Elizabeth Arden’s National Makeup Artist, Stephen Gaskett (pictured left), gives some good advice on how to choose the perfect red lipstick:

Turn your arm over so you can see the underside of your forearm. Make sure you’re in good light (natural light is best). Have a look at the color of your skin. If you see undertones of yellow or orange, you’re warm-toned. If you have undertones of pink or blue, you’re cool-toned. A good tip is to look at the veins running along your arm. Warm-toned people will have a slight green tint to their veins. Cool-toned people will have bluey/ purple veins.

For warm toned skin, choose a lipstick with an orange or yellow base. For cool toned skin choose a lipstick with a blue base – no orange tones.

Some lipsticks fall between warm and cool. This is called a ‘true red’. These lipsticks are perfect because they suit any skin tone.

Insider tip: To choose the right lipstick for you, wear neutral coloured make-up and wear an off-white shirt or something in a pale neutral colour. This is so your eye will not judge the lipstick in relation to your clothing.