The Colour Code

Do I suit red lipstick?

I’ve lost count of the times people tell me they don’t suit red lipstick and that they simply cannot find a shade that suits them. Complaints include overpowering their face, making their skin look pale / sallow / ruddy, their teeth yellow, clashing with outfits, and generally being too aggressive a choice.

I understand completely, having spent years of my youth trying and failing to pull off Mac’s ultimate Ruby Woo lipstick. Remember it? No matter how I tried to counter its unflattering effect with lashings of other makeup, it simply made me look ill.

Like the little black dress, the pillarbox lip is an iconic fashion statement that can, done correctly, add an instant day to night zhuzh. However, being the most physically stimulating of all the colours, red is also the shade that creates the most powerful reaction in all of us – hence the strong aversion of so many to wearing it smack bang in the middle of their face. Consequently, it is the colour that is very easy to get wrong with dramatically negative impact. So, should we stay in our safe lane or can everyone wear red lipstick?

I’m delighted to share that there is, in fact, a red lipstick out there for absolutely everyone. It’s about finding the exact shade that will work with (and not against) your complexion and facial contrast, giving you a tonal balance and lovely luminous glow. It may not be that classic bright red of yesteryears – responsible for duping so many of us into a bold lippy phobia - but it will be a hue of red that makes your face look its most gorgeous.

Sadly, there is no universal red-suits-all solution. Therefore it is crucial to choose your red lipstick carefully and select specifically from your Colour Code. Here we break down some of the shades of red from the 12 Colour Codes - varying from deep claret to bright poppy - highlighting your hero colours and some of our favourite lipsticks on the market.