Every woman needs a great shade of lipstick, whether she’s dressing up for a special occasion, or wearing it every day. But have you heard that certain shades make your teeth look whiter? That may seem crazy because at the end of the day when you take your lipstick off, your teeth are the same shade of white. But optical illusions are real. That’s why we wear dresses that cinch at our waist, or wear a certain shade of eyeshadow that makes our eyes pop. So yes – certain lipstick shades will make your teeth look brighter, or more dull.

Fun Fact: there are warm and cool undertones that play a very important part in how white your teeth look! Warm nude lipstick might look great with your skin, but the undertones will make your teeth take on a warmer look, which isn’t ideal. Stay away from the warm nudes and orange-ish reds.

Cool undertones will make your teeth look far from yellow. The coolness will make the white pop and make your teeth look whiter than they are! Opt for nudes with cool undertones, and reds with a blue undertone.

Now that we know what we’re looking for, here’s a list of some of our favorite shades!

Joy by Smile Swag

Smile Swag is our all time favorite lipstick! Smile Swag was started by Dr. Alex Naini, a dentist in Virginia. She created this lipstick line with your smile in mind! All of her lip colors are blue based, so your smile will look whiter and brighter! They go on creamy, and then dry to a gorgeous matte finish. For a dark shade of red, we love Joy. It’s a great alternative for the classic red, and it’ll make your smile pop!

Patsy Red by Charlotte Tilbury

Every woman needs a classic red lipstick, right? Patsy Red by Charlotte Tilbury is a beautiful, blue toned red lip! Look fabulous with a bold red lip, and look even better with a smile that appears whiter!

Believe by Smile Swag

Another great lip shade from Smile Swag is Believe. It’s the perfect nude color! It has blue undertones and looks great on just about everyone. A lot of nudes tend to be warm, making your teeth look a little yellow. Try this shade and enjoy the subtle look while effortlessly making your teeth look brighter!

Love Drunk by Urban Decay

Urban Decay has rolled out so many great colors! Try Love Drunk for a mid tone berry color. This is a great blue based color that is great to transition from any occasion. From the office to drinks with your gal pal, this color is a stunner.

Snob by MAC

Light pink shades are so perfect for a fun occasion, or even just to add some color to a neutral outfit! Keep your smile looking fresh and check out Snob by MAC. This light pink shade is so flattering and won’t dim your pearly whites.

Lipstick shades can be hard to find, but as long as you stick to cool undertones, your teeth will look amazing. Comment your favorite shades that make your smile look bright!