Best Lipstick Colors for Every Season: Your Complete Shopping Guide

Your Perfect Lipstick is Written in Your Colors

Finding your signature lipstick shade isn’t about following trends—it’s about understanding which colors naturally harmonize with your skin. This guide breaks down the best lipstick colors for every season with specific shades you can actually shop for.

Quick Answer: How to Choose Lipstick by Season?

Match your lipstick undertone to your skin undertone: Warm seasons need peachy-coral based colors, cool seasons need blue-based pinks and berries, and neutral seasons can wear both with the right intensity.

Spring Lipstick Colors

Clear Spring

Your lipstick personality: Bright, warm, and vibrant

Your Perfect Shades:

• Coral Red: MAC “Devoted to Chili”
• Bright Coral: Charlotte Tilbury “Tell Laura”
• Warm Pink: NARS “Niagara”
• Orange-Red: YSL “Rouge Orange”

Your Everyday Nude: Peachy nude with warmth

• Try: Bobbi Brown “Uber Beige”

Avoid: Burgundy, mauve, cool browns

Light Spring

Your lipstick personality: Soft, warm, and fresh

Your Perfect Shades:

• Peach: Clinique “Nude Pop”
• Coral Pink: Glossier “Zip”
• Light Coral: Rare Beauty “Joy”
• Soft Rose: Chanel “Boy”

Your Everyday Nude: Light peachy pink

• Try: Charlotte Tilbury “Pillow Talk Light”

Avoid: Deep colors, cool tones, burgundy

Warm Spring

Your lipstick personality: Golden, warm, and glowing

Your Perfect Shades:

• Terracotta: Charlotte Tilbury “Walk of No Shame”
• Warm Rose: Pat McGrath “Elson”
• Golden Coral: Tom Ford “Scarlet Rouge”
• Apricot: Guerlain “Garconne”

Your Everyday Nude: Warm caramel nude

• Try: MAC “Honeylove”

Avoid: Cool pinks, purple-based colors

Summer Lipstick Colors

Light Summer

Your lipstick personality: Soft, cool, and delicate

Your Perfect Shades:

• Soft Pink: Dior “Pink Sakura”
• Rose: Chanel “Mademoiselle”
• Mauve Pink: Clinique “Pink Honey”
• Cool Coral: Bobbi Brown “Pink Lily”

Your Everyday Nude: Cool pink-beige

• Try: Charlotte Tilbury “Pillow Talk”

Avoid: Orange, warm browns, bright colors

Cool Summer

Your lipstick personality: Cool, medium, and sophisticated

Your Perfect Shades:

• Berry Pink: MAC “Plumful”
• Cool Rose: NARS “Anna”
• Soft Fuchsia: YSL “Rose Perfecto”
• Dusty Pink: Rare Beauty “Worthy”

Your Everyday Nude: Rosy brown

• Try: Bobbi Brown “Pink Nude”

Avoid: Warm oranges, coral, golden tones

Soft Summer

Your lipstick personality: Muted, cool, and gentle

Your Perfect Shades:

• Dusty Rose: Charlotte Tilbury “Pillow Talk Medium”
• Soft Mauve: MAC “Mehr”
• Muted Berry: Clinique “Black Honey”
• Ash Rose: Chanel “Devotion”

Your Everyday Nude: Muted pink-brown

• Try: NARS “Dolce Vita”

Avoid: Bright colors, warm tones, high contrast

Autumn Lipstick Colors

Warm Autumn

Your lipstick personality: Rich, warm, and earthy

Your Perfect Shades:

• Brick Red: MAC “Chili”
• Rust: Charlotte Tilbury “Walk of No Shame”
• Warm Brown: Bobbi Brown “Burnt Orange”
• Terracotta: Tom Ford “Flame”

Your Everyday Nude: Warm brown-nude

• Try: MAC “Taupe”

Avoid: Cool pinks, blue-based reds, mauve

Soft Autumn

Your lipstick personality: Muted, warm, and natural

Your Perfect Shades:

• Soft Terracotta: Rare Beauty “Grateful”
• Muted Coral: Glossier “Jam”
• Rosewood: Charlotte Tilbury “Very Victoria”
• Soft Brown: Clinique “Tenderheart”

Your Everyday Nude: Warm beige-pink

• Try: Bobbi Brown “Beige”

Avoid: Bright colors, cool tones, high contrast

Deep Autumn

Your lipstick personality: Deep, warm, and luxurious

Your Perfect Shades:

• Burgundy Brown: MAC “Film Noir”
• Deep Rust: Pat McGrath “Full Blooded”
• Chocolate: Tom Ford “Black Dahlia”
• Burnt Orange: NARS “Fire Down Below”

