From old Hollywood silver screen stars like Grace Kelly, Marilyn Monroe, and Elizabeth Taylor to Madonna on her Blond Ambition tour in 1990, Angelina Jolie at the 2012 Oscars, and Taylor Swift, well… everywhere, red lipstick has long represented far more than a way to complement your outfit. A mounting body of research has revealed that the colour red signals sexual attractiveness to the brain (TikTok recently discovered this, leading to the rise of the ‘red nail theory’).
You’ll also enjoy:
Send Nudes; The 11 Best Nude Lipsticks For Darker Skin Tones
The Best All-In-One Face Palettes Are The Epitome Of Stylish Efficiency
Lilac Is The New Neutral; It’s Time To Embrace Purple Lids
Red lipstick, in particular, has a storied history. Prior to its popularisation in the early 20th century, red lips were associated with immorality and sexual promiscuity. Suffragettes subsequently adopted red lipstick; and in 1912 when supporters of the suffragette movement marched through the streets of New York, Elizabeth Arden — who had just founded her eponymous salon — aligned herself with the cause by handing out tubes of bright red lipstick to the marchers.
Today, red lipstick conveys assurance, power, and passion, with a mere swipe possessing the ability to uplift your mood and make you feel more composed. In the words of legendary actress Elizabeth Taylor, “pour yourself a drink, put on some lipstick, and pull yourself together.”
However, finding the right red lipstick can be a minefield. Far from a one-note shade, red lipsticks come in a plethora of hues, from brick and scarlet red to wine and true red.
Understanding your undertones
While everyone can technically wear any shade of red lipstick they like, there are some shades that work better on darker skin tones. That being said, not darker skin tones are alike, with the key to picking the right red lipstick lying in finding a shade that complements your undertone.
There are a couple of ways to determine your skin’s undertone. Check your veins; if they appear green you likely have a warm undertone, while blue or purple veins are a sign of a cool undertone. Alternatively, consider what kind of jewellery looks better on you. Silver jewellery tends to look better on cooler undertones while gold suits those with warmer undertones. If both silver and gold jewellery look equally as good on you, you may be a true neutral.
When it comes to red lipstick, blue-based red shades work well on cooler undertones while warm reds with golden or peachy tones are best for warmer undertones. Those with neutral undertones have the best of both worlds and can pull off any shade of red lipstick.
The best red lipsticks for darker skin tones in 2024
From well-known designer brands to niche brands and drugstore finds, these are the best red lipsticks for darker skin tones for every budget.
1. Fenty Beauty Stunna Lip Paint in Uncensored
Trust Rihanna to nail the perfect red lip. Like the rest of the Fenty Beauty range, the line of Stunna Lip Paints features shades that flatter every skin tone. This highly pigmented liquid lipstick lives up to its name, with the formula slightly thicker and ‘paint-like’ than other iterations. Despite its consistency, it quickly dries down with a soft matte finish and stays on without flaking or feathering. The shade Uncensored is touted as a universal red and delivers on its promises, with the hue working well on fair to dark skin tones.
Best for: neutral, warm, cool undertones
2. Pat McGrath Labs MatteTrance Lipstick in Elson 2
A buttery soft matte lipstick with a high colour payoff, the Pat McGrath Labs MatteTrance Lipstick features an oil-infused powder formula that helps condition lips and ensure a comfortable feel. The shade Elson 2 is a dark orange-red hue that works well on warmer skin tones. The Pat McGrath Labs MatteTrance Lipstick range also includes Obsessed!, a brighter orangey-red; Elson, a true red; and Forbidden Love, a deep red.
Best for: warm, neutral undertones
3. Charlotte Tilbury Matte Revolution Lipstick in Red Carpet Red
A true ruby red hue, Charlotte Tilbury Matte Revolution Lipstick in Red Carpet Red works on all skin tones. Part of the iconic British beauty brand’s Matte Revolution range, this formula hydrates and conditions lips during wear, gliding smoothly onto lips with a soft matte finish. The Red Carpet Red shade is a true statement-making nighttime shade worthy of its name. For a truly defined pout, team it with a red lip liner. Alternatively, opt for a warm brown or caramel lip liner for an ombre effect.
Best for: neutral, warm, cool undertones
4. Smashbox Always On Liquid Lipstick in Disorderly
A truly lightweight matte formula, the Smashbox Always On Liquid Lipstick delivers high-impact colour in a single swipe and stays on for hours without drying out the lips. The shade Disorderly is a deep brick red hue well-suited to warm and neutral undertones. An autumnal shade, it’s ideal for boosting your mood on a cold, dreary day. For a deep red that suits all skin tones, try the shade Bawse.
