Can deep skin wear bright colours? A common myth

One of the most common things customers tell us, especially those with deeper skin, is that they were told as teenagers to avoid bright lipsticks and stick to browns. It is advice many of us grew up with, and it is simply not true. The myth comes from two places. Older ranges in India were often designed and tested on fair skin, so bright shades were made with a lot of white in them. On deeper skin, these chalky brights look grey or ashy, which is where the idea came from. The problem was the formula, not the skin.

Bright colours made with deeper, saturated pigments look rich on deep skin. A true blue-red, a fuchsia with a purple base, an orange-red or a deep berry can all look striking. When we swatch new shades on our 12 skin tones, some of the brightest reds look best on our two deepest testers.

To choose, look at your undertone. If veins on your wrist look green, warm brights such as brick red, coral and orange-red tend to suit you. If they look blue or purple, try cooler shades like berry, fuchsia and blue-red. Neutral undertones can wear both.

Check how the colour looks on your own lips, not just on your hand, since lip colour can change the result. If you are unsure, send us a daylight selfie on WhatsApp and our team will suggest three shades. And if the first shade is wrong, you can exchange it within 15 days, even after swatching it once.