Red Lipsticks for Every Skin Tone + Undertone

Discover the most flattering shades of red lipstick to wear for your skin tone and undertone from cool, blue-based reds to red-hot, orange reds.

Darlings, finding the perfect red lipstick for your skin tone is a science! Red lipsticks can have a wide range of overtones and undertones from blue, to berry, to brown, and each can look very different on the lips depending on your skin tone. By analysing the tones that are present in your skin, you can discover which red lipsticks will be the most flattering for you to wear.

In this guide, discover the different undertones of red lipstick and learn which will look best on your skin tone.

Red Lipstick for Every Skin Tone

Red Lipstick Undertones

Red Lipstick arm swatches


What is an Undertone?

Undertones are the subtle, varied tones that are present within a colour. Every colour is made up of different tones, and the way that these tones interact influences how a colour looks to the eye. Undertones are usually categorised as warm, neutral, or cool, and knowing the undertones of your skin and your red lipstick can help you to create a harmonious look that pops on your complexion.

Cool, Blue-Toned Red Lipsticks

Darlings, if you have a cool undertone in your skin, I recommend reaching for a cool-toned red lipstick with blue undertones. Cool undertones often have blue, red, or pink hues. If the below apply to you, you are likely to have a cool undertone:

  • The veins in your wrist are blue or purple.
  • Your skin burns easily in the sun.
  • Silver jewellery suits you more than gold jewellery.
  • Red lipstick tends to look pink on you.

Blue-based red lip shades are extremely flattering for a cool-toned complexion and can help teeth to appear whiter. Discover my best blue-toned red lipsticks from my NEW! Hollywood Beauty Icon Lipstick collection that you need to try:

  1. Hollywood Vixen cool-toned blue-based red lipstick

    Hollywood Vixen

    Hollywood Vixen is a bright red lipstick from my NEW! Hollywood Beauty Icon Lipstick collection.

    It’s a mid-toned red lipstick with cool, blue undertones.

    Modern-matte red finish in my globally loved Matte Revolution formula.

    Pairs perfectly with Lip Cheat lip liner in Red Carpet Red or Savage Rose.

    Shop Hollywood Vixen

  2. Cinematic Red cool-toned cherry-red lipstick

    Cinematic Red

    Cinematic Red is a cherry red lipstick from my NEW! Hollywood Beauty Icon Lipstick collection.

    It’s a deep red lipstick with cool undertones.

    Modern-matte red finish in my globally loved Matte Revolution formula.

    Pairs perfectly with Lip Cheat lip liner in Red Carpet Red or Savage Rose.

    Shop Cinematic Red

  3. Pizzazz bright, cool-toned, blue-based red lipstick

    Pizzazz

    Pizzazz is a blue-red lipstick from my NEW! Hollywood Beauty Icon Lipstick collection.

    It’s a bright red lipstick with cool, blue undertones.

    Modern-matte red finish in my globally loved Matte Revolution formula.

    Pairs perfectly with Lip Cheat lip liner in Kiss ‘N’ Tell or Savage Rose.

    Shop Pizzazz

Warm-Toned Red Lipsticks

For warm undertones, I recommend a warm-toned red lipstick like an orange or chilli red to complement the warm tones in your skin. If you have a warm undertone, your skin is likely to appear golden, peach, or tan. Does the below apply to your skin tone, darling? If so, you may have warm-toned skin.

  • The veins in your wrist are greenish blue.
  • Your skin tans easily in the sun.
  • Gold jewellery suits you more than silver jewellery.
  • Red lipstick tends to look orange on you.

Warm red lip shades are perfect for igniting your makeup look with a fiery pop of colour! Discover warm-toned red lipsticks from my NEW! Hollywood Beauty Icons Lipstick collection, as well as my classic Walk of No Shame shade for a rush of cosy, rosy red.

  1. Mark of a Kiss warm-toned, muted red lipstick

    Mark of a Kiss

    Mark of a Kiss is a muted red lipstick from my NEW! Hollywood Beauty Icon Lipstick collection.

    It’s a light red lipstick with warm undertones.

    Modern-matte red finish in my globally loved Matte Revolution formula.

    Pairs perfectly with Lip Cheat lip liner in Mark of a Kiss or Hollywood Honey.

    Shop Mark of a Kiss

  2. Fame Flame warm-toned, chilli-red lipstick

    Fame Flame

    Fame Flame is a hot red lipstick from my NEW! Hollywood Beauty Icon Lipstick collection.

    It’s a mid-toned red lipstick with warm, orange undertones.

    Modern-matte red finish in my globally loved Matte Revolution formula.

    Pairs perfectly with Lip Cheat lip liner in Mark of a Kiss or Hollywood Honey.

    Shop Fame Flame

  3. Walk of No Shame warm-toned, berry-red lipstick

    Walk of No Shame

    Walk of No Shame is a soft, berry-red lipstick.

    It’s a muted red lipstick with warm, rose undertones.

    Modern-matte red finish in my globally loved Matte Revolution formula.

    Pairs perfectly with Lip Cheat lip liner in Walk of No Shame.

    Shop Cinematic Red

Red Lipsticks with Neutral Undertones

People with neutral undertones can pull off both warm and cool red lipstick shades, but they look best in vibrant, true reds. When skin has a mixture of warm and cool tones, its colour is balanced out resulting in a true, neutral undertone. Here’s how to tell if your skin has a neutral undertone:

  • The veins in your wrist are blue with hints of green or purple.
  • Your skin tans in the sun but is also prone to burning.
  • Gold and silver jewellery suits you equally.
  • Red lipstick looks true to colour on your lips.

