Best lipstick for dark skin

The best lipstick for dark skin is deep berry or rich brown with plenty of pigment. Dark skin carries color beautifully, from deep wine and plum to warm chocolate, brick and bold fuchsia. The key is saturation: sheer, pale shades can look chalky or ashy, while rich colors look intentional and polished. For nudes, skip beige and go for brown, cocoa, caramel or deep rose that match or sit slightly deeper than your lips. Many deep skin tones have naturally two-toned lips, so a liner in a rich brown or berry evens things out beautifully. Your best red depends on undertone: a deep blue-based red or wine red if you're cool, a brick or burnt red if you're warm.

Tips that actually help

• Use a lip liner in a rich brown or berry shade to even out two-toned lips before applying color.
• Choose nudes in brown, cocoa or caramel rather than beige, which can look chalky.
• Reach for highly pigmented formulas. Sheer shades may look patchy or ashy on deep lips.
• Try a clear or tinted gloss over deep shades for extra dimension.

Go easy on: Pale beige nudes, frosty pinks and chalky pastels can look ashy on dark skin. Very sheer formulas may also look patchy.