How to Choose the Perfect Shade of Red Lipstick This Holiday Season

No matter your skin tone, hair colour or style, Revlon Canada has you covered with a huge range of red Super Lustrous Lipsticks. Here’s how to find the one for you.

If there’s ever a time that calls for a red lip, it’s the holidays. Not only is red an appropriately festive colour, but it can also dress up just about any outfit—ideal when you’re heading from work to a party with no time to change.

But how do you find the right red lipstick for you? Not all are created equal, particularly when it comes to your skin tone, your hair colour and the lipstick’s finish. Luckily, Revlon Super Lustrous Lipstick is available in 60 different shades with a wide selection of holiday-ready reds, from classic crimson to deep wine. Read on to find the one for you this holiday season.

Know your complexion and your undertones

If you’ve struggled to find a red lipstick you love, it might be because you haven’t yet found the right one for not only your skin tone but your undertones as well. To identify your undertones, look at the veins in your wrist. If they’re more blue or purple, your undertones are cool. If they look more green, your undertones are warm. 

For deep skin with warm undertones, try a deep red hue with undertones that match yours, like Revlon Super Lustrous The Luscious Matte Lipstick in Show Off. If your skin has cool undertones, look for a classic red with a blue base like Super Red. Again, the undertones will match yours, and a bonus for everyone: blue-based red will make your teeth look extra white.

If you have medium-toned skin with warm undertones, most red lipsticks will flatter, from orange reds to true reds and deep wines. If you have medium-toned skin with cool undertones, try a red that veers slightly into pink territory, like Revlon Super Lustrous Lipstick in Cherries in the Snow.

Olive complexions tend to have warmer undertones, so look for red lipstick that doesn’t fight with those undertones. That means yellow or orange-based reds are best. Try Revlon Super Lustrous Lipstick in Fire and Ice.

For pale skin with cool undertones, a true-red lipstick with a blue base is the way to go. Revlon Super Lustrous The Luscious Matte Lipstick in Crushed Rubies is the perfect pick. You can also opt for a bolder, berry red like Wine With Everything (Creme) or Berry Rich. For pale skin with warm undertones, an orange-red is another bold choice that will pay off.

Don’t forget about your hair

When you’re choosing the best shade of red lipstick for you, the colour of your hair matters too. If your hair is dark brown or black and your complexion is warm, go for reds with brown bases like Revlon Super Lustrous Lipstick in Spicy Cinnamon, which is pearlized, or Getting Serious, which has a matte finish. Shades with orange or coral in their names will also likely fit the bill. If your complexion is cool, try a berry-hued red like Berry Rich.

For blondes with warmer complexions, coral shades, orange-reds and copper reds, such as Revlon Super Lustrous Lipstick in Fire and Ice or  Kiss Me Coral, are ideal. Dusty pinks, plums and lighter reds with blue bases such as Wine With Everything (Pearl) are great for blondes with cool undertones. If your hair is red and you have a warm complexion, try an orange-red or any bright red shade like On Fire (matte) or Love That Red. For redheads with cool complexions, a blue-based red will look amazing, as will a dark berry or brick red like Ride or Die (matte) or Vampire Love.

Choose the right formula and finish

In the winter, the air tends to be drier thanks to the cranked-up heating. If your lips are dry, it’s important to choose a red lipstick that not only delivers on colour but also hydration. Revlon Super Lustrous Lipstick is infused with Vitamin E and avocado oil to nourish your lips. It is formulated with 80 per cent conditioning ingredients for a creamy, moisturized feel.

When it comes to the finish, you have options. If you love a velvety look, try one of the 19 matte finishes in the Super Lustrous The Luscious Mattes collection. Or, if you like a slight shimmer, go with one of the collection’s pearlescent red shades. If you want something right in the middle, this collection also has a variety of shades with a crème finish. To amp up the shine and sparkle, you can even add a gloss from the Revlon Super Lustrous The Gloss collection.

Can’t decide on just one shade? Now is the perfect time to give yourself the gift of variety with the Revlon Super Lustrous Holiday Kits which include three Super Lustrous Lipsticks or three Super Lustrous The Gloss lip glosses. 

Whichever red lipstick you choose, make sure you feel like yourself, and you love the way you look. That confidence will carry you right through to 2024.

Click here to shop the Revlon Super Lustrous Lipstick collection and use their virtual try-on feature to find your new favourite shade.