If you love to wear the best makeup as a mature woman, then you'll know how much of a difference lipstick can make to your look. When we're looking for the perfect lipstick for older skin, it's not just about finding a good quality lipstick that makes all the difference, but finding the right shade. That's why we've put together this guide on how to find your perfect lipstick.
We all know that the best foundation should match our skin tone, but we often underestimate matching our lipstick. While there are no rules to applying makeup, and you should wear whatever makes you feel confident, matching your lipstick to your skin tone can create an overall cohesive look when applying your makeup.
Best lipstick shortlist
• Best lip primer: MAC Prep and Prime Lip
• Best lip liner: Barry M Lip Liner
• Best nude lipstick: Yves Saint Laurent Rouge Volupté Shine Lipstick
• Best red lipstick: Rimmel London Moisture Renew Lipstick
Your lips need a bit of love to protect them from daily life, whether that's in the form of a lip SPF or tinted lip balm. The weather, the food we eat and how much water we drink can all have an impact. As a result, this can make them chapped if we don't look after them properly. Much like the best primer for mature skin prepares our skin before applying makeup, priming your lips is an essential step before applying your lipstick.
Therefore, we've put together the best lip products to not only get your lipstick to last all day, but the best products that'll allow you to find your perfect lipstick shade. So, here are some of our favourite products, from lipliners to nude lipstick, red lipstick and more.
The best lip priming products
Best lip primer for condition
www.johnlewis.com
Description
Before applying your lipstick, you want to make sure your lips are in the best condition possible.
Pros
- A highly rated product
- An intensive lip treatment
- Moisturising effect
Cons
- New formula isn't for everyone
Best lip primer overall
Description
Made for the exact purpose to allow your lipstick to stay on for longer, the MAC Lip Primer
Pros
- Lipstick stays on longer
- Reduces lipstick feathering
- Dermatologist tested
Cons
- May have to apply delicately
Best lip liner overall
Description
Outlining your lips can help them to appear fuller, and not only this, but if it's applied as a
Pros
- Extensive variety of shades available
- Best for all skin tones
- Vegan friendly
Cons
- Consistency is quite hard
Best long wear lip liner
Description
If you're looking for a lip liner that lasts, Revlon's lip liner is also a fantastic choice. While
Pros
- A variety of shades available
- Great lasting power
- Reduces lipstick feathering
Cons
- May have to apply delicately
The best nude lipsticks
Best nude lipstick overall
www.johnlewis.com
Description
The most highly rated nude lipstick on our list, treat yourself to Yves Saint Laurent's Rouge
Pros
- Highly rated
- High shine lipstick
- A luxury product
Cons
- May need to reapply frequently
Best budget nude lipstick
Description
At an affordable price point, the L'Oréal Colour Riche Satin Smooth Lipstick has an extensive
Pros
- Affordable price point
- A variety of shades available
- Moisturising effect
Cons
- Colour may not be exactly as pictured
Best nude lipstick with shimmer finish
www.boots.com
Description
A nude lipstick that can be worn for a special occasion or even every day. It has a subtle shimmer
Pros
- Highly rated
- A variety of shades available
- Affordable price point
Cons
- Not too pigmented
Best nude lipstick with matte finish
Description
If shimmer isn't your thing, and you're looking for a nude matte lipstick instead, L'Oréal has you
Pros
- Great staying power
- Not drying
- Affordable price point
Cons
- Colour may not be exactly as pictured
Best popular nude lipstick
www.charlottetilbury.com
Description
One that's been a classic shade among makeup enthusiasts for the past few years is Charlotte
Pros
- Highly rated
- A bestselling lipstick
- A variety of shades available
Cons
- Shades are selling out quickly
Best universal nude lipstick
www.maccosmetics.co.uk
Description
MAC are renowned in the makeup world, and their Matte Lipsticks are one of their bestsellers.
Pros
- Great staying power
- Extensive variety of shades available
- Buildable coverage
Cons
- May be drying for some
The best red lipsticks
Best red lipstick overall
Description
Rimmel's Moisture Renew Lipstick has two red shades to select from, Mayfair Red Lady and Diva Red.
Pros
- Highly rated
- Affordable price point
- Great staying power
Cons
- Some shades are sold out
Best long wear red lipstick
www.armanibeauty.co.uk
Description
Armani's lipsticks are highly rated and have a high colour pay off with fantastic staying power.
Pros
- A luxury product
- Extensive variety of shades available
- Bold colour
Cons
- Colour may not be exactly as pictured
Best red lipsticks for all undertones
www.johnlewis.com
Description
There's something for everyone with the bareMinerals lipstick range. Not only is the formula vegan
Pros
- Highly rated
- Extensive variety of shades available
- Vegan friendly
Cons
- Shades selling out quickly
Best red lipstick for warm undertones
Description
Looking for something more suited to a warm undertone? This bold coral shade contains just the
Pros
- Affordable price point
- Moisturising effect
- Enriched formula
Cons
- Limited shades of red available
Best red lipstick for cool undertones
www.johnlewis.com
Description
On the other hand, if you're looking for a red shade suited to cooler undertones, you'll want
Pros
- A luxury product
- Highly rated
- Creamy satin finish
Cons
- Shades selling out quickly
Best every day red lipstick
www.johnlewis.com
Description
Red lipstick can be intimidating at times, but if you're wanting something a little bit more
Pros
- A luxury product
- Great staying power
- High impact shine
Cons
- May transfer slightly
Best bold red lipstick
www.johnlewis.com
Description
On the other hand, if you're wanting something more vivid or bold, then Tom Ford's lipstick in
Pros
- A luxury product
- Great staying power
- Highly pigmented
Cons
- May transfer
Best dark red lipstick
www.johnlewis.com
Description
If you're going for a daring darker red, then the Laura Mercier Rouge Essential Silky Creme
Pros
- Highly rated
- A luxury product
- Great staying power
Cons
- Colour may not be exactly as pictured
How to find your perfect lipstick shade?
When it comes to choosing the right lipstick shade for you, there are a few simple tricks you can keep in mind when you're selecting your new everyday lipstick. Here's how to ensure you're finding the right lipstick shade for you, as well as helpful video tutorials from YouTube creators.
Pinching your fingertip
Surprisingly, if you pinch the tip of your finger for a moment and allow the blood to rush to your fingertips, the colour shown is supposed to be your ideal shade of lipstick. Who'd have known? This was a hack that went viral among makeup artists as a way to select the perfect shade of lipstick.
Finding your undertone
Although you may have heard of terms like 'cool toned' or 'warm toned', what does this actually mean? Well, everyone's skin has an undertone, and you generally tend to lean towards one or the other. 'Cool toned' is when your skin has shades of pink, blue or even purple. 'Warm toned' is when your skin has shades of peach, yellow or gold.
There are a few ways you can determine your skin's undertone. One way is to look at the veins in your wrists; if they're green then you're likely warm and if they're blue then you're likely cool. The second method is to hold up silver and gold jewellery next to your skin; if gold looks better on you then you're likely warm and if silver looks best on you then you're likely cool.
Finding your undertone can not only set your base when selecting the best foundation, the best BB cream or the best CC cream for you, but it can also act as a guide to contouring too. Above all, knowing your undertone can help you select the right shades throughout your makeup from your eyeshadow to your blusher.