As long as you have the best lipstick color on hand, that goes with your skin tone, undertone, natural features, outfit, occasion, etc., elevating your facial aesthetic is a cakewalk! For a light mood and minimalistic look, soft mauves and subtle nudes are the go-tos. Bold  red and brown hues are ideal for achieving high-glam and bodacious looks. Addedly, pinks and corals add a touch of playfulness to the look. The caveat here — a lot of cheap lipstick products offer such varied shades, but severely fall short when it comes to the formulation, moisturization, finish, longevity, etc., which is why finding a good lipstick may not be as easy.

Based on our years of experience with several makeup products, we deduced that an ideal lipstick should be packed with nourishing ingredients, such as shea butter, avocado oil, etc. so that your lips look smooth, soft, and plump, in addition to being adorned with color. The finish type of lipstick also plays a crucial role in making the lips look flattering, luscious, and well — kissable! Plus, the shade should complement your undertone and not make your lips look too loud, overpowering the rest of your makeup glam. 

As you scroll ahead, we will take you through our cherry-picked lipstick shades, their key ingredients, pigmentation, texture, and formulas. By the time you reach the end, there will be a detailed guide ready to help you determine skin tone and undertone to choose the right lipstick color.  Without further ado, let’s get started!

• 1
  Best Overall

  Revlon Super Lustrous The Luscious Matte Lipstick - Fire & Ice

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Revlon’s Super Lustrous Lipstick in the shade called ‘Fire & Ice’ is the most popular lipstick color of all time. Formulated with lip-nourishing key ingredients, it not only spruces up the natural beauty of your lips but also provides essential moisture, ensuring a flawless look throughout the day. Belonging to the family of coral, the shade complements all skin tones. Plus, the microfine pigments make it look vibrant, rich, and highly impactful when applied to the lips. 

A happy user shares, “Revlon has been my go-to lipstick brand for decades so I had no expectations beyond my version of perfection. This includes several touch-ups throughout the day, a rich feel, and a beautiful color that compliments so many lipstick-wearing people.”

Key Ingredients: Vitamin E and avocado oil

Size: 0.15 oz.

2

Editor’s Pick

L’Oréal Paris Colour Riche Satin Lipstick - Fairest Nude

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Let’s move on to the next universal lipstick color ‘Fairest Nude’ introduced by L’Oréal Paris. The Colour Riche Satin Lipstick not only makes your lips look naturally luscious but also helps in addressing dryness. All credit goes to its astounding blend of moisturizing ingredients that leaves lips feeling soft and sheerly moisturized. While the shade captivates with its charming hue and the lipstick’s formula silently works to deliver necessary nutrients to your lips. 

What’s more? The color doesn't smudge, smear, or feather even after a long day at work or home, making it a reliable choice for everyday use. For a more high-gloss glam, apply the L’Oreal Paris Makeup Infallible Hydrating Lip Gloss over the lip color and you are good to go!

Key Ingredients: Argan oil, omega 3, and vitamin E

Size: 0.13 oz.

3

Best With Glossy Finish

Covergirl Exhibitionist Lipstick Cream - Enchantress Blush

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Covergirl Exhibitionist Lipstick Cream’s Enchantress Blush is an alluring purple-based pink color perfect for every occasion. What makes the hue one of the most popular lip colors these days is its unique purple undertone that adds a dose of coolness, making it a great option for those with cool skin tones. Plus, the color has a high impact and impressive pigmentation. 

For those makeup enthusiasts and professionals seeing a combination of lip nourishment, and a pop of color, this one is definitely an ideal choice. The best part — the lipstick features a glossy finish, which is why that added sheen is going to make your lips look a lot juicer and plump. 

Key Ingredients: Shea Butter

Size: 0.12 oz.

4

Best Full Coverage

Stila Stay All Day Liquid Lipstick - Beso

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Stila Stay All Day Liquid Lipstick’s shade Beso is quite a striking one that will surely fetch you many compliments. The shade makes one reminisce about those classic lipstick colors from the 90s that look incredibly gorgeous and feel luxurious. In addition, the color stays put for straight up to 6 hours of continuous wear while the texture feels weightless. With intense moisturizing properties and creamy formulation, the lipstick delivers full coverage and a matte finish.

This vibrant red color is perfect for those who want to make a bold statement. It particularly looks flattering on those with warm and neutral undertones. Undoubtedly, this makeup product requires a place in your makeup vanity for all the good reasons.

Key Ingredients: Vitamin E and avocado oil

Size: 0.10 oz.

5

Best Creamy Formula

Urban Decay Vice Hydrating Lipstick - Weho

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Formulated with a potent blend of moisturizing and antioxidant-rich ingredients, Urban Decay’s Vice Hydrating Lipstick in the shade ‘Weho’ adds a touch of elegance to your overall look. The bright baby pink-like color of lipstick is super pigmented and glides on your lips like a breeze. Whether you are heading out for formal meetings or casual parties, this lipstick shade will brighten up your smile and make you look oh-so-good throughout the day. 

Key Ingredients: Aloe vera and avocado oil

Size: 0.11 oz.

