Tried & tested: lipstick colours to try

We asked three beauty insiders to share their top three lip colours.

Top tips for choosing a lipstick colour:

When choosing your lip colour, start by knowing your skin’s undertone. There are three categories: warm, neutral and cool. The quickest check to know your undertone: Look at the colour of the veins on your wrist—blue usually means cool and green usually means warm, but if you can't quite tell, you might be neutral.

Blue-based lip colours like classic red and deep fuchsia work well on a cool undertone, and orange-based lip colours work best for a warm undertone.

The best nude lip colour is slightly brighter or deeper than your skin tone. So, if you're pale, look for something with a hint of pink and if you have olive or dark skin sandy beiges will look best.

Consider when you want to wear the lipstick. For your regular 9-5 (and those harsh office lights), choose warm and creamy shades (more pink, less red). For evenings, with softer light, you can look for deeper reds and vampy shades.

Top picks for your skin tone:

  • Cynthia Gwebu

    Warm undertone picks

    1. Stila Stay All Day Liquid Lipstick in Patina

    2. Smashbox Be Legendary Matte Lipstick in Tabloid

    3. Lancôme Juicy Shaker in Mangoes Wild (381)

  • Jules da Silva and Camilla Corder

    Cool undertone picks

    1. Clarins Instant Light Natural Lip Perfector in Rosewood

    2. Lancôme Juicy Shaker in Walk the Lime (166)

    3. Smashbox Be Legendary Cream Lipstick in Inspiration

  • Brett Robson

    Neutral undertone picks

    1. Stila Stay All Day Liquid Lipstick in Fiery

    2. Revlon Super Lustrous Lipstick in Mauvy Night

    3. Smashbox Be Legendary Cream Lipstick in Papaya