Best Lipstick Colors For Warm Skin Tones
Shopping for lipstick can be a hard task, especially when shopping online without the ability to try it on before purchasing. To make your shopping experience easier when shopping for Red Apple lipsticks, we will be going over what kind of colors are best for your specific skin tone as well as some lipstick shade options and recommendations. Today, it is all about lipstick colors for warm skin tones, colors that look great against those warmer undertones.
What Is A Warm Skin Tone?
People with warm skin tones tan easily and look great in gold jewelry. Those with warm skin tones have a warm undertone to their overall complexion. If the veins on your wrist appear green and if your skin has a yellow, golden, or olive hue, then you have a warm undertone to your skin tone.
What Are The Best Colors For Warm Skin Tones?
The best lipstick colors for warm skin tones are warmer lipstick shades, makes sense right? Red Apple Lipstick offers plenty of warmer shades in lipstick colors such as pinks, reds and oranges, nudes, browns, and berries. Here are the best lipsticks for warm skin tones.
Check out the color wheel below to see, in general, which colors are considered warm and cool. Keep in mind that with lipsticks (and certain shades of clothing) there can be undertones to a color. Such as a “blue based red lipstick” which takes a technically warm base color of red and shifts it into a cool color with the blue undertones as you can see below. However, if you have an orange based red lipstick then it keeps it warm, make sense?
How To Find The Best Lipstick Colors For Warm Skintones
In the sections below, we are going to separate lipsticks into their basic color categories: pink, red, nude, berry, brown, and orange. Within each lipstick color category, we will break down the best shades (and why) for each skin tone, meaning light, medium, and deep or dark. So scroll to the shade of lipstick you are wanting to try, find your skin tone and take a look.
At Red Apple we believe that, if you feel fabulous in a lipstick, then it does not matter if it fits any color theory rules. You are always free to wear whatever makes you happy and confident. These suggestions are for anyone who wants guidance to know with certainty what is going to look stellar on them. If you want to take a look at our cool suggestions then click here to see the lipstick colors for cool skin tones.
Best Pink Lipsticks For Warm Skintones
When it comes to pink lipsticks, warm skin tones want to find shades that have undertones of coral, peach, orange, or brown, which makes them warm pinks. We will separate warm undertones into light skin, medium skin, and dark skin, with specific recommendations for each.
Light Skin Tones
In general, lighter shades of pink will look best with a lighter skin tone. Although a bold lipstick choice also looks amazing, choose from the options listed for medium skin tones if you want more drama.
Audrey works on almost any skin tone, so this one is a go to, but it looks especially beautiful on lighter complexions. It is a soft, neutral pink lipstick shade that is elegant and timeless.
Melissa is wearing Audrey by Red Apple Lipstick.
Brazilliant is a beautiful, light, shimmery pink with slight tangerine undertones, almost a light coral shade. This is perfect for light skin tones with warm undertones.
Sharon is wearing Brazilliant by Red Apple Lipstick.
Day After Morocco is a reddish pink shade tinted with a coral beige undertone. This is a smooth and creamy lipstick, making it not only an amazing color but also super comfortable to wear.
Our model is wearing Day After Morocco by Red Apple Lipstick.
Medium Skin Tones
Those with medium skin tones can wear any warm pink color lipstick, but look the best with deeper and richer colors of pink. Again, choose pinks with warm undertones like yellow and orange: corals, peachy pinks, and warmer shades of hot pinks. Here are some good RAL options.
Let’s Flamingle is a tropical hot pink with a coral cast. While this is a hot pink color, it is a softer shade which makes it not overly bright.
Natalie is wearing Let’s Flamingle by Red Apple Lipstick.
Coral Crush is a true, classic coral color of pink and orange.
Noemi is wearing Coral Crush by Red Apple Lipstick.
Day After Morocco is a reddish pink shade tinted with a coral beige undertone. This smooth and creamy lipstick makes an amazing color that also feels super comfortable to wear. It works great on both light and medium skin tones.
Susan is wearing Day After Morocco by Red Apple Lipstick.
Love My Kiss is the perfect middle ground between pink and red. This color works great with most skin tones.
Noemi is wearing Love My Kiss by Red Apple Lipstick.
Kissimmee is another perfect middle ground between pink and red that works beautifully with most skin tones.
Tanya is wearing Kissimmee by Red Apple Lipstick.
