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How Do I Choose the Best Lip Palette?

Amanda R. Bell
Amanda R. Bell

To choose the best lip palette, you will have to find one that has colors suitable to your skin tone and lip shape. It can also be helpful to find a palette that has a range of finishes, from matte to frosted, to give you a decent amount of options. To make the palette portable, choose one that has a mirror and lip brush included.

While lip palettes offer a range of colors, each one is typically based on the same skin tone. If you are fair-skinned, a palette with a variety of pink-based lip colors is typically best. Medium skin also suits pink shades, although colors with a brown undertone tend to accentuate your face and enhance your natural coloring. If you have olive skin, you should typically avoid these colors, and instead opt for more yellow-based shades and berry colors. If you have dark skin, look for a lip palette that has a range of rich, deep berry or brown-toned lip colors.

Many lip palettes offer hues in both matte and glossy finishes.
Many lip palettes offer hues in both matte and glossy finishes.

The shape of your lips should also be factored into the type of lip palette that you choose. If you have thin lips, look for a palette that has a range of lighter colors, as these will help to enhance your lips without making them appear smaller. If you have fuller lips, a darker lip palette will typically be best. One with a variety of very bright, bold lip colors will typically not work well for fuller lips.

The best lip colors depend upon whether your skin tone is light, medium or dark.
The best lip colors depend upon whether your skin tone is light, medium or dark.

One of the primary selling points of a lip palette is its ability to offer you a range of looks in one easy-to-carry-and-store package. To get the most for your money, look for a lip palette that has a range of finishes. Satin finish lip colors, which have a small amount of shimmer or shine, are typically the most versatile. Despite this, having two or three matte and frosted shades will provide you with a range of looks, especially if you mix two or more colors together. The ideal lip palette will also often include one or two glosses that can be placed over each lipstick shade.

A common reason that women choose a lip palette over a single lipstick is the option for it to be portable. Choosing a product that has a built-in mirror and either comes with a lip brush or has a place to store a lip brush will provide everything you need to touch up or change your lip color throughout your day. If you plan to carry around your lip palette on a regular basis, you may want to choose a smaller one or one that allows you to switch out the different colors to save space.

Discussion Comments

Rotergirl

@Pippinwhite -- Definitely, choosing lip colors that don't compliment what you're wearing is wrong. It just doesn't look good. Obviously, if you're wearing neutrals, then your lip can go neutral, bright or dark.

I don't like too much of a neutral lip, though. Lips need color, especially if the woman has more beige lips, anyway. Otherwise, the person looks a little too corpse-like. At least throw on some pink lip gloss for shine. My lips are fairly pink, so I can get by without lipstick, or with just a gloss, but I'd rather not. I like lipstick.

Pippinwhite

I frequently choose a lip color based on the season, as well as what I'm wearing. If it's winter and I'm wearing dark green, a bright pink lipstick would be completely wrong. However, a dark red or plum would be fine.

Also, if I'm wearing coral, I wouldn't want a dark red lip color. I would wear a pinker, or more coral shade. I might go toward the brown end of the spectrum for winter.

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    • Many lip palettes offer hues in both matte and glossy finishes.
      By: bst2012
      Many lip palettes offer hues in both matte and glossy finishes.
    • The best lip colors depend upon whether your skin tone is light, medium or dark.
      By: alex83ch
      The best lip colors depend upon whether your skin tone is light, medium or dark.