Fashion

Find Your Perfect Tangerine Lipstick

by Tyler Atwood

With the weather warming up and more outdoor activities on the horizon, it's time to shake up your makeup routine and inject some vibrant, fresh colors into your everyday look. And if the red carpet is any indication, tangerine is summer 2014's pigment MVP. However, it is essential to approach such a vivid color with caution; the last thing you want is to look like an exceptionally chic carrot attending a backyard BBQ. Enter this season's crop of versatile lipsticks, glosses, and stains, which in addition to providing a plethora of textures and finishes, also offer shades of orange to complement any skin tone.

As a rule of thumb, those with pink undertones in their skin may find peachy shades more flattering, while those with golden skin tones will look brilliant in a truer persimmon shade. And the deeper your skin tone, the more flexibility you have to experiment with bright tangerine shades without the look appearing too elaborate, as brilliant colors stand out beautifully against dark skin. However, the sky is the limit when it comes to lip color this season, so experiment with shades you may have renounced before. And remember, if you find your chosen color isn't quite adventurous enough, there are a sea of boundary-pushing shades to try. Read on for which lip shade will work the best for your skin tone.

1. FAIR SKIN TONES

Those with fair skin don't need an extraordinarily bright shade to light up their face: simply one with pink or peach undertones. If you crave a wash of pastel tangerine color, Yves Saint Laurent's Rouge Pur Couture Vernis a Levres Glossy Stain in Peche Coca Cola provides an elegant hint of peachy shine.

2. BEIGE SKIN TONES

Clinique Chubby Stick, $17, Sephora

Beige skin tones can stand up to a richer shade of orange, especially one with a hint of scarlet. Clinique's Chubby Stick Intense Moisturizing Lip Colour Balm in Heftiest Hibiscus provides a popsicle hue and extra hydration to lips.

3. TAN SKIN TONES

Le Metier de Beaute Hydra-Creme Lipstick in Mondrian, $40, Net-A-Porter

Orange lipsticks infused with scarlet pop against tan skin tones. Try Le Metier de Beaute's Hydra-Creme Lipstick in Mondrian for a statement lip; Miranda Kerr is a celebrity fan of the brand's hydrating, long-lasting formula.

4. DEEP SKIN TONES

Tom Ford Lip Color in Wild Ginger, $53, Sephora

When it comes to lipstick, no one creates beautiful shades quite like Tom Ford. Tom Ford Beauty's Lip Color in Wild Ginger will complement deep skin tones with a coat of true orange.

Images: Yves Saint Laurent Rouge Pur Couture Vernis a Levres Glossy Stain in Peche Coca Cola, Nordstrom; Clinique Chubby Stick Intense Moisturizing Lip Colour Balm in Heftiest Hibiscus, Sephora; Le Metier de Beaute Hydra-Creme Lipstick in Mondrian, Neiman Marcus; Tom Ford Beauty Lip Color in Wild Ginger, Sephora