How To Choose The Right Lipstick

Knowing how to choose lipstick can be tricky. With so many shades, finishes, undertones and overtones to choose from, it’s easy to get lost and end up picking a shade that doesn’t suit you.

If you’re stuck between deep reds and baby pinks then don’t worry, this is the guide for you! In this article, we’ll go over how to choose lipstick based on the finish, the occasion, and your face’s undertones.

How to Pick Lipstick: Key takeaways

There are several things you should consider when choosing a lipstick, including the lipstick’s finish, your undertones, and the occasion.
For a more powdery finish, choose matte lipsticks. For glossy finishes, choose satin lipsticks.
Undertones are crucial when picking between the different types of lipstick. For cool undertones, try blue and purple-tinged lipsticks; for warm undertones, try orange and red-tinged lipsticks.
Occasions matter too! If you’re on a night out, try a long-lasting lippy like our Super Stay Vinyl Ink Longwear Liquid Lipcolor, or for a dinner date, try our Color Sensational Shaping Lip Liner and Lifter Plump Plumping Lip Gloss.
Maybelline has lipsticks that can suit any occasion. Discover our full collection here.

Choosing Between Different Types of Lipstick

First things first, let's look at the different types of lipstick and how to choose between them:

Lipstick Vs. Lip TInt

When you’re looking through the different types of lipstick, you might also come across lip tints, lip stains, and other lipstick variants. While all these products are part of the lipstick family, there are a few key differences between lipsticks vs lip tints, including:

	Colours to Try	Lip Tint/Stain
Formula	Heavier, wax and oil blend	Lighter, oil or gel blend
Coating	Coats lips with a distinct colour	Stains lips, leaving behind a slightly altered colour
Finish	Can be satin, matte, or natural looking	Natural, subtle change of colour.

So, there you have it. For a heavier, stronger coating, go for a lipstick, like our Serum Lipstick. Or, for a more subtle, natural coloured finish, try our Super Stay Teddy Tint Liquid Lip Tint.

Satin Vs. Matte Lipstick

The next thing to look for when learning how to choose lipstick is the finish:

Matte lipsticks, like Maybelline’s Superstay Matte Ink™ Liquid Lipstick, offer bold and flatter finishes. Matte lipsticks often mirror powder-like finishes due to their lack of shine.
Satin lipsticks, like our Color Sensational Lip Color, offer glossier, softer finishes than matte variants. Satin lipsticks help your lips capture the light and shine.

So, for a flatter, more low-key finish, go for a matte lipstick, and for a glossier, eye-catching look, try a satin lipstick.

How to Find the Perfect Lipstick Shade

So, you’ve found your perfect lipstick, now it’s time to pick a shade!

We’re big believers that you can make any lipstick shade you want work, but there’s no doubt that some shades suit certain skin tones/undertones or occasions more than others. Here’s a few quick tips on how to choose lipstick colours depending on your skin.

Know Your Undertones

Just like with jewellery, when it comes to how to choose lipstick colours, your undertones are key. If you don’t know your undertones, they’re pretty easy to work out:

If your veins appear green, you have warm undertones.
If your veins appear blue or purple, you have cool undertones.
If your veins are a mix of blue and green, you have neutral undertones.

After you’ve worked out your undertones, you can go about finding your perfect lipstick shade:

Warm undertones suit bold, fiery looks, like rich orange and red lipsticks.
Cool undertones suit subtle, chilly looks, like blue and purple-toned lipsticks.
Neutral undertones, if you’re lucky enough to have them, suit either!

Our Lipstick Shade Guide

If you’re still stuck on how to choose lipsticks for your skintone, here’s a quick visual guide to help you choose between some of our favourite

How to Choose Lipstick for any Occasion

How to Pick Lipstick for the Office

Long days at the office call for long-lasting, meeting-proof lipsticks. A lippy that needs fewer touch-ups means more time to get things done and to email your work BFF hilarious ‘that’s us’ memes.

We recommend:

Product: SuperStay 24 Liquid Lipstick.
Your perfect shade: For medium to dark skin, a sandy beige like Nude Thrill looks best. Pale skin? Stick to a pink tone like Nude Flush.

Benefits:

Long-lasting and easy to apply.
The formula isn’t cakey (unlike your 3pm treat).
Creamy, velvety finish that’s comfortable and totally resistant to the air-con’s moisture-sucking ways.

Top tip: Before applying, pop a tiny bit of liquid concealer over your lips. It’ll act as a primer and make your colour last longer than your 9 am meeting feels

How to Choose Lipstick for Dinner Out

Sushi with the girls, roast dinner with the fam, or a pizza-eating competition with your bestie. Meals plus makeup can end in carnage, so knowing how to find the perfect lipstick shade for a meal out can be a challenge.

We recommend:

Product: Color Sensational Shaping Lip Liner and Lifter Plump Plumping Lip Gloss.
Your perfect shade: Pale skin? Line with a cooler tone like Palest Pink and gloss with Blush Blaze. For a medium to dark skin tone, line with a warm shade like Dusty Pink, then gloss with Peach Fever.

Benefits:

With a soft and velvety formula, the retractable liner is super easy to use.
Mixed with the gloss, the liner will give your lips a fuller, more defined look while maintaining colour.
Say kiss-off to sticky lips, go for comfort instead.

Top tip: When lining, colour your whole lips – not just the outside. (This isn’t 2002.)

How to Pick Lipstick for a Big Night out

Heyyy! It’s Fri-yayyy! Time for cocktails, dancing and a bold, out-on-the-town look. Here’s how to choose lipstick for your big night out:

We recommend:

Product: Color Sensational Lip Liner and Super Stay Vinyl Ink Longwear Liquid Lipcolor.
Your perfect shade: Anyone can pull off a bold lip. Try our Wicked shade for a deep, classic red, or Fearless to catch anyone’s eye.

Benefits:

No smudging, feathering or smearing with our well-loved lip liner.
Intense, dramatic colour.
Long-lasting with up to 16 hours of wear.

Top tip: Complete your look with our dramatic, long-lasting Tattoo Liner Dip-Ink Eyeliner, which is bound to complement your lipstick.

Discover Your Perfect Shade with Maybelline

Regardless of your undertones, outfit, or the occasion, Maybelline has a lipstick shade bound to suit you. Browse our full collection of lipstick and find your ideal shade today!

Discover our lipsticks

How to choose lipstick for your skin tone

To choose the perfect shade of lipstick for your skin tone, you’ll need to know your undertones:

Warm undertones suit bold oranges and reds.
Cool undertones suit subtle blues and purples.
Neutral undertones, if you’re lucky enough to have them, suit either!

Best lipstick for cool undertones

For cool undertones, we recommend picking a lipstick with purple or blue tones in it that complements your skin tone, like our Color Sensational Lip Color In Blushing Pout.

How to choose lipstick for beginners

If you’re totally new to lipstick, try considering these 3 things as you choose:

Your skin undertones: Cool undertones suit purple or blue-tinged lipsticks, while warm ones suit red or orange.
The finish you want: Matte lipsticks give powdery, flat finishes, while satin lipsticks give glossy, luminous ones.
The occasion: For big nights out, try a lipstick that’s built to last, or for a dinner date, why not try a lip liner and lip gloss combo to avoid smudging.