No matter how much your makeup is worth, it doesn’t quite hit the spot until you swipe that one generous layer of lipstick across your puckers for that priceless look. Your base is important to keep the full glam on for hours, your eye makeup is crucial for more depth and intensity, your blush is essential for that naturally flushed, coy look, but without lipstick, all these products appear as loose ends that need one final touch.
The pop of colour that a lipstick can add to your face is undeniable. With the right colour, your face gets brighter, your outfit is better complemented, and it brings out your inner radiance for that festive glow. But choosing the right lipstick doesn’t only depend on your outfit colour, your skin tone and undertone also matter while choosing your lip colour. The wrong colour can wash you out, make you appear older than you really are, and highlight the imperfections on your skin. Read: How To Choose The Best Lipstick Shade For Your Skin to understand how colour theory works on your skin before we get into the outfits.
How To Pair Lipsticks With Different Outfit Colours
To make it easier, I have picked a celebrity wearing popular festive colours, one with a warm undertone, while the other has a cooler undertone. This will help you pick the right shade of lipstick for your festive events.
It’s Always Great To Go With Grey
Grey is an underrated colour when it comes to festive occasions, but it’s actually a great colour block against vibrant decor and bright floral arrangements. It also looks great on all skin tones, and helps you stand out from the crowd because not a lot of people opt for this colour.
Grey On Cool Tone
Aditi Rao Hydari is wearing a very elegant grey Anarkali set with gold embellishments, and she is sporting a light mauve pink lipstick with a cooler hue. Mauve and grey are a great combination for people with cooler tones, and this shade of pink is also perfect for people with lighter skin tones. Opt for a bullet lipstick for that creamy matte finish with a hint of hydration.
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Grey On Warm Tone
Priyanka Chopra is wearing a grey on grey with a neutral maroon lipstick. For people with warmer tones, maroon is a good option as it balances the coolness of grey and makes the skin appear even, thus brighter. Go for a glossy finish to even out the mutedness of the outfit and the yellow undertone of your skin.
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No Festive Blues With The Right Lippie
Blue, a crowd favourite, a royal and elegant colour that photographs oh so well. From celebrities to lay mortals, this colour is a no-brainer when it comes to the festive season.
Blue On Cool Tone
Jhanvi Kapoor, during her Ms Mahi promotions, was seen wearing a lot of monochromatic and thematic looks. One of the least talked about looks is this all-blue jumpsuit with the World Cup embroidered on it with very little or barely-there makeup, but a hearty serving of pinkish nude lipstick that pulled more focus on the outfit without making your face look bare. We recommend a liquid to make the lip look more subtle.
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Blue On Warm Tone
If there’s a global icon who can rock an Indian ethnic wear, it’s Zendaya. Her ethereal blue saree at the NMACC opening was sublime to say the least. She is someone with a warmer skintone, and thus, to match the yellowness of her skin and the coolness of the saree, a coral red lipstick is the perfect look. Add a bit of shine to the pout, and there you have it, a perfect Diwali card-night look.
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It’s A Violet Revolution
It’s a royal colour if there could ever be one, purple is the one. Back in the day, purple and violet were the most expensive colours because they could only be extracted from octopuses extracted from the English seas, hence even today purple is associated with royal festivities.
Violent On Cool Tone
Dethroning Nora Fatehi as the new IT-Girl for all the dance numbers in Bollywood musicals, Tamannaah slays in her violet purple saree along with a dusty rose lip. This colour looks particularly beautiful on fairer skin tones as it matches their natural lip colour and enhances and evens out any pigmentation. Opt for a nude liquid formula for that even application.
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Violet On Warm Tone
South Indian Baddie Aishwarya Lekshmi always wears the richest of silks whenever she is at a party or a promotional event. She wears it with such grace and poise and always gives dusky baddies the perfect yet attainable look to recreate. And what better way to elevate this colour with a sheen-filled brick red lipstick for that old-school aesthetic.
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Fight or White
White is an elegant colour that, when paired with the right jewellery, makeup, and accessories, can elevate a modest and humble colour like white to the next level.
White On Cool Tone
The way Alia Bhatt made white her colour during the Gangubai promotions makes me think there’s no limit to what you can do with just one colour. This look of hers is by far my favourite, where she is seen ditching her usual ‘Alia Shade’ and opting for a bold red lip that’s the right combination of sensationally seductive and playfully flirty. Opt for a deep red bullet that’s buildable, creamy, and doesn’t wear off that easily.
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White On Warm Tone
Our recently announced brand ambassador, Deepika Padukone, looks heavenly in every colour and outfit she wears, but this bold lip with a plain shirt is supremely underrated. She has big eyes, and usually the focus completely shifts there, but this berry lip moment is making it hard to fawn over just one aspect of her face. So, if you want a more balanced look, this glossy, fruity look is for you. This is also a great colour if you have a warmer skin tone.
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Can’t Go Wrong With Black
Whenever in doubt, go all black, whether it’s a Western outfit or ethnic apparel, black is always a safe colour. It looks good on all skin tones, undertones, and body types.
Black On Cool Tone
Tara Sutaria in her all-black suit with gold embellishments, is a look for the cool and neutral-toned girlies. She has paired it with a subtle, almost coffee brown lip that makes her eyes pop more than anything else. This light brown lip works really well for a dark outfit + fair-skinned girlies. Opt for a matte almost nude lip for that sober look.
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Grey On Warm Tone
Vidya Balan has been on top of her game for years, and for all the right reasons, her reel and real presence are so charismatic that her outfits reflect her elegant self. This black saree is a testament to how an unassuming colour like black can look great with the ideal lip colour. She has opted for this deep mauve-y burgundy colour that suits the deep hues of the saree.
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Parting Thoughts
No matter how common or unassuming your festive outfit colour is, the right lipstick colour can elevate your look. Of course, if your outfit is banging, you don’t want the wrong lip colour to bring it down. Pick the right hue according to your skin tone, undertone, and outfit colour to make sure you look the raddest in town. If you are still not sure how to pick the right lipstick for you, read: How To Choose The Best Lipstick Shade For Your Skin.
