The Ultimate Guide to Lipstick and Wine Pairings
This story originally appeared on Allure.
You are what you drink. That's how the saying goes, right? Well, now you can wear what you drink, too, minus the stain remover. Let our totally unscientific method and sweeping personality generalizations show you how your go-to wine order can help you find the perfect lipstick to leave on the rim of that wine glass.
Rosé
Can summer even start if you haven't had a glass of rosé? Everybody's favorite all-purpose wine was made for day drinking. Brunches, patios, beaches—rosé is outdoorsy, so you don't have to be. You like it because it's light, fun, and goes with everything, so pick a your-lips-but-better shade to match your easygoing style. We like Chanel Rouge Coco Shine Hydrating Sheer Lipshine in Boy for fair skin, Tom Ford Lip Color in Pink Dusk for medium tones, and Laura Mercier Stickgloss Lip Colour in Brown Sugar for darker complexions.
Light Reds
If your corkscrew is friendly with jammy red wines, like pinot noir, zinfandel, or gamay, chances are that you like to make an impact, not overwhelm. You're a bona fide grown-up, but you don't take yourself too seriously; the crisp work styles and weekend basics in your closet are liberally studded with the latest Zara finds. Roll with your serious but not intimidating attitude by adding a sheer berry lip with Urban Decay Sheer Revolution Lipstick in Shame or Lipstick Queen Saint Lipstick in Berry.
Full-Bodied Reds
Leave the crayon-colored wines for the kids: If you're a sucker for cabernet sauvignon, malbec, or Syrah, then you like things bold but not too wild. Sate your craving for richness with a dark-plum shade, like Yves Saint Laurent Rouge Pur Couture The Mats Lipstick in Prune Virgin or Bobbi Brown Luxe Lip Color in Plum Brandy. Bonus: The blue tones in these regal shades also make teeth look whiter, so no wine mouth!
Rich Whites
We know what you're thinking—red lipstick for white wine? Hear us out. Drinkers who favor rich white wine (think oaky chardonnay or viognier) like things lighter than their red-swilling counterparts but still appreciate a classic with some heft. You've been known to grab a glass over lunch, you have a Google alert for "French-girl style," and you've secretly tried to make one of Gwyneth Paltrow's turmeric lattes (with mixed results). Embrace what you love and opt for a can't-go-wrong red lip, like the perpetual best-seller M.A.C. Lipstick in Ruby Woo or Stila Stay All Day Liquid Lipstick in Fiery.
Crisp Whites
Those who go for the drier, more tart flavors of pinot grigio, sauvignon blanc, and gruner veltliner want a little more bite out of life. Your wardrobe's full of as many bright colors as your eye-shadow collection, and you've definitely gone on at least one spontaneous road trip, but that doesn't mean you're flighty. You're the friend everybody calls when they need honest life advice—preferably over a glass of wine! Your daring and demure sides will meet in the middle with a creamy fuchsia shade. We like Rimmel London Moisture Renew Lipstick in Back to Fuchsia and Iman Luxury Moisturizing Lipstick in Flirtatious.
Bubbly
Ain't no party like a champagne party 'cause a champagne party has you! Sparkling wine is a hallmark of good times; whether it's in Saturday-morning mimosas or vintage coupes at a cocktail party, when the bubbly comes out, the fun starts. Be forever party-ready but never overdone by keeping a matte pink lipstick with you at all times. Try Too Faced Melted Matte Lipstick in 1998 or Nars Velvet Matte Lip Pencil in Roman Holiday.
Sweet Wine
Once upon a time, sweet wines, like sherry, vermouth, and Madeira, were the purview of your grandma. But just like midi skirts, comfortable mules, and full brows, what's old is new (and awesome) again. If these fortified punch-packers are your go-to, you've got your finger on the pulse of the next big thing before anybody else realizes it's cool. Match your style with a cool-once-more brown shade. If you can't get your hands on the forever sold-out Kylie Lip Kit in True Brown K, you'll look just as sweet (ha!) in Anastasia Beverly Hills Liquid Lipstick in Sepia or Jeffree Star Cosmetics Lipstick in Dominatrix.
Orange
Orange wine is like rosé's street-style-star sister: It's pretty, it's trendy, and it's, well, slightly confusing to onlookers. Keep that Iris Afpel "Is it cool or just weird?" vibe going with an over-the-top pink, like Kat Von D Studded Kiss Lipstick in Sexer, or a stunning orange, like Maybelline New York Color Sensational Vivids in Electric Orange. Or go full Rihanna with the vibrant-green NYX Cosmetics Wicked Lippie in Risque or the intensely purple ColourPop Lippie Stix in Leather.