10 Best Lipstick Shades For Indian Skin in 2024

The great thing about Indian skin is that it varies so much –– we’ve got an array of skin colours ranging from fair to wheatish to dark, which makes our options far more. Thanks to the many skin shades we hone as a country, there isn’t a specific hue that is most suited for us. When picking a lipstick however, we need to look at its undertones and how it works best with our skin’s undertones. So look for lip makeup hues that’ll complement that undertone, rather than wash your skin out. Scroll down to see our curation of the best lipstick shades for Indian skin and how to figure out what undertone works best for you. 

How to Select Lipstick Shade For Indian Skin?

Though there are many lipstick shades available in the market, it’s best to choose the one that’ll suit your particular Indian skin tone. Below mentioned are some of the best lipstick shades that’ll go perfect with your Indian skin tone:

Fair skin tone: If you’ve got a fair skin tone, go for bold colours such as wine, purple, bright red, or poppy pink shade. You can also go for neutral shades like light brown shades or nude pink.

Medium skin tone: Go for warmer shades like nudes, orange, pink, mauve, or plump shades. You should definitely avoid wearing extremely dark shades!

Dusky skin tone: Colours like berry, wine, and plum compliment your looks. Some other shades like browns, mocha, and reds can also suit you. 

Wheatish skin tone: For a wheatish skin tone, opt for colours like nudes, orange, and yellow undertones. You can also try experimenting with shades like dark beige shades or caramel.

Best Lipstick Shades For Indian Skin

We all love a little lippie love and if you are a lipstick junkie you’d know that unfortunately not every colour suits your skin (unless you’re super lucky, of course). Makeup products are often designed and formulated to suit different skin types and skin tones –– but fret not, we’ve got you covered. From lipsticks to liquids, crayons to mini lip kits, here are the must have lipstick shades for Indian skin. 

LIT Liquid Matte Lipstick in Kittenfish

If you’re looking for a deep brown and berry hue, then look no further! Kittenfish is a dressy colour that is perfect for those night’s out, where you want to go down the bold and edgy route. It has a matte finish and comes with a formula that’s smudge-proof and transfer-proof, no matter how many cocktails you sip. It has a smooth and opaque colour payoff that is super-duper pigmented. Unlike other liquid matte lipsticks, this one moisturises your lip thanks to the moringa oil present in the formula.

Mini Lip Kit in Pretty Mess

This lip kit has an eclectic mix of subtle romantic pink hues –– ranging from a nude pink (XOXO) to a peach pink (QT) to a slightly brighter pink (Love Bug). The lipsticks have a creamy-matte finish that comes in a super lightweight formula that’s infused with vitamin E, a nutrient that helps moisturise your pout. It glides on easily and gives you highly pigmented lips in just one swipe.

LIT Creamy Matte Lipstick in Appletini

Red lips are a girl’s best friend! And red lips are every Indian girl’s best friend too. This reddish pink shade is one of those hues that go with anything and everything. The creamy matte texture keeps your lips moisturised, while leaving you with a demi-matte finish. The formula has a blend of mineral and plant waxes that allow for a smooth and precise application, while the special silica microbeads give you a creamy, satin feel. 

Manish Malhotra Hi-shine Lipstick in Violet Mystery

Nothing screams glamour more than a high shine lipstick. This bright plum shade is a slightly off-beat pop of colour that can go from boardroom to dance floor to even bedroom with just one swipe. The intense colour payoff and glossy texture makes it a lippie perfect for even fancier occasions like weddings. It offers UVB protection and gives you a creamy smooth finish!

Mini Lip Kit in No Drama

No makeup makeup looks shouldn’t take that much effort. Step in this lip kit that consists of all the nude hues that’ll make your daily lippie list. Whether it's a peach nude (Bliss), brown nude (Comfort Zone), or a mauve nude (Hype), these creamy-matte lipsticks are sure going to be your go-to. They are highly pigmented and glide on easily, with a formula that has been made to nourish your lips. Leaving you with a creamy-matte finish, this lipstick kit will keep your pout (and you) satisfied, all day long.

LIT Satin Matte Lipstick in KUWTK

The good thing about browns is that it works for skin tones varying from fair to dark. For fairer skin tones this shade will appear more brown, while for darker skin tones it makes for the perfect brown nude. This daily lipstick gives you a satin matte finish, with a long-wearing formula no matter how many cups of coffee you sip on through the day. It has a high immediate payoff, that’s lightweight and super comfortable on your lips.

Manish Malhotra Liquid Matte Lipstick in Crazier Than Pink

Add a pop of colour to your lipstick collection with a bright pink hue that’ll definitely turn heads. A colour suited for Indian skin, it has weightless, velvety matte finish and moisturises the lips the moment you swipe it on. It almost gives your lips that ‘tattoo’ effect and doesn’t budge all that easily. It’s highly pigmented and has a full coverage. Office parties or night’s out with your besties, this lip colour has your back!

K-Play Flavoured Lipstick in Mango Swirl

Bright orange? Hell, yes! This slightly experimental shade is super bright no doubt, but it instantly adds a pop of colour to your pout. It has an intense colour payoff that goes on super smoothly. Enriched with vitamin E, A , and beta-carotene, it’ll also deep condition your dry and chapped lips in one swipe. Also, it tastes like mangoes –– so you can have wear lipstick and eat it too!

Perfect Curves Matte Lip Crayon in Spice

This nude peach flatters literally every Indian skin tone out there. It also works as a great base coat for any other lipstick colour. The formula leaves your pout with a matte finish, that’s full coverage and lasts you all day long. It’s moisturising and lightweight, as it is enriched with argan oil. If you’re looking for a regular option, this one can be your new handbag reach out!

Mini Lip Kit in Power Trip

Looking for bold hues to brighten your day and night. This kit comprising three creamy-matte lipsticks will do the trick. It has a bold red (Fighter), a deep plum (Attention), and a bright pink (Level Up), all of which work really well with Indian skin tones, whether you’re on the fairer or the duskier side. It comes with a lightweight formula that glides on easily and is highly pigmented. The lipstick is enriched with vitamin E which means goodbye chapped and dry lips.

Know Your Lip Undertone

Have you ever experienced a time where a lipstick looks so good in the tube, but doesn’t translate well on your skin? Well, you can blame your undertone for that. So how does one figure out what their undertone is? It’s quite simple actually. Here’s a quick guide for you:

• WARM UNDERTONES

When you have a warm undertone, you have a golden or yellow hue to it. For this you’ll need to check the veins on your wrist –– green means your undertone is warm. Another way to figure this out is to check what jewellery makes your skin look brighter. If golden is the answer then, warm is your undertone. Lastly, if you tan under the sun instead of burn, you’re a warm undertone.

• COOL UNDERTONES

Cool undertones means your skin has a red, blue, or pinkish tone to it. Again, you can check this by noting down the colour of your veins on your wrist –– if it’s blue, then you’re cool. Similarly, if silver jewellery makes your skin tone pop more, then you’re a cooler undertone. Lastly, if you tend to burn when you spend too much time in the sun, then cool is for you.

• NEUTRAL UNDERTONES

Neutral skin tone literally means you can wear any lip colour and it won’t look different than it does in the packaging. If your veins are both blue and green and if you can sport both silver and gold jewellery without making you look off, then you’re a neutral undertone. The lipstick world is your oyster, go paint it whatever colour you’d like!

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Whether you choose to go for single lipsticks or lipstick sets, know that these colours are perfectly suited for your skin tone. Bid farewell to mixing colours and layering your lip products, as these lipstick shades for Indian skin will cover all your pouty needs.