Blue-based red

Blue-based reds sit on the pink and berry side of true red. In this encyclopedia that means a hue angle below the narrow band of neutral reds, and the shade is labelled cool. Many classic red lipsticks are blue-based, and the deepest of them shade into crimson and wine.

The blue lean makes the colour look crisp and clean rather than fiery. Under the colour-theory guideline used on this site, blue-based reds suit cool and neutral undertones. The opposite is a warm red, which leans toward orange and suits warm and neutral undertones.

The difference is easiest to see side by side. Next to a warm red, a blue-based red looks pinker or more crimson, and the warm red looks more orange or brick. A swatch of each on the inner arm shows the gap in colour, and a comparison page shows it in numbers. Light blue-based reds are classed as pink rather than red.