Dark Skin Tones
Those with darker skin tones look best with deeper and bolder shades of pink. Choose warmer shades of pink like deeper corals and orange toned pinks, or even richer and deeper shades of warm undertoned hot pinks. Some great RAL options are listed below.
Unpinkable is a fuchsia pink with just a bit of red to it. This shade is a warm color but with cool undertones, so it will look good on any undertone. It looks especially amazing on darker skin tones.
Fran is wearing Unpinkable by Red Apple Lipstick.
Petal to the Metal is a rosy, mauve medium pink with a warm overtone and a cool undertone, making this shade perfect for any undertone.
Fran is wearing Petal To The Metal by Red Apple Lipstick.
Coral Crush is a true, classic coral color of pink and orange that really pops on deeper warm skin.
Fran is wearing Coral Crush by Red Apple Lipstick.
Hibiscus is a deep, berry pink with a hint of red to it, a true raspberry color. Raspberry colors look great on dark skin tones including those with warm undertones. Wear it bold or simply as a stain.
Fran is wearing Hibiscus by Red Apple Lipstick.
Best Red & Orange Lipsticks For Warm Skin Tones
When choosing red lipsticks, go with warmer shades of red, those with orange, peachy, or brown undertones (in contrast to blue based reds).
Light Skin Tones
Those with lighter skin tones should look for lighter reds, warm brown shades of red as well as reds with hints of orange to them. Here are some great RAL lipstick color options.
Strawberry Lips is a gorgeous light red that can be worn sheer for a berry stained look, or layered on for more depth.
Sharon is wearing Strawberry Lips by Red Apple Lipstick.
Sweet Pea is a warm, satin terracotta. This soft, somewhat salmon colored shade will shift with the rest of your makeup or your clothes to become what it needs to.
Ashley is wearing Sweet Pea by Red Apple Lipstick.
Firesign is a vivid, spicy orange red. It has an orange coral undertone with a brownish red overtone. This gorgeous color can be worn lightly or applied for a super bold look.
Kate is wearing Firesign by Red Apple Lipstick.
Medium Skin Tones
Those with medium skin tones look great with richer and deeper shades of warm reds. Fiery reds and brick reds are great, as well as brighter oranges. Warm reds that have hints of pink also work nicely on medium skin tones. Some great RAL lipsticks to try are listed below.
Starlette is a stunning, warm toned pinky red.
Noemi is wearing Starlette by Red Apple Lipstick.
Risque! is a warm toned red with orange undertones.
Noemi is wearing Risque by Red Apple Lipstick.
Firesign is a vivid, spicy orange red with an orange coral undertone and a brownish red overtone, which can be worn lightly or bold.
Clarissa is wearing Firesign by Red Apple Lipstick.
Barcelona is a mid tone brownish red with the slightest orange undertones and has a beautiful satin finish.
Clarissa is wearing Barcelona by Red Apple Lipstick.
Dark Skin Tones
Darker skin tones will look amazing with deeper, bolder, and brighter colors including red. Look for reds that have orange undertones as well as brown undertones. Brick reds are also good options. Some RAL options are listed below.
Barcelona is a mid tone brownish red with the slightest orange undertones and a beautiful satin finish.
Barcelona by Red Apple Lipstick.
Risque! is a warm toned red with orange undertones.
Fran is wearing Risque by Red Apple Lipstick.
Firesign is a vivid, spicy orange red with an orange coral undertone and a brownish red overtone. It is a gorgeous color that can be worn lightly or bold.
Firesign by Red Apple Lipstick.
Best Berry Lipsticks For Warm Skin Tones
Warm skin tones should choose warm berry shades like raspberries. Look for berry lipstick colors with orange undertones and shades like burgundy, deep reds, and maroon berries.
Light Skin Tones
Lighter complexions should choose vibrant berry shades rather than deeper, darker colors. Here are two great RAL options.
Berry Blast is a light berry color with a slight shimmer.
Sophia is wearing Berry Blast by Red Apple Lipstick.
Plum Sexy Crazy is a deep, multi dimensional red plum color with a golden shimmer. Apply one coat for a sheer berry tone, or apply multiple layers for a rich warm golden plum color.
Melissa is wearing Plum Sexy Crazy by Red Apple Lipstick.
Medium Skin Tones
Medium skin tones will look great with pretty much any warm berry lipstick color, as long as it is not too dark. Here are some great RAL lipstick colors for medium skin tones.
Plum Sexy Crazy works beautifully on medium warm skin as well.
