Yes, you can wear pink lipstick — find the right one for you

Everyone can wear pink lipstick

When we think of switching up our makeup, it’s often something dramatic that springs to mind. Are you picturing a smoky eye? Graphic winged eyeliner? A pop of the brightest blush you’ve ever seen? Then hold your makeup horses.

Trying something new doesn’t need to mean marching out of your comfort zone at speed, and can be as straightforward as simply re-discovering a classic. Case in point: pink lipstick.

It’s often overlooked in favour of red, but as far as shades go, pink lip colour is uniquely diverse. It spans from soft rose and cute baby pinks through to vampy, almost-purple hues – passing through punchy cerise and fuchsia en route. Pink lipstick certainly ticks the stereotypical boxes of feminine and pretty, but it can be so much more than that, with the ability to look fresh, confident and modern too.

How to find a pink lipstick that suits you

Keep these key considerations in mind when shopping for a pink lipstick. To take out the guesswork, we'd always recommend our Match2Me tool. It takes your skin tone, hair and eye colour into account to generate your perfect shades.

Shade

Pink lipsticks cover a huge amount of ground, meaning you’re likely to feel spoilt for choice when choosing a shade. As a general rule, don’t opt for a colour that is any lighter than your natural lip colour. Why’s that? It’s because this will wash out your complexion, which is the exact opposite of what a pink lip should do, which is to perk up your skin. If you have a deep skin tone, look to dark, sultry pinks like berry tones or colour pop brights. Both will look gorgeous against your complexion. Those with olive or warm-toned medium skin are best suited to coral pinks with a touch of orange, as these will balance out the more yellow-hued elements of your complexion. Finally, if you are porcelain or fair skinned, a pretty powdery or pale pink is your best match.

Finish

Not all pink lip colours are created equal, and the finish will vary depending on the product. For a seriously bold lip, Lip Luxe offers the most densely pigmented pinks. The colour pay-off is rich, intense and easy to build. Feeling a little scared about bold colour but want to give it a go? Our Just Joyous formula is buildable, so you can effortlessly customise your look. This high-shine lipstick can take you from a sheer wash of colour to a high-impact statement by building up layers of colour depending on your mood.

If you did want to up the ante for an evening out, the Trinny London Lip Love is the pink for you. It has a pearlescent quality that gives a lustrous, frosted finish to your pink lip. Because of the light-reflecting nature of the formula, it actually makes your lips look plumper, making it a great choice for anyone who thinks their lips are too thin to wear colour.

Cautious about diving in with a pink lip? Start with shades from the Sheer Shimmer or Lip Glow collections. The former gives a dewy veil of colour with a subtle glow, while the latter is traditional high-shine lip gloss without the stickiness. Both will create the illusion of fuller lips, without making a huge commitment to the colour.

Finally, if you did want to double-up on a pink lip and pink blusher, Lip2Cheek is the perfect product. Designed to be applied to your lips and cheeks, the colours in the range offer a flush of rosy pigment with impressive staying power. Dab on with fingers, or apply with a brush for increased precision.

Find your perfect pink lipstick by colour category…

If you’re looking for a light pink lipstick…

If you’re looking for a peach pink lipstick…

If you’re looking for a coral pink lipstick…

If you’re looking for a bright pink lipstick…

If you’re looking for a dark pink lipstick…

What goes with pink lipstick?

One of the many reasons we love pink lipstick is that it’s remarkably versatile. There’s no need for a strict set of dos and don’ts, as a pink lip will play nicely with almost any makeup look. But, if you’re not sure where to start, allow us to give you a couple of pointers.

If you have opted for a very light pink, or a pink that is almost the same colour as your lips, you may want to balance this barely-there look with a slightly stronger eye. A lip in this hue is unlikely to be a scene-stealer, and for this reason is the perfect partner to a bold or smoky eye look.

If, at the opposite end of the spectrum, the pink you have chosen is bright and bold, consider keeping the rest of your makeup more muted. A simple swipe of mascara, well-groomed brows and a pop of blush will take a backseat as your pink lip shines centrestage.

Finally, for a very synergistic look, you could take the same hue, maybe a peach or coral-toned pink, onto your cheeks and around your eyes too. By using the same shade in three places you not only get the most from your product, but negate the need to worry about co-ordinating colours.