Your skin has a surface tone (light, medium, deep) and an undertone: the subtle warmth or coolness underneath. Two people with the same skin depth can suit very different lip colours because of undertone.

Knowing yours won't decide everything, but it makes choosing a lipstick much faster.

A note on this guide: These are widely used makeup-artist guidelines, not rules or a diagnosis. Ask Melia hasn't tested these lipsticks. Product details come from brand pages, and shades vary by person and lighting. Swatch before you buy.

Find your undertone

Try these in natural daylight, with a clean face:

  1. The fabric test. Hold pure white, then cream fabric near your face. If white looks better, you probably lean cool. If cream looks better, you probably lean warm. If both work, you may be neutral.
  2. The jewellery test. Does silver or gold make your skin look brighter? Silver often suits cool undertones; gold often suits warm.
  3. The sun test. If you tan easily and rarely burn, you may lean warm. If you burn first, you may lean cool. This varies, so treat it as a hint.
  4. Olive undertones are a mix: a greenish or grey-ish cast with warm and cool elements. They're common across the Gulf and the Levant and can be harder to read.

Shades that usually flatter each undertone

Undertone Nudes Pinks Reds Berries and darks
Warm Caramel, peachy beige Coral, warm rose Brick, orange-red Warm plum, cinnamon
Cool Rosy beige, mauve Blue-pink, fuchsia Blue-red, cherry Wine, cool berry
Neutral Most nudes Dusty rose True red Most berries
Olive Rosy brown, terracotta Dusty and muted pinks Brick or true red Plum, mulberry

Skin depth matters too. On deeper skin, choose nudes that are a little deeper than your lips rather than paler; very pale nudes can look ashy.

Want shades to try? Melia's makeup consultation suggests lip formulas by finish.

Find my makeup

Finishes for UAE heat

  • Matte and liquid matte: the longest-wearing in heat, but can feel dry in air conditioning. Prep with balm first.
  • Satin and creamy: comfortable, but may need reapplying after meals.
  • Gloss: fades first in heat. Wear a stain or liner underneath so colour remains.
  • Tinted balm: the easiest everyday option; reapply freely.

Lip products to explore

Products are chosen editorially. Ask Melia may earn a commission from some links in future, at no extra cost to you, and sponsored placements will always be labelled. How we earn

Charlotte Tilbury Pillow Talk is a nude-pink matte that many people with neutral and warm undertones find easy to wear. Huda Beauty's Liquid Matte and Maybelline SuperStay Matte Ink are long-wear liquids; the brands claim 8 and up to 16 hours respectively. Dior Addict Lip Glow reacts with your lips' pH for a personalised tint. That makes it a low-risk choice if you're unsure of your undertone.

Try before you buy

Use Ask Melia's virtual try-on to compare colour families on your own photo. It runs on your device and your photo is never uploaded. Then swatch the real lipstick on your lips, not the back of your hand, in daylight.

Read next: makeup formulas for long working days and makeup for outdoor weddings in Dubai.

Questions

Is the vein test reliable?

Not very. Vein colour is hard to judge, especially on deeper and olive skin. Compare fabrics or jewellery in daylight instead, and trust how shades look on you.

Can I wear any lipstick colour?

Yes. Undertone guidelines help you find flattering shades faster, but they're not rules. Wear what you love.

Why does a lipstick look different on me than in the shop?

Lighting, your natural lip colour and the shop's mirrors all change how a shade reads. Check it in daylight before you buy.

Written with AI assistance from brand and retailer information, and edited by the Ask Melia team. We have not wear-tested these products. Spotted a mistake? Email hello@askmelia.com. Our editorial standards.