Discover your color palette and your style type.

Can't I Wear All of My Colors on My Lips?

2/25/2019

In seasonal discussion groups, women spend a lot of time working out which palettte-matching lipsticks and glosses are their best colors.

Why should they have to spend time answering this question? Aren't all of the peaches, pinks, reds and violets in your palette automatically good lip colors for you?

Not exactly.

Every color in your palette is a color that harmonizes with your natural coloring somehow.

But not every color will actually look good on your lips.

Your right colors look right because they look natural. So if you wear them in an unnatural way, they won't look right.

Consider my Soft Autumn palette:

All of these colors look amazing on me. But not every one of these colors would look natural on my lips.

Would I wear the greens or blues on my lips? No way. It would look completely unnatural. That goes without saying, right?

I also woudn't wear one of my neutrals on my lips. None of them looks natural on my face.

This brown, for example, is one of my favorite colors for pants. But you can see it doesn't belong on my lips. It's unnatural for that part of my body, and so it looks bleh.

So far, these decisions seem self-evident. But let's move around the wheel into the range where we expect to find our lip colors: the purples, pinks, peaches and reds.

Here's me wearing one of my dark purple-browns as a lippie:

This color, though gorgeous on me as an evening gown, still isn't natural on my lips... despite the fact that I can find lippies in the drugstore that swatch this color. Now, if I want to make a statement with my lippy, this could be a good choice for me... but most of the time, I just want to look like the most beautiful verison of myself. And this lippy's not helping me do that.

Now, this pink isn't that far from the unnatural purple-brown -- yet it's great! Now we're finaly into the section of the Soft Autumn palette that actually looks natural on my lips.

Every peach, pink, red and purple in your palette looks natural on you somewhere.

But not every peach, pink, red and purple in your palette looks natural on your lips.

This is where many of us -- Winters and Bright Springs in particular -- can get lost.

For example, there are plenty of lipsticks that match Bright Spring's violets.

But a Bright Spring who expects a BSp violet lippy to look natural on her lips may be disappointed. (Soft Autumn's dark purple sure doesn't look natural on my lips!)

The peaches, pinks, reds and purples in your palette that will look natural on your mouth are a smaller subset of your total set of peaches, pinks, reds and purples.

It can be tough to know where the line is.

My unnatural-looking brownish- purple isn't really that far away from my natural-looking pink:

So you're probably wondering, "How can I know which of my peaches, pinks, reds and purples will actually look natural on my lips?"

It's not too difficult. This post is getting long, so I'll publish the second half, in which I describe how to find the best colors for your lips, next week. :-)

This post was originally published in February of 2017.

43 Comments

Kristin

2/28/2017 12:39:32 am

Fabulous explanation! I never looked at it that way; common sense tells us that of course some colors (e.g. greens) would look bad on the lips, but not necessary to wear as a shirt. Very helpful, thank you!

mary

3/3/2017 12:41:21 pm

I've heard that the best lip color is closest to the color of your gums

Beth

3/4/2017 05:26:37 pm

This is not about lip color and lipstick, although I do think purple, blue and green lipsticks do not look so great on anyone no matter the season. These colors really belong in clothes, shoes and accessories.
However, I have a question? Can you please answer my question? Thank you.
This is my question. If someone's style and clothing/dress are influenced by great literature such as Anne of Green Gables or Little House on the Prairie, what of your 63 great styles, might they be? Thank you so much for answering my question. You look wonderful in your soft autumn lipstick colors.

Rachel

3/7/2017 11:09:21 am

Hi, Beth!

Natural Ingenue would be the obvious fit, I think. If the clothes look distinctly "period," you might add Ethereal to that.

:-)

Melina

3/6/2017 09:16:11 am

"But not every peach, pink, red and purple in your palette looks natural on your lips." Oh yes, this much I had already gathered from my lippie trials (& errors) :)
And this one I can already answer (at least for myself):
"How can I know which of my peaches, pinks, reds and purples will actually look natural on my lips?" - Only by trying them on your lips! :D

Brown wasn't mentioned here, but I have wondered about that - Autumns are supposed to be able to wear brown lipstick, and I'm very likely an Autumn (most likely DA) - but brown lipstick just looks unnatural on me... But I think the answer is the same as for the other palette colours here - not all of them will look natural on you!

Wendy

3/7/2017 11:43:16 am

I think in this day and age, it needs acknowledgement that this applies only whose who WANT to look natural. Some style types (especially those with dramatic influence) don't want to look natural. I'm a D-N-G Casual Punk in style (and I love that your system pegged me so perfectly!) and I have no interest in looking natural. My hair is pink, and sometimes I just want bright orange lips! It doesn't look natural, but it IS harmonious with my personal style and coloring.

