How to Find the Perfect Lip Color for You

A bit of color on the lips has the power to transform your entire look. Adding a bold shade can brighten a dull outfit or neutralize a more striking wardrobe decision. Regardless of your face for the day, the perfect lip color can keep you feeling confident and ready to go!

When you’re on the prowl for your staple lip color look, starting with your skin tone is a practical and solid base to work from. Not sure how to determine your skin tone? We have a simple but effective trick: start by turning over your wrists and looking at the color of your veins. Green veins are usually associated with someone who has warm undertones. Purple or blue veins point towards skin with cooler undertones. If you can’t clearly distinguish - that’s your neutral undertone. Another quick hint is to look at your gold and silver jewelry. Gold usually works best with a warmer skin undertone and silver with your cooler skin undertones. If your skin tone is neutral, you could quickly wear either. If you’re not sure what looks better, ask a close friend or family member you can trust. Once you’ve got an idea of where you lie on the spectrum, you can follow our Atomic Makeup lipstick guide. 

According to skincare experts, skin with a cool undertone (think light, lily-like shades) will do well with a nude or “mocha” color lipstick. Our ‘Keepsake’ would be perfect for you, or look at our more nude look - the ‘Concrete Jungle.’

Suppose you have a cool undertone with more medium skin color (think nutty, milky coffee). In that case, a slightly pink or berry shade will be beautiful! ‘Atomic’ is a zesty berry color that will highlight your features.

A more tanned or deeper shade of skin with cool undertones will suit a wine color lipstick. Our ‘Nikki’ would be gorgeous on you.

Moving on to your warmer skin undertones, if you have lighter, softer skin - a pale pink or peach will suit your look. ‘With Love’ is our favorite choice for you. With your more tanned, darker skin - a bronze or copper lipstick would be ideal. Atomic Makeup’s ‘Whiskey Brown’ will keep you shining from morning till night.

Our neutral skin undertone readers - from the warmer to the more relaxed preferences - see what draws you in and experiment with what you feel your best in. We’ll inspire you with a reference from Taylor Swift’s song “Wildest Dreams”: “Say you’ll remember me, standing in a nice dress, staring at the sunset, babe. Red lips and rosy cheeks.”