Here's How Different Shades Of Red Lipstick Look On 4 Women

    We got that red lip, classic thing that you like.

    by Lauren Han, Erin La Rosa, Sheridan Watson, Nina Mohan, Alice Mongkongllite, Macey J Foronda
    Macey J. Foronda / Alice Mongkongllite / BuzzFeed

    If you've ever just searched "red lipstick" online, you know how damn confusing it can be to choose one. You'll find a ton of "rules" to picking your perfect shade and honestly, we're calling BS.

    youbeauty / ellecanada / thehairstyler / theeverygirl / aol

    So we (Erin, Lauren, Sheridan, and Nina) tested four lipsticks in different shades of red to see if any of those rules really matter.

    Macey J. Foronda / Alice Mongkongllite / BuzzFeed

    Erin: Taylor Swift and I would have very little in common with our makeup kits, in that hers seem to exclusively feature red, while mine is devoid of it. Redheads are often taught that red lipstick will clash with our red hair, so I've actively avoided the shade for many years. Recently I found a red I love by Christian Dior, though, so I did wear that on my wedding day.

    Lauren: I don't really like my lips that much, so I've always been too intimidated to confidently pull off red lipstick. I feel like it attracts so much attention to my least favorite facial feature, and it's just a way bolder look than I'm used to.

    Sheridan: I’m obsessed with red lipstick — I think it can take a boring outfit to 100. And since I spend a lot of time in sweatpants, it really helps balance out my look. I just think it's one of those things that instantly makes you feel more glamorous.

    Nina: Alas, I do not have that "red lip, classic thing" that people like. I rarely wear lipstick in general, and when I do it tends to be burgundys and purples and wine-ish colors.

    Here is a quick guide to the lipsticks we used (ALL FROM THE DRUGSTORE!) and what undertones they are apparently best on.

    Macey J. Foronda / Alice Mongkongllite / BuzzFeed

    Here are the lipsticks we tried:

    Pixi By Petra Mattelustre Lipstick (Classic Red) - $12

    Rimmel Lasting Finish by Kate Moss Lipstick (001) - $4.39

    COVERGIRL Colorlicious Lipstick (Succulent Cherry) - $5.99

    NYX Velvet Matte Lipstick (Charmed) - $7

    To find your undertone, look at the veins on your wrist. If they're:

    Blue, you have cooler undertones.

    Green, you have warmer undertones.

    Supposedly, blue-reds and pink-reds look best on people with cooler undertones, and orange-reds and brown-reds look best on warmer undertones.

    But does any of it matter? Let's find out.

    Macey J. Foronda / Alice Mongkongllite / BuzzFeed

    Undertone: cool

    When red lipstick goes outside the lip line and gets on my fair skin, it's damn near impossible to get off. Trying to rub it off just makes it look like I got drunk and smeared the stuff all over my skin. So, honestly, a lipstick that's easy to apply and doesn't smear would be a winner.

    Based on the undertones rule, I should've liked Pixi or Rimmel – but my new obsession, and the easiest to apply, was NYX in Charmed. It wasn't too harsh of a color, and I wore it out for the rest of the day. Admittedly, I had to reapply pretty quickly, but I got a lot of compliments.

    Macey J. Foronda / Alice Mongkongllite / BuzzFeed

    Undertone: neutral

    I like lipsticks that are easy to apply, moisturizing, and stay all day because let's be real, no one has time to check their lips every hour. I'm a tinted lip balm/lip crayon kind of gal, so red lipstick is something that just sounds like a lot of work.

    I actually ended up really loving both the Pixi and Rimmel lippies. The blue undertones definitely make my teeth look whiter and the lipstick was actually really easy to apply! I don't really think my neutral undertones benefitted from a certain shade of red to be honest – it's all about just wearing whatever the hell you want and rocking it IMO.

    Macey J. Foronda / Alice Mongkongllite / BuzzFeed

    Undertone: warm

    I hate, hate, HATE the feeling of dry lips so I need my red lipstick to be moisturizing. But that’s always difficult because it’s usually the moisturizing ones that move all over your face during the course of a few cocktails. So any lipstick that stays put but doesn’t make my lips feel like the Sahara is a win in my book.

    I really love NYX in Charmed, it’s such a lovely shade with great color payoff. I also liked Pixi in Classic Red. I don’t really understand how undertones work (I swear I’ve had people tell me I’m blue, green, purple, magenta, leopard, ALL OF THEM) so I tend to like colors based on how they feel instead of how they look. Hey, comfort is key!

    Macey J. Foronda / Alice Mongkongllite / BuzzFeed

    Undertone: warm

    Red lipstick honestly scares me. So I guess I look for something that doesn't totally give me a heart attack? I'm just nervous about wearing a super bold, true red because I feel like it will make people notice me, and I don't really like being notice. Plus, not all reds are created equal. As a brown person, I'm tryna find reds that compliment my skin tone as well.

    I loved the NYX lipstick in Charmed, but it wasn't what I would call red. More a mauve perhaps? So, I think that's cheating haha. I've been told I have a yellow undertone, so maybe since it also has a warm undertone it complemented me. I don't know if that's necessarily it though. I just think it's a pretty shade! If I had to go with an actual red, I'd probably pick the CoverGirl shade.

    So in the end, we found that undertones don't really matter when it comes to what we like most on our lips. Fuck rules, wear whatever you want, and go out and rock it!

    Macey J. Foronda / Alice Mongkongllite / BuzzFeed