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The Sexiest Orange-Red Lipsticks For Every Skin Tone

By Marissa DeSantis

Bronzed, barely-there beauty looks may reign supreme in the summertime, but if there’s one colorful product to work into your routine, it’s a vibrant orange-red lipstick. Similar to coral, which is a more pink, peachy tone, orange-red is the perfect complement to your summer tan (real or faux).

The sunshine shade can seem intimidating, but it’s incredibly easy to pull off once you know how to find your match since it doesn’t require extra products or any advanced makeup skills. “If you’re going very bold on your lips, I love keeping the rest of your makeup simple,” says Omayma Ramzy, Los Angeles-based celebrity makeup artist and founder of Omayma Skin. “A classic black eyeliner or tight liner, and the tiniest amount of an orange, warm-toned blush is all you need,” Ramzy suggests, adding that you can even use your fingers to tap a hint of the orange-red lipstick you’re using onto your cheeks, too.

When you want a long-lasting lipstick, Ramzy recommends using a moisturizing lip balm or primer (she likes Heir Atelier Lip Primer) as a base, and then lining and filling your lips with a liner that most closely resembles your lipstick.

If you’re wearing something sheer or glossy, skip the liner entirely and just keep the lip color in your bag to reapply as needed.

Ahead, Ramzy shares how to find the orange-red lipstick that best suits your skin tone, including some of her top product recommendations.

For Fairer Skin Tones

Fairer skin tones will want to turn to the undertones of their skin when determining their most flattering shade. Fair skin that’s more olive will have warmer yellow undertones, which Ramzy says is best complemented by a more coral lip color like Bobbi Brown’s Atomic Orange.

“The warmth of the skin tone will still balance with the orange of the lipstick if it’s more peach,” she explains.

Meanwhile, fair tones that have more neutral or cool undertones may want to opt for a sheer orange-red lip color (like Glossier’s) or a lipstick that mixes orange with a more blue-based red color.

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For Medium Skin Tones

According to Ramzy, medium skin tones can opt for brighter orange-red lipsticks without the risk of looking washed out. It’s paler shades of orange, however, that you’ll want to avoid. “The warmer your skin tone, the more you want to veer away from pastel lipsticks,” Ramzy advises, instead recommending the richer orange-red of makeup artist Charlotte Tilbury’s Hot Lips in Tell Laura.

For something with a creamier, satin finish, Tom Ford Lip Color in Wild Ginger is my personal go-to.

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For Dark Skin Tones

“I absolutely love choosing orange-red lipsticks on darker skin tones because you can really go bold, and pull off a vibrant color,” Ramzy says. While nearly any shade of orange lipstick will suit a darker complexion, Ramzy particularly likes fiery, bright hues in a more dramatic matte finish. For a lipstick that’s more of a true orange color, Ramzy recommends Fenty Beauty’s matte lipstick in Saw-C, while NARS’ Heat Wave shade is more of an orange-red mix.

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