5 lipstick shades every boss babe needs to own to go from day to night and back again

Building my lipstick collection was the next step in my makeup journey once I ”graduated ” from wearing lip gloss. During the process, I realized that I needed a core set of lipstick that would work for a wide range of occasions.

This is blog post is not about finding your perfect shade, it’s about identifying the key colour families you need that will work for a variety of beauty looks.

Based on my experience and research I believe each woman should have a minimum of 5 lipstick colours which will work for every occasion.

A Classic Red

This should not come as a surprise to anyone. Red lipstick has been the hallmark of a fully grown sexy woman for decades and will never go out of style. There is nothing more classic than red lips. For this, I would suggest going for a true red and blue-toned reds seem to suit most skin tones. One of the reasons red lipsticks work so well is because they signify confidence and a willingness to stand out which is extremely alluring to both men and women. The added bonus is that wearing red lipstick makes your teeth look even whiter!

Recommended shades

• Ruby woo which seems to work for EVERY ONE
• Here is a post from L’oreal on red lipstick for different skin tones
• Here is another post on various shades of red

A soft baby pink

Having a soft pink lipstick is key for any makeup arsenal, it’s your get up and go shade.No muss no fuss and works very well for your daily life. Pink lipsticks are just as classic as red as they have been used as an everyday look for decades. A soft pink lipstick can pull your look together without minimal effort on your part and without making you look like you are trying too hard.

Recommendations

• There are a million and one shades of pink to choose from and every brand has at least one. So experiment and get what works best for you.

Maroon or Deep Reddish Brown

A dark red or maroon just screams DRAMA!  And works really well for a night-time outing or if you want to go goth without jumping in at the deep end. Maroon lipstick is also a hallmark of the nineties which is making a comeback and gives me a slight nostalgia.  I find that wearing lipstick this colour gives you an edgy alternative look and attracts attention.

Nude AKA my lips but better

A hallmark of the noughties is a nude lip and is a classic look, and no makeup lover should be without the perfect nude lipstick for their complexion. This lipstick is like your lips but slightly better giving you the barely-there look. Depending on your complexion and natural lip colour nude runs the gamut from the pales peach to a deep brown. The right nude should match your lip colour exactly or should be off by just a smidge.

Nude lips are great for every day or for date night when you want to pull out the stops everywhere else but keep the lips simple. Nude lipstick is one of the most useful tools in your lipstick arsenal.

Recommended shades

• MAC Velvet Teddy seems to be the go-to for almost every skin tone
• This Allure Magazine article goes into details on how to choose the right nude for you
• And another one

The wild card

Once you have the basics, the next step would be to have a fun bold colour that is unique to just you and one that makes you feel like a million bucks. This wildcard will be very different from person to person and depend entirely on your personality and style. So pick a colour that goes well with your favourite outfit or the styles you tend to wear on a regular basis.

When I say wildcard it does not have to be crazy out of their colour, but hey if that is you then go for it. Your wildcard could be a colour that is still in your wheelhouse but is deeper, more intense or even glittery.

GO TO TOWN! Using a bold lip colour can take an outfit from basic to spectacular not to talk about the confidence it will give you when you put it on.

So there it is the 5 lipsticks every grown woman should own? Do you have these colour groups in your collection? which is missing from your arsenal? What other shades would you include on this list or do you agree with me. Let me know in the comments below and share if you enjoyed the post.

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