Lipstick can be subtle, glamorous or flirty, adding the final touch to your day or evening makeup.

Choose a color that complements the natural shade of your lips and skin. Plums, wines and deep reds flatter a dark skin tone, while light-brown beiges with pink or orange undertones complement a lighter skin tone. Olive skin looks good with brownish reds, light browns and raisin shades of lipstick.

Keep colors lighter for daytime and darker for night. Matte and cream finishes offer a subtler daytime look, while a high-gloss finish adds glamour for evening. A sheer, natural-looking color with a little shine also works well for day.

Experiment. Head to your local department store and ask a makeup artist to test different shades on your lips. Whenever possible, check in natural light to see how the color really looks with your complexion.

Create your own shade by combining colors. If the shades you find don't completely satisfy you, mix your own color. The easiest way to do this is by applying each color to your lips with a lip brush, then blending with the brush on your lips.

Opt for a lip liner that is a shade darker than your lipstick and in the same color family.

Line lips after applying lipstick, not before. That way you won't end up with a dark circle of lip liner after your lipstick has worn off.

Try a colored gloss or lip tint for a sheer hint of lip color.

Buy the colors that look good on you'not the ones that look good in the tube.

Deep or bold lip color complements light eye makeup, while light or nude lipstick flatters heavy eye makeup.