The true red lip shades that I recommend if you have a neutral undertone in your skin don’t swing orange or blue; they stay neutral in tone to deliver classic red lip colour. Discover neutral red lipsticks from my lipstick collection that will look sensational on your neutral skin tone.

  1. Kissing Lipstick in So Red satin finish neutral red lipstick

    So Red

    So Red is a true red lipstick.

    It’s a bright red lipstick with neutral undertones.

    Satin-shine pink finish in my globally loved K.I.S.S.I.N.G formula.

    Pairs perfectly with Lip Cheat lip liner in Kiss ‘N’ Tell or Savage Rose.

    Shop So Red

  2. Carina's Love neutral red lipstick from Charlotte's Hot Lips collection

    Carina’s Love

    Carina’s Love is a bold red lipstick from my Hot Lips lipstick collection.

    It’s a vivid red lipstick with neutral undertones.

    Modern-matte red finish in my globally loved Matte Revolution formula.

    Pairs perfectly with Lip Cheat lip liner in Kiss ‘N’ Tell or Savage Rose.

    Shop Carina’s Love

Discover The Most Flattering Red Lipsticks for your Skin Tone

Every red lipstick that I create is designed to look magical on every skin tone, darlings! However, everyone has their signature red that just pops like no other once swiped onto the lips! Different skin tones will suit different shades of red more than others – here are some tips on how to find the perfect red lipstick for your skin tone:

Red Lipsticks for Fair Skin

Meg Pizzazz

Fair skin tones look mesmerising in brighter shades of red. A pale complexion can sometimes be overpowered by deep red lipsticks, but a bright red lipstick can help to lift and enliven the look of fair skin. Softer, more muted shades of red can also look very flattering on fair skin. Delicate reds have a more understated look which makes them easy to wear as an everyday lip look for fair skin.

  1. Lip close up of Pizzazz red lipstick on fair skin

    Pizzazz

    Meg wears NEW! Hollywood Beauty Icon Lipstick in Pizzazz!

    It’s a blue-toned red that looks gorgeous on fair skin with cool undertones.

    Pair Pizzazz with Lip Cheat in Red Carpet Red.

    Shop Charlotte’s Hollywood Beauty Icon Lip Kit

  2. Lip close up of Mark of a Kiss red lipstick on fair skin

    Mark of a Kiss

    Cheng wears NEW! Hollywood Beauty Icon Lipstick in Mark of a Kiss!

    It’s a muted red that looks gorgeous on fair skin with warm undertones.

    Pair Mark of a Kiss with the matching Lip Cheat in Mark of a Kiss.

    Shop Charlotte’s Hollywood Beauty Icon Lip Kit

Red Lipsticks for Medium Skin

Kate Hollywood Vixen

Medium skin tones will naturally suit a mid-toned red lipstick. Due to the in-between nature of a medium skin tone, red lipsticks that are too light or too deep may miss the mark. Instead, I recommend wearing a rich red that isn’t too pink, too brown, or too berry. Depending on your undertone, a mid-toned orange or blue-red will complement your medium skin tone flawlessly.

  1. Close up of Hollywood Vixen bright red lipstick for medium skin

    Hollywood Vixen

    Kate wears NEW! Charlotte’s Hollywood Beauty Icon Lipstick in Hollywood Vixen!

    It’s a blue-toned red that looks gorgeous on medium skin with cool undertones.

    Pair Hollywood Vixen with Lip Cheat in Red Carpet Red.

    Shop Charlotte’s Hollywood Beauty Icon Lip Kit

  2. Close up of Flame Blur flame red lipstick for medium skin

    Flame Blur

    Model wears AIRbrush Flawless Lip Blur in Flame Blur!

    It’s a flame red that looks gorgeous on medium skin with warm undertones.

    Pair Flame Blur with Lip Cheat in Kiss ‘N’ Tell.

    Shop AIRbrush Flawless Lip Kit

Red Lipsticks for Tan Skin

Tan skin tones exude warmth and often have a naturally golden appearance, so a warm-toned red lipstick with hints of orange will look extremely flattering. Other warm tones that look fabulous on tan skin are coral, scarlet, and warm-brown reds. Cool tones in tan skin often appear olive and are best complemented by a rich wine or berry-toned red.

Red Lipsticks for Deep Skin

Jourdan Dunn Cinematic Red

Deep skin tones are naturally rich and can wear bolder shades of red like burgundies, bright reds, and jewel tones with ease. With deep skin, it’s important to use the right lip liner to create the perfect, dimensional red lip. Deep brown, purple, and red lip liners like my Lip Cheat in Foxy Brown or Berry Naughty are perfect bases for a red lipstick look for deep skin; they provide definition and help to complement even lighter shades of red lipstick with deep skin.

Red Lipsticks that Suit Everyone, Everywhere

Charlotte's Hollywood Beauty Icon red lipstick lip kit

Darlings, my NEW! Hollywood Beauty Icon Lipsticks are designed to be universally flattering and instantly beautifying! While your skin tone and undertone will influence which red lipstick looks best on you, each of these shades are expertly formulated with the perfect colouration for every skin tone. Are you a Hollywood Vixen or a Fame Flame? Are you a vision in Cinematic Red? Maybe you’re searching for the Mark of a Kiss or want to add some Pizzazz to your makeup look! Whichever shade suits your style is the shade that will make you look and feel your most beautiful and confident!

Discover Charlotte’s Hollywood Beauty Icon Lipsticks

FOR MORE BEAUTY TIPS, TRICKS + VIDEOS...

Subscribe to Charlotte's YouTube Channel, darling!

Share article