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It’s part of our routine. We wake up in the morning and make sure to put some color on our lips, and we check in the mirror during the day to reapply. We’re not just choosing that perfect shade based on what goes best with our complexion either. There’s a lot more that goes into your perfect bold lip or that subtle nude you prefer as your go-to than you ever even realized.

The fact is, the shade of lipstick you choose actually says something about your personality and how others view you. It’s true. Your lipstick color matches your personality, and that’s not just lip service. Psychology backs it up!

1. Bold red

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If this is your “go-to” color, it means you’re creative, bold, adventurous, passionate, and confident enough to walk around in a shade that draws attention. You’re daring and ambitious, and won’t let things like convention slow you down. This is the color associated with old Hollywood glamour. Marilyn Monroe was an icon of fashion, but she was and still is the pinnacle of feminine self-confidence. She owned her beauty, and she never apologized for it.

Dr. Jennifer Baumgartnerpsychologist and author of “You Are What You Wear: What Your Clothes Say About You,” said that red lipstick is all about owning the strength that you already have within you. She said, “Red lipstick is the ultimate power colour. When a woman wears red lipstick, she is sending a message that she is confident and in control.”

It makes sense that the women’s suffrage movement adopted the color as a symbol of defiance. “In order to gain more notoriety and attention to their cause, some ladies would wear lipstick to their public events. This was seen as the mark of the independent, emancipated woman, which at the time was thought to be quite scandalous. This subversive action would have brought censure from men, and some women who regarded these women as morally lacking,” Gabriela Hernandez, cosmetics historian and founder of Bésame Cosmetics, told Teen Vogue.

If red is your signature shade, you are a person who embraces all the facets of being a woman, and you wield it like a weapon because it is one. You are strong and bold, but still appreciate your own femininity. You are many things all at once, and you never apologize for it.

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2. Perfect pink

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This shade lets everyone know you’re sociable, bubbly, friendly, and outgoing. You’re the kind of person who’s attractive, not just in looks but in personality, and people love to be around you. You tend to make people smile and try to see the excitement in the small things. That outgoing personality might also hide a mischievous side, proving that there’s an edge to your sweetness.

“The impact of the color pink, particularly when worn as makeup or hair color, extends beyond mere aesthetics; it has psychological and social implications,” Kim Homan, licensed therapist and clinical director at Tennessee Behavioral Health, told Vogue. “Pink, traditionally associated with qualities of compassion, love, and understanding, can influence both the wearer’s mood and the perception of those around them.” In fact, wearing pink is a decision. These women convey a mood and are unapologetic in embracing what critics might describe as infantile or vapid.

Dr. Victoria ZicklerColor Psychologist, noted, “Pink is often associated with emotions like love, nurturing, and comfort, making it a popular color choice for lipstick. Pink lipstick can make the wearer feel more approachable, friendly, and attractive to others.” But that’s where the mischief comes in because yes, a woman who prefers pink lipstick is friendly and sweet and youthful, but that’s also what she wants you to perceive. She holds her cards close to her chest and reveals her true self only to those she truly trusts.

3. Natural nude

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You’re loving, friendly, and mature at the same time. You tend to be sympathetic and empathetic of others, and are willing to take the leap of faith, especially when it involves trusting other people. You can be a bit shy, but once you open up, people cannot get enough of your warm personality.

The thing about a nude lip, if done right, is that it accentuates your natural lip color. It doesn’t advertise that you are wearing lipstick, but it does accentuate your mouth. Founder of rms and makeup artist Rose-Marie explained, “It’s like reverting back to when you’re younger and you have more natural color to your lips. As you age, you lose your color, so nudes — if you get the right color — can enhance your lips so that they look like they did when you were really young.”

This is the quintessential shade for someone who is an expert at the no-makeup look. And as a personality type, it shouts perfection but also tells the world, “I’m effortless,” even though you put in a huge amount of effort. You are a person who wants to be taken seriously as a whole and not just for one facet of your persona. You are the sum of all your parts, and so is your look. Every piece of your presentation is perfected, so nothing stands out, but as a whole, it is stunning.

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4. Dark berry and plum

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You have no problem letting the world know you’re cultured, independent, reliable, and driven, while still being daring and bold. You don’t want to be just another face in the crowd, but you want to draw attention in a refined way. As Vogue noted, if “wine-stained lips are a beauty staple … you like things to be precise and orderly but aren’t afraid to be heard, certainly not a wallflower or one for blending in.”

The ease with which you can go from brunch and museums to gothic and geeky makes you the one your friends go to for advice on all things fashion. And according to the color psychologists at Pantone“You revel in the power of your sensuality. You also like drama and are an all-or-nothing person — doing things halfway has never appealed to you.”

Color psychology expert and stylist Elizabeth Kosich wrote, “Plum lips are sometimes just as dark and stormy as the wearer. Those who choose raisin-colored lipsticks project an air of sophistication, intrigue, and sensuality that makes others notice. This woman is intellectual, classy, and mysterious, and she expects others to take her as seriously as she takes herself.”

5. Statement black

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Whether it’s the darkest blues, blackest reds, or purest blacks, you have no problem showing off your daring personality. You can be intimidating and seem unapproachable, and even if you enjoy the company of others, you tend to be the type of person who doesn’t mix well with everyone. You also have no problem making your opinions known.

Pantone color psychologists noted that you are the type of person who doesn’t give a “hoot” about what’s considered acceptable by the general masses and “will go out of your way to flout traditional norms.” You’re uncompromising in your beliefs, and you’re confident.

According to Jolie Beautyblack lipstick has its origins in ancient Mesopotamia, but throughout history, it seemed to flourish in counterculture movements, until the ’90s. Once grunge took hold, black lipstick made itself known as a fashion choice, and it’s flourished since then, becoming an expression of a rebellious personality in the most glamorous way possible.

6. Lip balm

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You value practicality above most things, like skipping color and just swiping on some clear gloss or lip balm. You’re mature, versatile, and tend to follow the rules. You have a quiet sort of confidence in the way you own your natural lips and are determined to be yourself and not let other people change you.

Kosich put it best, writing, “She speaks her mind unapologetically and expects others to take it or leave it. This woman typically has range — athletic prowess, intellectual rigor, global citizenship, doyenne status — which is why she’s far too busy to bother with lipstick. But rest assured, there’s a drugstore lip moisturizer in her pocket, because she’s too sensible to buy a big-name brand.”

The lip balm woman knows that the foundation of true beauty is health, and she’s probably got a skincare routine that would put Korean beauty enthusiasts to shame. Just because she isn’t bothered by trendy makeup applications doesn’t mean she doesn’t care about how she looks. She just prefers to let the care she puts into her overall Read shine.

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Estee Kahn is a writer, amateur photographer, and former YourTango contributor who writes all about dating, relationships, friendships, lifestyle, and family.