or slightly altered. Best lipstick shades for dark tone in India include shades like bold reds, deep berries, and caramel shades.
How to Neutralise Lip Color for a True Shade
● Use a lip primer or a bit of concealer over your lips before applying lipstick.
● Choose opaque formulas instead of sheer ones to ensure true color payoff.
4. Lipstick Formulation & Finish Matters
Not all lipsticks are created equal! The formula and finish of a lipstick can also greatly influence how it looks on your lips.
● Matte Lipsticks: Matte lipstick shades for Indian skin are more opaque and true to color but may darken slightly after application.
● Satin & Creamy Lipsticks: Reflect some light and may appear lighter or shinier than matte shades.
● Glossy & Sheer Lipsticks: Allow natural lip color to show through, making shades appear softer or different depending on lip pigmentation. These are the best lipstick shades for office look because of their low pigmentation.
Conclusion
No lipstick shade looks identical on everyone due to undertones, pigmentation, and formulation. While one shade might look like a warm pink on one person, it may appear rosy or even nude on another.
The key to finding your perfect shade is understanding what works best for your undertone, lip color, and lighting conditions. Don’t be afraid to experiment, mix shades, and try different formulations until you find the lipstick that makes you feel your best!
Colorbar Cosmetics can help you in your quest to find the lipstick shades that suit your undertone and lip color. With more than 10 products and 100 lipstick shades, you are sure to find the one that suits your look.
Along with their lip makeup, you can also check their eye makeup, face makeup, and skincare collection. Shop Now.