Your Everyday Nude: Deep caramel

• Try: Fenty Beauty “Freckle Fiesta”

Avoid: Pastels, cool pinks, light colors

Winter Lipstick Colors

Clear Winter

Your lipstick personality: Bold, cool, and high-contrast

Your Perfect Shades:

• True Red: MAC “Ruby Woo”
• Hot Pink: YSL “Le Fuchsia”
• Vivid Berry: Dior “Rouge”
• Electric Coral: NARS “Heat Wave”

Your Everyday Nude: Pink-beige with clarity

• Try: Charlotte Tilbury “Pillow Talk Intense”

Avoid: Muted colors, warm browns, dusty shades

Cool Winter

Your lipstick personality: Cool, bright, and striking

Your Perfect Shades:

• Blue-Red: Chanel “Pirate”
• Cool Fuchsia: MAC “All Fired Up”
• Raspberry: Clinique “Raspberry Glace”
• Cherry: Tom Ford “Cherry Lush”

Your Everyday Nude: Cool taupe-pink

• Try: MAC “Velvet Teddy”

Avoid: Warm colors, orange, golden tones

Deep Winter

Your lipstick personality: Deep, cool, and dramatic

Your Perfect Shades:

• Burgundy: MAC “Diva”
• Deep Berry: Pat McGrath “Venom Rose”
• Plum: NARS “Liv”
• Wine: Charlotte Tilbury “Glastonberry”

Your Everyday Nude: Deep mauve

• Try: Fenty Beauty “Unveil”

Avoid: Light colors, warm tones, muted shades

Universal Lipstick Tips by Season

Finish Recommendations

Clear Seasons: Satin, glossy, or matte—all work with your clarity Soft Seasons: Satin or balm finishes complement your gentleness Light Seasons: Glossy or satin enhances your delicate coloring Deep Seasons: Matte or satin shows your color depth beautifully

Application Tips by Contrast Level

High Contrast (Clear seasons, some Winters):

• Full, defined lips work well
• Can handle bold lip liner
• Statement lips balance your features

Medium Contrast (Most Springs, Cool types):

• Balanced application
• Soft liner or none
• Natural but polished finish

Low Contrast (Soft seasons, Light types):

• Blurred, soft edges
• Skip harsh liner
• Gradient or bitten lip effect works

Shopping Strategies

Budget-Friendly Options by Season

Springs: e.l.f., Milani, ColourPop warm shades Summers: Maybelline, L’Oreal cool pinks Autumns: NYX, Revlon earth tones Winters: Rimmel, CoverGirl bold shades

Investment Pieces

Worth splurging on your perfect shade:

• One everyday nude in your season
• One power color for special occasions
• One “my lips but better” shade

Common Lipstick Mistakes by Season

Spring Mistakes

• Wearing cool mauves (drains warmth)
• Going too muted (loses your brightness)

Summer Mistakes

• Choosing warm corals (clashes with coolness)
• Going too bright (overpowers delicate coloring)

Autumn Mistakes

• Wearing cool pinks (looks unnatural)
• Choosing clear brights (too harsh)

Winter Mistakes

• Wearing warm browns (muddy effect)
• Going too muted (loses impact)

Find Your Perfect Formula

Different seasons often prefer different formulas:

Best for Clear/Bright Seasons:

• Liquid lipsticks (high impact)
• Glossy finishes (enhances brightness)

Best for Soft/Muted Seasons:

• Tinted balms (natural enhancement)
• Satin finishes (gentle color)

Best for Light Seasons:

• Sheer formulas (delicate color)
• Glosses (light-reflecting)

Best for Deep Seasons:

• Full coverage formulas (rich color)
• Matte finishes (sophisticated depth)

Get Your Complete Color Analysis

Still unsure about your season? Niatteru’s AI-powered analysis reveals:

• Your exact seasonal subtype
• 20+ personalized lipstick recommendations
• Complete makeup palette
• Shopping guides for your favorite brands

Find Your Perfect Lipstick Colors →

Your Lipstick Journey

Finding your perfect lipstick shades transforms your makeup routine from guesswork to confidence. When you wear lipsticks that harmonize with your natural coloring, you need less makeup overall—your lips become a natural focal point that brings your whole face to life.

Remember: These are guidelines, not rules. Use them to discover what makes you feel most confident and beautiful. Your perfect lipstick is the one that makes you smile when you see yourself in the mirror.

Pro tip: Take a photo of this guide’s section for your season—screenshot it for easy shopping reference!