With 10 DIVAZ Lip Gloss shades to choose from, the most useful guide isn’t how fair or deep your complexion is, but its undertone: the cool, warm or neutral base tone beneath your skin that changes how a lip colour looks in the mirror. Once you know which undertone group you belong to, you can narrow the choice from ten shades to two or three that really suit your lips, from a subtle shade for an everyday look to a bolder one for an evening out.
- Undertone matters more than how fair your complexion is when you’re choosing a gloss shade that won’t look dull or out of place.
- The vein test and the jewellery test, done in natural light, give you a quick answer and can be used to check each other.
- The 10 DIVAZ shades fall into three undertone families, each with a subtle option and a more intense one.
- A neutral undertone means more freedom of choice, not one “right” shade you have to find.
How to tell what your undertone is
Your undertone is your skin’s base colour, which stays the same even if your complexion tans in summer or gets lighter in winter. It’s useful to know your undertone before choosing a gloss because the same shade can look natural on one undertone and ashy or out of place on another, regardless of how fair or deep that complexion is. The good news is that you don’t need a lab test, just a few simple checks, preferably done in daylight in a naturally bright room, not under a yellow bulb.
The vein test
Look at the veins on the inside of your wrist, where the skin is thin. If they look blue or purple, you probably have a cool undertone; if they look more greenish, your undertone is warm (source: L'Oréal Paris). The test works best in natural light, because artificial bulbs can change the tone you perceive.
The jewellery test
The second check is to see which metals look best on you. Gold jewellery usually brings out a warm undertone, while silver does the same for a cool undertone; if both seem equally flattering, your undertone is probably neutral (source: Maybelline). You can also confirm the result with a third method: hold a piece of white fabric under your chin, again in daylight, and watch the reflection on your skin. A pinkish or reddish appearance indicates a cool undertone, while a yellowish or golden one indicates a warm undertone (source: L'Oréal Paris). When all three tests point in the same direction, you can go straight to the matching shade group below.
DIVAZ shades for a cool undertone
On a cool undertone, shades based on pink with a hint of purple or raspberry red tend to look natural on the lips, while warm, orange-based shades can seem out of place with the rest of your complexion (source: Parade, via AOL). Three shades from the DIVAZ range work well for this undertone, from a subtle option to a more intense one.
The most subtle option in this group is Lip Gloss 03: a dusty pink with a cool undertone that works just as well at the office as it does for a date when you don’t want heavy makeup. One step bolder is a raspberry pink with a cool undertone, Lip Gloss 38, made for a more noticeable evening look. The most intense option in the group is Lip Gloss 39, a pink shade close to ripe raspberry that visibly transforms an evening look from the very first application.
If you want to see a full progression of pink shades, from the most subtle to the most intense, the article about DIVAZ’s range of pink shades takes a closer look at this colour alone.
DIVAZ shades for a warm undertone
On a warm undertone, shades with peach, coral or terracotta bases complement your complexion rather than creating contrast, because they are close to the natural tones your skin already has (source: Parade, via AOL). Four shades from the DIVAZ range suit this undertone.
The most subtle option is Lip Gloss 14: a warm brick pink, close to the natural colour of the lips, that fits easily into a daytime look. For a warm undertone and bronze-toned makeup, Lip Gloss 26 adds a more noticeable terracotta tint. A brick coral with a subtle orange undertone, Lip Gloss 34, works well in a summer look, while Lip Gloss 36, a warm, saturated coral, is the choice for anyone who wants the shade to stand out straight away, even in a single coat.
DIVAZ shades for a neutral undertone or when you’re not sure
A neutral undertone can suit both cool and warm shades, with no single right direction, giving you more freedom of choice (source: Maybelline). If the tests above haven’t given you a clear answer, or you simply want a versatile shade, three shades from the DIVAZ range are worth considering.
Of the three, Lip Gloss 35 is the safest choice: a light powder pink for daytime makeup when you don’t want to risk a shade that’s too pronounced. Lip Gloss 19, a balanced dusty pink, works just as well in the morning at work as it does for an evening out, precisely because it sits in the middle, between cool pink and warm pink, without leaning noticeably towards either. A salmon pink between pink and peach, Lip Gloss 37, works on fair and medium complexions and is a good option if you want to try a warmer shade without moving completely away from the neutral group. If the natural colour of your lips matters to your choice, the article about DIVAZ nude shades explores this factor in detail.
From a subtle shade to a bold one in the same family
Once you’ve identified your undertone group, there’s just one decision left: how noticeable you want the shade to be. The lightweight formula of DIVAZ glosses makes this simple, because the product descriptions explain that a thin layer leaves a subtle finish for an everyday look, while a second layer applied over the first visibly intensifies the colour for an occasion when you want your makeup to stand out more.
In practice, the easiest way to try an undertone group is to start with its most subtle option, applied in a thin layer, for an everyday look. If the shade looks right and you feel comfortable wearing it, you can move on to the bolder option in the same group for a special occasion, or add a second layer over the first shade for more intensity without completely changing the colour direction. For anyone who wants a more defined outline before applying gloss, the combinations in the lip liner and lip gloss pairing guide show how the two products complement each other within the same shade family.
If you’re choosing between a coloured formula and a more sheer one, coverage is a separate factor to consider alongside undertone; the article about coloured or clear gloss explores this. In any case, it’s worth remembering that no shade is “guaranteed” to be perfect based on a quick test alone: the surrounding light and the natural tone of your lips still influence the final result, and the tests above are cosmetic pointers, not a diagnosis. The descriptions of each DIVAZ shade come from the product copy, not from an independent measurement, so the safest next step is to compare the shades that seem right for you directly in the DIVAZ Lip Gloss collection and see how each one looks in the photos showing it on the lips. For more makeup guides, you can also browse the other articles on the DIVAZ blog.