To best accentuate facial beauty and make the eyes sparkle, it’s crucial to select the right lipstick shade that complements your hair color. Alongside an expert, we’ve delved into the nuances of color theory and drew inspiration from celebrity looks to find the ideal match for everyone.
Lipstick and Hair Color: How to Harmonize Shades
Never underestimate the power of lipstick.“The correct shade doesn’t just enhance your lips; it creates a color balance between your hair, eyes, and skin tone, instantly illuminating your face, intensifying your gaze, and making your features more harmonious,” explains makeup artist Roberta Anzaldi, an ambassador for Bobbi Brown.
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Once the balance is achieved, the result is immediately noticeable: eyes appear brighter, skin tone seems more even, and the overall look feels refreshed. “The primary rule is that the lipstick’s undertone should harmonize with your hair’s undertone. We pair warm tones with warm, and cool tones with cool. The ideal shade is one that looks natural on the face, not separate from it,” Anzaldi continues.
Playing with contrasts can also be effective for a more contemporary feel. However, there are risks involved: an incorrect tone can make the complexion appear dull, emphasize under-eye shadows, and even visually diminish a smile. Therefore, we choose the perfect lipstick according to our hair color—and yes, we update it after every visit to the colorist.
Lipstick for Brunettes: The Best Options for Chestnut Hair
“Lipstick for brunettes should be deep and sophisticated, with subtle earthy undertones that naturally echo the richness of the hair,” notes the expert. However, the choice of a specific shade critically depends on eye color.
Dark Eyes and Chestnut Hair
For this combination, cherry-red, berry, and wine shades are ideal, as are rosy-brown palettes and soft plum. These colors clearly define the face and instantly add magnetism and refinement to the look.
Green or Hazel Eyes and Chestnut Hair
Brunettes with green or hazel eyes look great with warm tones: brick, terracotta (with a pink hint), cocoa nude, and warm red. They beautifully highlight the green and golden flecks in the iris and evoke the trendy “soft 90s brown lips” aesthetic.
Blue Eyes and Chestnut Hair
When nature has blessed you with striking blue eyes and chestnut hair (ranging from golden to cool coffee shades), you can confidently experiment with pure, vibrant colors: classic red, candy pink, fuchsia, or rose-hip hues. This is an excellent opportunity to play with contrast and emphasize the natural vibrancy of the eyes.
The Best Lipstick Shades for Blondes
“Against a backdrop of light hair, lipstick often becomes the main focus of the entire makeup. Therefore, it’s important to choose colors that highlight facial features without making them appear harsh or coarse,” notes Anzaldi.
Light Eyes and Ash or Platinum Blonde
For cool, Nordic blondes with ash or platinum hair and light eyes, cool pink tones, mauve (a muted pink-purple), rosy nude, and raspberry shades are the best choice. The fundamental rule is to seek out red lipsticks with blue undertones and the cool pink spectrum, which will illuminate platinum hair and maintain the elegance of the look.
Green or Hazel Eyes and Golden Blonde
Peach, coral, and tomato shades instantly add warmth, freshness, and radiance to the face. If you desire a sophisticated and serene look, opt for honey nude.
Dark Eyes and Light Hair (from Golden to Platinum)
This combination calls for emphasizing the contrast between light hair and a deep gaze. You can enhance this effect with a fiery red lipstick or, conversely, soften the contrast using a nude shade (preferably with an interesting lilac undertone). Deep, rich lipsticks like burgundy, bordeaux, and wine also work wonderfully—they also visually whiten the smile.
Which Lipstick to Choose for Red Hair
“With red hair, the secret lies in harmony, not contrast. We need to avoid color chaos where the hair and lips visually compete with each other.”
- For copper and warm red shades, terracotta, cinnamon, burnt peach, and warm nude are the perfect pairings. They maintain a sophisticated balance between makeup and hairstyle.
- For cool red or auburn shades, soft berry tones, raspberry, rose-red, and muted mauve are excellent choices.
Lipstick for Gray and Silver-Steel Hair
As Roberta Anzaldi explains, gray and white hair “appreciate” lipsticks that can visually restore energy and light to the face. The best choices include pink mauve, radiant berry shades, classic red, delicate plum, and rosewood tones.
Expert Tip: Favor satin, creamy textures, or balm lipsticks. An overly matte finish can visually weigh down facial features and add age.
The Ideal Lip Color for Those Who Love Bright Dyeing (Extreme Colors)
“If your hair is blue, pink, lilac, or green, lipstick becomes part of a cohesive creative styling.” There are two approaches:
- Monochromatic Sophistication: Accentuate lilac hair with a mauve lipstick, pink hair with a delicate pink nude, and blue hair with a deep, cool berry tone.
- Bold Contrast: Pair green hair with a classic, pure red color, electric blue with warm orange, and bright fuchsia with nude shades that have a beige undertone.
@kyliejenner
Based on materials from: Vogue.it