How to Choose the Perfect Lipstick Shade in Seconds by Looking at Your Wrist

July 24, 2024

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How to Choose the Perfect Lipstick Shade in Seconds by Looking at Your Wrist

Lipstick sales are on the rise – thanks to the cost of living crisis.

In tough times, women still want to treat themselves. And while designer bags may not be within reach, smaller luxuries are getting a boost.

According to global market research agency Mintel, a third (32 percent) of British make-up buyers have purchased a product as a ‘treat’ in the past year.

Spending on lipsticks is expected to have increased by 12.3 percent last year.

Purchases of coloured cosmetics – make-up for the skin, cheeks, eyes and lips – also rose in 2023, with market spend expected to have grown by almost 8 per cent to £1.84 billion.

But if you’re looking for a new lipstick, you want a color that looks good on you, and that can be a lottery.

While a nude or beige shade looks great on some, it finishes off others.

Makeup artist Bethan Owens says, “Just as certain clothes look better on you than others, there are lipsticks that you can wear that others won’t.

“It all depends on the undertones of your skin. A good rule of thumb is to look at the veins on the inside of your wrist. If they appear blue, you probably have cool undertones.

Dramatically different

“If your veins appear green, chances are you have a warm undertone.

“If they are a mix of blue and green, you are neutral and can wear a wider range of shades.”

Once you know your skin tone, you can better choose a lipstick that flatters you.

These lipsticks cost less than £10 – but which one is the best value for money?

Bethan (@makeupbeth) continues: “If you have cool skin, choose a lipstick with cool, blueish undertones.

“Purple pinks, cool reds and dusty pinks all work well, as do shades of violet and even blue. Olive peels, which have a yellow undertone, work well with vibrant reds, oranges and plums.”

It’s not just skin tone that determines whether a lipstick color is good. to take You.

“Features like your hair color and your eyes also play a role,” says Bethan.

“And for aging lips I would recommend lighter shades unless you have a darker skin tone, as some of the dark brown and purple shades can make you look older.”

To show how the same lipstick can look very different on different people, we asked five women to try out the same five lipsticks.

They are: Chloe Haywood, 49, a sustainable fashion designer from Cheddar, Somerset; Paulomi Debnath, 44, a jewellery designer from Romford, Essex; Joyce Connor, 60, a make-up artist from Reading; Niki Woods, 47, a wellness coach and menopause educator from Leeds; and Jo Francis, 50, from Maidstone, Kent, who runs a digital marketing agency.

Here Bethan shares her opinion.