Best for: warm, neutral undertones
5. MAC Cosmetics Lipstick in Ruby Woo
A universally flattering shade of red, MAC Cosmetics Lipstick in Ruby Woo is known as the OG red lipstick for many. While it has a slight blueish undertone, Ruby Woo works well on warm and cool skin alike, with the deep cherry red hue popping against melanated skin tones.
Best for: neutral, warm, cool undertones
6. Maybelline Made For All Lipstick By Color Sensational in Red-For-Me
Designed to complement all skin tones, this lipstick truly lives up to its name. The shade Red-For-Me is a budget-friendly dupe for Mac’s Ruby Woo, delivering a flattering wash of colour for under $20AUD.
Best for: neutral, warm, cool undertones
7. Rare Beauty Lip Soufflé Matte Lip Cream in Inspire
With a lightweight velvety matte finish, this bright red lipstick sits comfortably on the lips without drying them out or skinking into creases. The shade Inspire is a bright orange-red that works well on darker skin tones with warm or neutral undertones.
Best for: warm, neutral undertones
8. Flower Petal Pout Lip Colour in Ruby Rouge
A creamy lipstick with a satin-matte finish, the Flower Petal Pout Lip Colour is an unbeatable value proposition, delivering richly pigmented colour for under a tenner. The shade Ruby Rouge is a true red with the slightest hint of orange, making it particularly well suited for olive complexions and those with warm undertones.
Best for: warm, neutral undertones
9. Stila Cosmetics Stay All Day Liquid Lipstick in Beso
Want something that stays in place no matter what the day throws at you? The transfer-resistant Stila Cosmetics Stay All Day Liquid Lipstick is the way to go. The shade Beso is a true red that works on all skin tones and politician Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s red lip colour of choice, cementing it as a shade for making power moves in.
Best for: warm, cool, neutral undertones
10. Too Faced Melted Liquified Long Wear Matte Lipstick in Lady Balls
Cool skin tones, this one’s for you. A true red with a slight blue undertone, Too Faced Melted Liquified Long Wear Matte Lipstick in Lady Balls is ideal for emulating that true old-world Hollywood glamour look. The lightweight opaque formula glides on easily and dries down into a soft matte finish, lasting for up to eight hours.
Best for: cool, neutral undertones
11. Nars Velvet Matte Lipstick Pencil in Dragon Girl
Neither a bullet nor a liquid lipstick, the Nars Velvet Matte Lipstick Pencil combines the impact of lipstick and lip liner in one product. Easy to apply, this crayon-like formula works to define and fill in lips, with the shade Dragon Girl having pinky-blue undertones that work well on cool skin tones.
Best for: cool, neutral undertones
12. YSL Beauty Rogue Pur Couture in RM Rouge Muse
A relatively even-toned red lipstick, the YSL Beauty Rogue Pur Couture in RM Rouge Muse works well with all undertones. Sitting on the slightly deeper side of the red spectrum, the hue adds a sense of luminosity to brown and black skin tones. While matte has been the finish du jour for a number of years, the YSL Beauty Rogue Pur Couture looks to bring glossy back, with a weightless satin finish with a hint of glossiness.
Best for: warm, cool, neutral undertones
13. Milani Colour Fetish Matte Lipstick in Poppy
With slight orangey undertones, this medium red lipstick is best suited to warmer skin tones. One of the more affordable red lipsticks for darker skin, the Milani Colour Fetish Matte Lipstick in Poppy has a creamy matte formula that sits comfortably on the skin without drying out the lips. Its ultra-pigmented nature means it boasts single-stroke colour payoff (honestly, this is pretty much the only context where those words are a positive) and stays on without the need for reapplication.
Best for: warm, neutral undertones
14. L’Oreal Colour Riche Classic Lipstick in 120 Rouge St Germain
A dark brick red, this statement-making shade works well with warm and neutral undertones. The formula is enriched with argan oil and vitamin E, meaning it glides smoothly onto the lips and has a soft satin finish. With a slightly brown, earthy undertone, it’s perfect for fall and winter looks.
Best for: warm, neutral undertones
15. Charlotte Tilbury Matte Revolution Lipstick in Cinematic Red
One of the latest additions to the ever covetable Charlotte Tilbury Matte Revolution Lipstick range, Cinematic Red features the soft matte finish the brand is known for in an old-Hollywood inspired cherry red. Being a true red, it works on all skin tones however is best suited to neutral and warm undertones.
Best for: neutral, warm undertones
Words by T. Angel
