Opt for sheer over matte

Sure, matte may look striking on insta, but in reality, it can often make olive skin look a bit meh. Instead, according to Make-up artist Sonia Deveney opt for a sheer finish, ‘I like it when you can see through the lip colour to the lip.”  This is a great way to check if the colour works with your yellow/green undertones too. “Tinted balms are perfect for this,’ recommends Sonia. The sheer finish is perfect if you’re nervous about application overall too, as they’ll add colour – but just a veil, so you can customise how much you apply to suit your olive skin.

 

We love By Terry’s Hyaluronic Sheer Rouge in Nudissimo, or Glossier Ultralip in Villa for a bit more warmth.

Add a bit of warmth

Want a nude but also keen to amp up your undertones? Make-up artist Jessica Kell has the answer: ‘Nude lipsticks that lean into bright shades are the trick to complimenting warm and cool olive skin.” Think soft corals and pale peaches that will work with the yellow undertones and complement the green in your skin.

 

“Try Charlotte Tilbury Matte Revolution in Sexy Sienna.” Recommends Jessica, “As this works really well on both pale olive and deep olive skin tones.”

Mix it up

If you’ve bought a colour and it doesn’t look quite right with your olive skin, there’s no need to throw it away – just mix a dab of another product in whether a lipstick or a cream blush to customise the colour to suit you.  This is a great way to start a lipstick wardrobe – a series of shades that you can pull out and cater to whatever your make-up look that day.

No need for the perfect match

Remember that nude lipstick doesn’t have to be the same colour as your skin, but rather a colour that sits on the neutral spectrum. If you find that trying to match it it your skin doesn’t work for your yellow/green undertones go for a colour that will complement instead. A soft rose pink or a hint of bronze or even a little bit of orange will look great on your olive skin.