Plum lipsticks for medium skin

Plum lipsticks are deep purple shades, from reddish aubergine to dark violet. They sit on the cool side of the colour wheel and read as a strong, dark lip. A plum with more red in it moves towards berry; one with more blue reads closer to violet, and a lower chroma makes it look dusty rather than jewel-like. For medium skin this page uses a reference lightness of L* 55. Contrast between lip colour and skin decides how strongly a shade stands out, and medium skin sits in the middle of the range, so shades of every depth are listed here, from very light to deep. Nudes are listed only when their lightness is within 18 L* points of the reference.

42 plum shades listed for medium skin, grouped by undertone.

Last verified 24 October 2026. How we measure.