Featured is Plum Sexy Crazy by Red Apple Lipstick.
Fierce is a deep Bordeaux red with rich purple and chocolatey undertones.
Fierce by Red Apple Lipstick.
Dark Skin Tones
Those with dark skin tones should look for deeper shades of warm toned berries. Here are some RAL lipstick color options.
Knock Out is a warm, plummy brown.
Knock Out by Red Apple Lipstick.
Fierce is a deep Bordeaux red with rich purple and chocolatey undertones that looks striking on deep warm skin.
Featured is Fierce by Red Apple Lipstick.
Nudes/Browns
When choosing nude lipstick colors for warm skin tones, go for nudes with warmer undertones, those leaning towards brown. When choosing brown shades, opt for those with yellow undertones, like caramel browns and browns with orange and red undertones.
Light Skin Tones
Lighter skin tones will look best with nudes that are not too dark. Pinky nudes with brown undertones also look great. Here are some great RAL lipstick color options.
Naughty is the perfect tan nude, with no shimmer but a healthy shine on the lips.
Sharon is wearing Naughty by Red Apple Lipstick.
Spice 'N Easy is a warm, soft, orangey brown. This gorgeous warm lipstick is a medium spicy orange with a brownish red undertone.
Kate is wearing Spice 'N Easy by Red Apple Lipstick.
Medium Skin Tones
Medium skin tones will look great with peachy nudes, golden beige nudes, caramel, and taupe shades. Some great RAL lipstick colors for medium skin tones are listed below.
Naughty is the perfect tan nude and has no shimmer, but it does give the lips a healthy shine. It is another great option for those with olive complexions.
Noemi is wearing Naughty by Red Apple Lipstick.
Spice ‘N Easy is a medium spicy orange with a brownish red undertone, great for warm and neutral undertones.
Our model is featured here wearing Spice 'N Easy by Red Apple Lipstick.
Ooh La La is a neutral, medium rosy brown. This lipstick will wear as a beautiful nude on medium or olive skin.
Andrea is wearing Ooh La La by Red Apple Lipstick.
Dark Skin Tones
Darker skin tones look amazing with milk and dark chocolate nudes. Deeper berry nudes also work great for those with dark skin tones. If you have a deeper skin tone, look for darker nudes, brown, and caramel shades with hints of red. Here are some great options.
Naughty is an orangey tan nude. It leans more tan and brown with a slight pink tint on medium to dark skin.
Fran is wearing Naughty by Red Apple Lipstick.
Ooh La La is a neutral, medium rosy brown that leans more pink on dark skin.
Fran is wearing Ooh La La by Red Apple Lipstick.
Fierce is a deep Bordeaux red with rich purple and chocolatey undertones that gives deep warm skin a dramatic, evening ready nude berry effect.
Featured is Fierce by Red Apple Lipstick.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I know if I have a warm skin tone?
If your skin tans more easily than it burns, looks great in gold jewelry, and your wrist veins appear green rather than blue or purple, you most likely have a warm undertone. Yellow, golden, or olive tones in your complexion are other helpful clues.
Can I wear cool toned lipstick if I have a warm skin tone?
Yes. Color theory is a guide, not a rule. Many people with warm skin love a slightly cool berry or red, especially when the rest of their makeup stays warm. If you apply a shade and feel confident and happy, it is a good color for you.
What lipstick finish is best for warm skin tones with dry or sensitive lips?
Focus less on finish and more on comfort. Creamy, hydrating formulas are ideal for dry or sensitive lips. Red Apple Lipstick formulas include moisturizing ingredients like sunflower oil and vitamin E so even bold warm shades feel smooth instead of drying or tight.
How can I test warm shades before buying full size lipsticks?
You can order lipstick samples to try several warm shades at home and then come back for full tubes of your favorites. Red Apple Lipstick also has a six month return and exchange policy, so you have time to decide whether a color truly works for you.
Final Thoughts On Lipstick Colors For Warm Skin Tones
We hope you find this guide extremely helpful when shopping for your next lipstick. Remember, there are no set rules when it comes to makeup. This guide is here to make things easier and to give you a clear starting point when you are searching for the perfect lipstick colors for warm skin tones.
If you see a color that you like but it does not fit the suggestions found here, try it out anyway. We have a six month return and exchange policy if you decide a color is not for you.
You can try samples to help you decide. If you would like to see more lipstick suggestions, feel free to check out our visual lipstick guide as well.
