How to find the right lip color

I’m so ready for Fall. This is the season to play with reds, nudes, you name it. But not just any reds and nudes…they need to match with olive skin tone (and bronde hair).

Finding the perfect lip color for olive skin takes a bit of work. My skin has yellow/green neutral undertone so colors that are too bright with hints of orange don’t work that well on me. It makes me look pale. I stick with lip colors that have a blue undertone, which isn’t always so obvious at first when you’re shopping. From years of painting, I can spot the hues I need right away but if your eye can’t pick it up, try the following to find the right lip color for you. 

How to find the right lip color

Your undertone

Everyone’s skin color has an undertone. It can be yellow, pink or even blue. It helps to know your undertone before shopping for lip colors. It will save you a lot of time wondering what will work for you. 

One way to do this is by looking at the veins on your wrist. If they’re blue, chances are you have a more pink undertone. If they’re green, chances are you’re on the more yellow or warmer side. If your veins look blue/green like mine you may have a more neutral tone. 

I’m using words like “chances” and “may” because this isn’t a science, obviously. But it can help guide you in the right direction. 

Stick with what works 

If you’ve discovered that your undertone is yellow, go with warmer colors. If your undertone is cooler, choose colors that with blue and purple undertones. For neutral, you can go either way. But I find that colors with a cool hue work better for me. 

These tips should help you during your next trip to the beauty store. However, keep in mind that if you want to wear bright orange, then by all means go for it. It’s really what makes you feel good, and there’s nothing wrong with playing around with fun colors. 

Urban Decay sent me two of their colors, Rapture and Doubt from their Vice collection, and they look great on olive skin tones. They have a color undertone, so if you’re on the hunt for nude or red for olive skin, try these out.