3/7/2017 02:11:39 pm

Hi, Wendy!

This is a fair point. I'd draw a distinction between a lip that's dramatic (but still on palette) and a lip that's full-on disharmonious. But you're right that, by definition, people with a lot of Dramatic in their Style Identity will look good with an avant-garde face. :-)

3/27/2017 09:53:21 pm

I wonder if "can pull off unnatural lip color" could be a determinant of a D-influenced style?

3/28/2017 03:30:11 pm

A lip color that's straight-up unnatural -- like a palette green or blue -- I can imagine potentially working on a person with a lot of D and G, because it would be both playful and shocking.

Some other colors -- like a palette purple or brown -- are unnatural with certain skin tones and natural with others.

Christy

2/25/2019 06:06:00 pm

This is such an interesting question to me. I am EDC (mostly D), and Dark Autumn. I am trying to narrow down the piles of lipsticks, etc., I have in my house. I am a makeup person, but I know the stockpiles I have are a bit ridiculous.

So I did the lipstick thing from one of Rachel's earlier blog posts narrowing down my MLBB, bright, and dramatic shades based on my actual lip color. Selfies in daylight using my swatches really helped. (Also great for narrowing wardrobe shades.)

The thing I find interesting is that some of my least great neutrals (a bit warmer) actually kind of work for me as lip colors, especially if I am doing an eye scheme with a lot of black. These are neutrals that don't even really make my skin look great as wardrobe colors. I am torn, because in my line of work people expect traditional, "classic" lip colors. The MLBB line of colors fits that, and I look more "healthy" in those colors. However, I am predominantly D & E (80%), so looking healthy may not be my best look. My eye is just so trained to look for that "healthy" glow. Should I push the more unnatural shades?

Also, as an aside, I think truly bright unnatural lip colors (I would include some neon pinks and oranges here) seem more Gamine to me. Ds seem to lend themselves more to unnaturally light or dark shades.

Ali Raky

3/16/2017 08:41:40 am

As regard personality identification...i see it hard to know which on of them l'm.
Would you help us achieve that?

3/27/2017 09:56:14 pm

Ali, Rachel's Style Identity Calculator was so perfect! I found exactly the right style for me and it's influenced every outfit I've worn since!

3/28/2017 03:28:00 pm

Wendy,so happy to hear it!!

Lizzie

2/26/2019 01:39:14 am

Anyone know of any REG celebs? Having a hard time finding style inspo or style icons beyond my REG board!

Megan

2/26/2019 12:05:06 pm

Hi, maybe Priyanka Chopra? Her romantic seems very evident and to my eye she also looks good with some Ethereal and Gamine!

Cheryl

2/27/2019 09:38:38 am

I would think Priyanka is predominantly Romantic and Dramatic? I don't see much "otherworldly" or "boyish" in her...On the other hand, i see a lot of both Romantic and Ethereal in Aishwarya Rai.

2/27/2019 10:28:39 am

Hi Cheryl,

She could be! But to my eye Priyanka looks much better against the REG board than the RD board. Have you compared her face to the different pinterest boards?

I think her combination of Ethereal and Gamine might seem to mimic Dramatic (because Ethereal, like Dramatic, is elongated and "supernatural", and Gamine, like Dramatic, is masculine and pointy).

2/27/2019 03:58:22 pm

Thank you for your insights Megan. While I agree Priyanka is very fresh faced, I think she’s just younger looking (not enough to form a distinguishable youth essence) or maybe she has a small dash of youth essence in addition to her primary ID. She looks like she’s somewhere between RDEC... I agree that there’s R. So maybe she’s RED, REC, or maybe even RDC. Come to think of it, she has always reminded me of my sister who is ED!

Also, to my knowledge, Mila Kunis was officially typed as a RNG (but I can def see how she might look E and pull off E a bit). I’m thinking her coloring contributes that vibe. RNG does look really great on her. LOL the fact that I wished it would look like that on me makes me even more confident that she’s more RNG than REG! It’s amazing how similar in theory these types are but so different in appearance & style aesthetic.

Thanks again; these 2 ladies are definitely in the right direction!

2/27/2019 11:57:58 pm

Interesting that you're pretty sure that Priyanka doesn't have Gamine! One thing I notice about her is that long hair overwhelms her (she's best with medium length, it seems?) which means she probably has something other than only elongated essences (D and E, which suit very long hair) and Romantic (which also suits long hair).

So I think probably she does have a good dose of a "shortening" essence, and to me, classic styles don't suit her unique, large facial features... in some pictures, I think I can see that she has the mischevious look of Gamine...

