It's the season for showing your biggest, brightest smile. In addition to teeth-whitening strips and treatments, choosing the right lipstick shade can take your sparkling smile to megawatt status. Choosing the wrong color can also make your teeth look dull, darker and sometimes like they're yellowing. The first thing you want to do is say no to warmer tones, says Zahra Eram, founder of Eram Dental Clinic in Zurich. "Too many warm tones and colors that lean towards brown, beige and orange tones can make your teeth look yellow," she says. To give your teeth an instant brightening effect, choose shades that are on the cool side of the color wheel.
Featured Experts
- Zahra Eram is the founder of Eram Dental Clinic in Zurich
- Lauren Becker, DDS is a board-certified cosmetic dentist in New York
- Joe Kravitz, DDS is a board-certified cosmetic dentist in Rockville, MD
- Guy M. Lewis, DDS is a board-certified cosmetic dentist in Houston
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Dr. Becker says when in doubt, a good rule of thumb is to think darker colors so your teeth pop against it but remain in the cool blue and purple family. She notes that you can never go wrong with a pop of Chanel Rouge in Pirate.
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Eram says her drugstore favorite blue-based reds are Red from Revlon and Monte Carlo from NYX. "These will give you your whitest smile on a budget," she adds.
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"I always recommend Crest Whitening for an at-home solution or a visit to your dentist for a whitening first," adds New York cosmetic dentist Lauren Becker, DDS, who likes the Rare Beauty Inspire shade. "That way, when you pair your cool-toned lipstick with it, they’re sure to be bright white."
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This bold, intense blue-red offers a comfortable, long-lasting wear that enhances your smile’s natural brightness. “Think of your smile as a stage: the lips are the curtains, the teeth are the stars and the gums are the supporting cast,” says Rockville, MD cosmetic dentist Joe Kravitz, DDS. A 2023 study even confirmed that cool-toned lipsticks can create the appearance of brighter teeth by enhancing the contrast between lips and teeth.
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