Although plum and berry-toned lipsticks typically compliment the different shades of south Asian skin because of their olive-tone, it is still possible to pick one that doesn’t suit you. Some, for example, can be too dark and this draws light away from the face making it look smaller and more drawn in. Picking the right one however will enliven your complexion and bring warmth to your face. So to help, we’re tried and tested many to find you the best ones on the market, currently. 💋

If you are looking for a lipstick with the shine of a gloss, then the Tarteist Glossy Lip Paint in the charmingly named WCW, is the perfect product. It’s a deep plum that looks deliciously vampy and goth. It’s great for a night-out. Because it has the texture of a lip gloss, it does need to be applied a few times to ensure even coverage, is sticky and does transfer easily. However, it feels lovely and smooth on the lips, is moisturising and comes in a wonderfully small travel-sized pack that’s great on the go. And the best part? It’s vegan. :)

Another well-name lipstick; Ladies Night, a Huda Beauty Power Bullet Matte Lipstick is absolutely gorgeous. The colour when worn, is a beautiful, bold burgundy that is very complimentary to olive-toned skin, thanks to the vibrancy it brings. The lipstick is highly pigmented, has a matte, velvet finish and is comfortable to wear. The product has a convenient shape too, with a decidedly pointy tip which is great for tracing around the corners of your mouth to line your lips before you fill them in. And thanks to the stellar design of the packaging, will also look great on your dressing table.

It would be difficult to have a best-lipstick list without mentioning a MAC lipstick, such is the quality of their products. And in this list, we’ve included MAC’s Matte Lipstick in Diva. The red wine-like shade is highly pigmented so you don’t need much to achieve your look. Although it is creamy to apply, the texture can be drying so wear a lip balm underneath the lipstick and keep one on hand to reapply over your lipstick, if need be. It also needs a lip liner because it can bleed. However because of it’s blue undertones, it really brightens brown skin and could even be used for a wonderful, matte day look.

Bourjois’ Rouge Edition Velvet in Grand Cru is rather the opposite of the Tarteist Glossy Lip Paint because it feels like a gloss but applies like a lipstick. The gorgeous cherry shade dries down to a buttery velvet finish and brilliantly, fades into a stain so there’s always colour on your lips. It can feel a little sticky/tacky on the lips and there is a risk of transfer. However, because of the velvet finish the consistency of the product is quite mousse-like that is moisturising and highly pigmented.

Last but not least, is the Maybelline Superstar Ink Crayon lipstick in Dare to Dream. The blooming, magenta pink shade is so pretty and easy to apply thanks to precision tip. It has a great formula that is creamy and comfortable. The gorgeous shade is matte and gives a wonderful ‘just bitten’ look that can be worn even during the day. Although you may have to reapply it over several hours, it is thin and nifty enough to carry around in your bag.