I also think it's important to make a distinction between a person's typical style and what they look best in. Priyanka may often dress in Romantic Dramatic styles, but I'm not yet convinced that those styles suit her as well as they do, say, RD Kim Kardashian. And if you compare Priyanka's face to Kim's, Priyanka's is definitely shorter and may be a bit spunkier and more playful...

In any case, though, perhaps her ratios make her not suited to be style inspo for you. Hypothetically, she could have 60% R and 20% Gamine, 20% Ethereal, and maybe you're looking for someone who is more 30-30-30 split.

I'll have to look closer at Mila Kunis; to me the Natural board didn't suit her but I could have been wrong.

2/28/2019 09:36:10 am

Hi ladies! Thank you for the informative responses! I am in no way an expert on these stuff so your thoughts are much valued :) now i think of it, yes i do prefer Priyanka in shorter hair, particularly with a little natural (but neat) wave/ bounce to it, than something very coiffed and stiff. I agree that constantly seeing a person in a particular style type makes you feel that IS their best look...until you see them in something different. And yes, she does have large eyes, and a chubbier face (i don't mean that in a bad way), which is more gamine, while dramatic would be the opposite :)

Danielle

3/3/2019 07:17:31 am

I would guess Prianka has Dramati, Natural, Romantic and maybe Ingenue.

2/26/2019 03:34:50 pm

Also Mila Kunis!

2/26/2019 04:29:28 pm

Ruth Negga? Emily Browning?

2/27/2019 04:11:57 pm

Hello K,

I came across Ruth Negga a few months ago and she’s been on my radar ever since. She’s definitely up there on my list of fave celebrity styles. I could see REG for her but I’m not 100% sure. Sometimes I think she has C or N. Or maybe even D, she seems to look better in a lot of black & bolder outfits than me or what the REG board really calls for.

I want to say thank you for referencing Emily Browning though!! I’d never heard of her before but she’s a great match!

Do you have any thoughts on shops or style blogs that are predominately REG?

Thanks again!

3/3/2019 07:15:41 am

Lizzie, I'm not Rachel or Katja, but I think Tyra Banks could be REG. Helena Bonham Carter too.
If you want to you can check out my pinterest boards. There you can find some celebrities examples and style boards. https://fi.pinterest.com/aboutstyling/boards/


3/3/2019 10:50:16 am

Thank you so much Danielle. I’ll have to take a look at those celebs! I will mention that -while I haven’t considered Tyra before- I’ve been following Kirby Griffin for yrs solely because she looks more similar to me than most people (especially in the smile and nose a bit). I’ve been following her for style, hair, and makeup inspo that isn’t too far from REG. My eyes are a little more upturned and I have more R cheeks though (more like that Emily Browning REG suggestion).... Anyways, Kirby is a supposed Tyra look-alike, so these suggestions are def on the right track!

I asked someone else on this thread but I’ll ask you too: do you have any thoughts on shops or style blogs that are predominantly REG? I’m trying to update my wardrobe before the springtime!

Thanks again!

Janelle

2/28/2019 07:37:03 am

I hadn’t heard of Ruth Negga until now, but what a unique style ID she has! I could see the possibility of REG for her definitely. That unusual combination of opposites: the youthful, boyish gamine with the feminine ‘old soul’ ethereal, and mature womanly look of romantic...but then again, in some pics I feel like I saw Dramatic. Then there are times that R and G combined can look like Ingenue...:P Her rosebud-like lips stand out to me, which I think can be a characteristic of G/I?

In the link below, Ruth has a photo shoot in which EDI seems possible...I get a Bette Davis kind of vibe with those eyes. but then I again can’t help but see REG at times, too. I will say the short hair seems to work well for her, and whether or not it’s more due to G or D influence, definitely one of those 2 has to be in her mix, I would think! Thanks for mentioning Ruth; she’s absolutely stunning no matter what her official ID is!

https://models.com/work/another-magazine-ruth-negga/viewAll

3/3/2019 11:15:43 am

Interesting that you said Ingenue because one of the first pics of her that comes up on Google is this but I didn’t love it- https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/cf/Ruth_Negga_by_Gage_Skidmore_3.jpg/220px-Ruth_Negga_by_Gage_Skidmore_3.jpg

I tentatively decided that if any anything the blue S curve of her her waterbottle & microphone cord plus her softer pixie & makeup save the look here. As well as the simplicity, the crisp but airy thinness of her outfit, and the feminine swirls of color. But I feel that floral is IE-ish and that colorscheme is too Ingenue. I like that it’s a floral but IMO the Ingenue clashes and Romantic floral looks better. Surprisingly, I don’t hate the classic(?) cut her though. Then again, if she’s REG these items could just be helping her reach her slightly higher leaning femininity levels.