6

Best Matte Liquid Lipstick

Smashbox Always On Liquid Lipstick - Thrill Seeker

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Matte lipstick lovers, all eyes here, please! We have got you yet another fail-proof liquid lipstick  — ‘Thrill Seeker’ from Smashbox, which is gaining a lot of attention over the internet. What we truly love is its non-drying, water-resistant, and weightless formula that lasts for up to 8 hours. In addition, it comes with a precision tip applicator to line and fill the lips to perfection. To flaunt a bold, bodacious, and confident makeup look, this red lipstick deserves some place in your beauty arsenal. Addedly, it comes off easily with the Smashbox It's a Wrap Waterproof Makeup Remover.

Key Ingredients: Jojoba, apricot, and sunflower oils

Size: 0.13 oz.

Quick Tip:

The secret to applying this smooth, seamless lip color is by starting with prepped lips. Moisturize your lips properly with a good lip balm and then begin applying your lipstick.

7

Most Comfortable

Bobbi Brown Lip Color - Brown

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Bobbi Brown’s lipstick shade ‘Brown’ makes a good fit for your makeup kit for a couple of reasons. To start off, this pinkish-brown shade is highly popular for its splendid saturation and impressive color payoff. The ultra-flattering, wearable color complements a variety of outfits striking the right balance of warmth and coolness. Renowned for its comfortable feel and creamy texture, it glides on your lips effortlessly. 

Key Ingredients: Castor seed oil, candelilla wax, paraffin, and beeswax

Size: 0.12 oz.

8

Best High Color Impact

Rimmel London Lasting Finish Lipstick - 111

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Intending to deliver a luxe feel and intense color, Rimmel London’s Lasting Finish Lipstick turns heads around. What made us gravitate to this type of lipstick color is its striking, bold, and high-impact pigmented formulation that lasts for up to 8 hours! Moreover, the silky-smooth creamy texture will make your lips look kissable while helping you make a statement wherever you go! Last but not least, with its intense saturation, it perks up your lips by imparting an illusion of a fuller, plumper pout.

Key Ingredients: Castor seed oil and candelilla wax 

Size: 0.6 oz.

9

Best Pigmentation

Evelier Galaxy Lipstick - Glamour Red

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Evelier Galaxy Lipstick’s Glamour Red shade is yet another flattering shade that will get you hooked! The rich and pigmented shade enhances the appearance of your lips and makes them look a lot fuller, plump, and luscious. What we truly adore is its superior matte finish and moisturizing yet comfortable texture, ensuring all-day coverage. We also came to know that lipstick was a part of the top 10 TikTok makeup trends of the 2023s. Clearly, this is one of the must-have lip colors that will do all the talking wherever you go! 

Key Ingredients: NA

Size: 0.63 oz.

Quick Tip:

Get started from the top center tip of your lips. Line with a lipstick liner that matches your lipstick color. Begin lining the bottom lip by starting at the corner for a mess-free application.

10

Best Fade-resistant Color

Tom Ford Lip Color - 62 Satin Chic

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Lastly, we recommend this lip color from Tom Ford, which is the perfect combination of a sophisticated color and a lip-nourishing formula. This lipstick delivers full coverage while offering the right balance of luminosity to your lips. Out of all the popular lip colors available on the market, ‘Satin Chic’ makes one’s lips look more luscious, refreshed, and plump. 

Here is what a reviewer on Amazon has to say — “This is a great product that exceeded my expectations. The color is lovely and the formula is creamy. You can wear it without gloss and still feel like your lips are hydrated. Unique shade of pink and worth the splurge!”

Key Ingredients: Soja seed extract, Brazilian murumuru butter, and chamomile flower oil 

Size: 0.1 oz.

That was our comprehensive list of the best lipstick colors. Now, let us run you through a detailed guide.

Finding the perfect shade of lip color can be a little tricky if you fail to understand your skin tone and undertone. Basically, identifying your undertones is the key to finding the perfect lip color. 

There are in total 3 types of undertones — cool, neutral, and warm. You are supposed to choose the most complementing lipstick shade as per the undertones that you possess. Let us tell you how: 

• See how your skin reacts to the sun. If your skin is more prone to sunburns, then you likely have a cooler skin tone. 

• If you get tanned more quickly, chances are you have a warmer undertone. 

• Flip your wrist over and look at the color of your veins. If your veins are visible in a bluish hue that means you have a cooler undertone. If your veins appear greenish or olive in color, then that indicates you have a warmer undertone. Lastly, if you see a mix of blue and green veins, then it is a sign that you possess a neutral undertone.

Now, let’s match it with the color of lipstick. 

Cool Undertones: Lipsticks that feature blue and purple tones tend to flatter cooler tones. Hence, lipsticks coming in rich berry shades, soft mauves, deep plum, or dark red will look more flattering than an orangish lipstick color. 

Warm Undertones: The yellow, peachy, and golden tones of your skin indicate that you have a warm skin tone. In order to make your natural undertone pop, it is wise to invest in a range of deep shades like earthy reds, vibrant oranges, warm corals, rich browns, and terracotta lip colors. 

Neutral Undertones: Neutral undertones are basically popping put a mixture of pink and yellow base. This hybrid undertone of cool and warm allows you to rock lipsticks in the majority of dark and lighter shades. If you have a deep skin tone, vouch for dark shades like deep berries,  browns, and bolder shades. On the contrary, if you have a fair skin tone, then light pinks, mauves, and nude shades will suit you the best.