Our Ultimate Guide to Lipstick

These days, lipstick is available in endless vibrant shades. With such an overwhelming array of options, determining the right colours for you can often be a challenge. You can tackle this hurdle by determining your skin tone. Flip your wrist over and take a look at your veins—this will help you judge whether your undertones skew more warm, neutral or cool. We know it sounds odd, but trust us here. Blue or purple veins reveal cool undertones, whilst green veins indicate warm undertones.

If you have cool undertones: Neutral nude, pink, cranberry and wine shades will look best on you!

If you have warm undertones: Try pale pink, peachy nude and bronze hues to complement your tones.

Did you think every tube of lipstick was the same? Think again! There are a number of different lip finishes, and each one can offer you something different.

Satin Lipstick: If you’re after a satin texture with a light shine and stunning colour, opt for this finish. It’s a perfect choice for any occasion.

Sheer Lipstick: Bring a hint of colour to your lips with a sheer tint. This finish is ideal for a natural look, on trend and can be layered to build up to a stronger shade.

Matte Lipstick: If you’re after a no-shine finish then matte is for you. This type of lipstick offers a rich and opaque product that is deeper in color and long-wearing.

Natural Lipstick: A natural finish is the most widely available type, so chances are you’re already familiar with it! Perfect for that everyday ‘no makeup’ look.

Frosted Lipstick: Packed with pearlescent shimmer, these lip colours aren’t for the faint of heart. Whilst they might not suit your everyday style, they’re perfect for adding a touch of glitz and glimmer for a special occasion.

Get ready to add some colour to your pout with any of the following lip products:

Color Riche Classic Satin Lipstick: Go for a natural look or intense seduction. Containing the finest colour pigments, Color Riche Satin Lipstick is enriched with Omega 3, Vitamin E and Argan Oil. This lipstick is guaranteed to have your perfect colour match to suit any mood or time of day.

Infallible 24HR 2-Step Lipstick: Kiss constant mirror checks and touch-ups goodbye! This lipstick provides 24-hour hold and 24-hour comfort. The 2-step application starts with bold, high-impact colour infused with super-charged pigments. Next comes the Colour-Boost Balm, a hydrating balm that boosts colour intensity and adds shine.

Color Riche Matte Lipstick: Looking for matte lips, without the dryness? Color Riche lipsticks are formulated with Camellia and Jojoba Oils, plus a gel base—giving you hydration, comfort and a long-wearing cushion feel on your lips. Having 16+ shades to choose from doesn’t hurt either.

Infallible Matte Lip Crayon: Pack this on-the-go lip crayon into your handbag. This lip crayon features a mechanical slanted tip (that doesn’t require sharpening) to follow your lip’s natural shape. Enhanced with a sweet caramel aroma, it’s available in soft nudes to toffee brown shades—and it’s smudge-proof and waterproof.

Rouge Signature Brilliant Signature Hi-Shine Colour Ink: Want statement colours and shine that defies gravity? This liquid lipstick has an ultra-thin film texture, leaving you with a bare-lip sensation with an intensely vibrant pout.

As with most makeup, applying lipstick can take practice—but you’ll get the hang of it! We’ve gathered a few lipstick tips and tricks to make application easier.

PREP YOUR POUT

Always start with a bit of prep before picking up your lipstick. Exfoliate your lips with a damp washcloth or lip scrub to remove dead skin cells to allow for an even colour application. We recommend the Sugar Scrubs Glow Face Scrub.

USE A LIP BRUSH

For those opting to wear a matte formula or deeper hue, use a lip brush (rather than applying your lipstick straight from the tube). This will give you more precision—apply colour around the edges of your lips, then fill them in.

DON’T FORGET ABOUT CONCEALER

If you’ve accidentally made a mess around your lip’s edges, don’t panic. Clean up any imperfections with a creamy concealer loaded onto an angled brush.

USE YOUR FINGERS

Avoid the dreaded lipstick-on-teeth look by sticking a fingertip between your lips and pulling out once you’ve finished applying your lip colour. This helps to remove lipstick remaining on the inside of your lips (that’s just begging to end up on your teeth).

SET YOUR LIPS

To set your final look, hold a tissue over your lips, and gently brush a translucent powder on over the tissue.

KEEP A COTTON SWAB NEARBY

In addition to using concealer to fix any errors, a dab of micellar water or makeup remover on a cotton swab can make all the difference in how precise your application looks. Use it to carefully remove any lipstick that went outside the lines.

Lipstick doesn’t always have to be used on its own—sometimes it’s better when paired with another product.

Balm: Are dry lips a common occurrence? Smooth on a thin layer of a hydrating lip balm and allow to absorb before applying your lipstick. 

Lip liner: This product serves a variety of purposes, including: preventing colour from bleeding, creating smooth edges, keeping lipstick in place and making your lips look bigger. Match your liner to your lipstick or pick an invisible liner, which will work with any colour. Try the Color Riche Classic Lip Liner!

Gloss: Make any lipstick high-shine by adding a dash of shimmery gloss on top.

It’s late at night, and you can’t even fathom having to scrub, lather, rinse and repeat to remove your lipstick. Instead, use our Age Perfect Gentle Eyes & Lips Makeup Remover. It contains a dark layer, rich in oils to remove long-lasting makeup, as well as a light layer of lotion to add freshness. Shale vigorously and apply the makeup remover to a pad or cotton swab, and gently swipe across your lips until no traces of lipstick remain.

Now that you know how to perfectly play up your pout, it’s time to explore more power statement looks. Head on over to learn 3 Tips for Power Statement Makeup!