3/3/2019 11:35:48 am

Lizzie, Kirby Griffin looks like an Ingenue to me. I do think she has Ethereal, but I don't think she has Romantic. Not much anyway.
Sorry, I don't know any blogs or shops that are predominantly REG.

3/3/2019 12:00:40 pm

Sorry I meant- “the low contrast swirls of color”

2/28/2019 08:27:47 am

Janelle, why E? She is GI or DGI, I guess.

2/28/2019 09:41:16 am

E.,

Maybe it’s just how she poses for the camera, but it’s that faraway look in her eyes that makes me think Ethereal. She could have dramatic instead, as it is easy to confuse dramatic and ethereal sometimes! E was just one of my guesses since I could see multiple combinations possible for Ruth.

2/28/2019 09:44:37 am

Hi Rachel,

I am an avid reader of your blog. You always come up with the most interesting posts that actually make you THINK about beauty and style, rather than just following some random advice or "rules", and i love that. Might a make a small request, that is to have more posts on style types and seasons of women of colour? Specially South Asians (which is what i am!) but also other ethnicities...thank you :)

Premiere

2/28/2019 11:42:39 am

I look great in tomato red outfits, but not in tomato red lipstick. Tomato red- not blue or green :>

3/4/2019 12:10:04 pm

Premiere, I have similar issue with brown (as I've mentioned in my comment on the original article, I think it's 4th from the top ;)) Though as far as lip colours go, I do realize brown is more unnatural than tomato red, true, but still quite a common lipstick colour ;) Do you know your season; or suspect one?

3/3/2019 10:33:00 am

Rachel I just saw you were updating your Pinterest! May I ask if you can you send the REG board some love as well? -xoxo

Dia

3/4/2019 12:22:57 am

Any thoughts on how lipstick texture relates to style and/or season? Right now I'm thinking I'm a DW DNC and I find I need to be very specific about the textures of my lipsticks- opaque, mostly matte (but not TOO matte), with a defined but not sharp edge. Anything sheer or glossy looks wrong on me. Is this a function of my style identity or season?

3/4/2019 01:56:46 pm

Dia,

I think that lipstick texture, like color choice, can reflect your style ID. Obviously, your color season should guide your range of shades, but I think a truly matte lip is very D. Very glossy reads Ingenue or Gamine to me (child like). Not sure where Natural falls with this, maybe the semi-matte part? You percentages of each essence, or your balance of features may make a difference in how you wear the textures, too.

3/5/2019 03:16:00 am

Christy, that's interesting, and may explain why I prefer shiny, semi-shiny and sheer or semi-matte at most (in lips), while my season demands matte & opaque! (Though I'm not convinced about makeup finishes going strictly with your season, in any case.) I have plenty of I; would E also need glossy and/or sheer?

3/5/2019 09:28:38 am

Melina, You bring up one of my pet peeves with the fashion/makeup industry. NO color season demands a specific makeup finish. While you often see certain shades (DA or DW come to mind) in matte finishes, it is not because the color season demands it, it is because the fashion world pushes it. I think they have a marketing concept that people only wear matte lips when the weather is cooler, and they push DA or DW lip colors for cooler weather. People (like me, DA) have to look for their seasonal colors year round. I really think the choice of a texture or finish of the makeup (or the fabrication of the clothing) depends on your Style ID. With that in mind, I think that sheer or shimmery would be good for E, but not necessarily super glossy or glittery. Glossy (like high shine patent glossy) or chunky glitter reads as more youthful (again Gamine?) to me.

3/6/2019 02:27:44 am

Hmm, I think e.g. Christine Scaman (of the 12blueprints) would disagree ;) As she on her many articles, has connected makeup finishes with seasons. As have many other color analysts & bloggers - that's what I meant, not the fashion/makeup industry ;) I don't think the latter usually even takes seasons into account (or even knows about them). But yes, it may be true that it's not easy to find DA, or any Autumnal colors, in sheer / glossy finishes :) Though I know many Autumns say they can only do matte, but I have to differ, I far prefer semi-glossy and not fully matte or opaque.

Aryan link

9/26/2019 04:28:07 am

Lip colors look amazing when it matches on your skin color and personality. Your lip color really suits you on your profile picture.

fourseasonslasercenter link

9/17/2020 10:52:37 pm

It may be not to common to use the shadings blue, green and purple as regular lipsticks to women but women can choose there lip color according to there skin tone.

Truth is Beauty

Can't I Wear All of My Colors on My Lips?

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