Fashion & Beauty

Our Favorite 11 Nude Lipsticks To Spice Up Your Look

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Do you reach for a bright red lipstick when you want to feel powerful? Do you swipe on a pretty pink gloss when you’re in a romantic mood? Do you reach for a dark plum when you’re going for a retro ‘90s look? 

The color we choose to wear on our lips is similar to the clothes we choose to wear on our backs. Different colors and different looks evoke different feelings – and it’s all about having a variety of go-to lipsticks that can channel any feeling or vibe or mood.

Yet despite the thousands of lipsticks and lip colors that exist, sometimes the ones we’re in the mood to wear are the ones that look pretty much like our own lips, without all the added pigments, gloss or high shine. 

And when it’s a natural, easy, barely-there makeup look we want, there’s one color that we rely on to create our best look:

Nude.

Nude lipsticks come in a huge range of colors, formulas, textures, and feels. But they all have the same purpose … to make us look like we’re hardly wearing any lipstick at all!

Looking for a great nude to give you that perfect, natural look? Here are our 11 favorite nude lipsticks to add to your makeup routine now. 

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Charlotte Tilbury Matte Revolution

Charlotte Tilbury Matte Revolution

Fenty Beauty Slip Shine Sheer Shiny Lipstick

Fenty Beauty Slip Shine Sheer Shiny Lipstick

Tom Ford’s Lip Color Lipstick

Tom Ford’s Lip Color Lipstick

Chantecaille Lip Veil

Chantecaille Lip Veil

NARS Air Matte Liquid Lipstick

NARS Air Matte Liquid Lipstick

How to Choose the Right Shade of Nude Lipstick

When we talk about nude lipstick, we’re not talking about one specific shade. Everyone has a different skin tone, so what’s nude for one person isn’t necessarily nude for the next person. Your nude lipstick is one that’s either the same shade or one shade darker than your natural lip, so it all depends on what your natural lip color is.

For people with darker skin tones, the perfect nude will be considerably deeper than the best nudes for people with fair skin and medium skin tones. The trick to finding the perfect nude is to know the undertone of your skin and pick a neutral hue that’s slightly cooler or warmer than that undertone.

For people with fair skin, a peachy nude or a pale pink lipstick is usually the way to go. If you have medium or olive undertones, shades of mauve and toffee tend to work well. People with darker skin can go bolder with a nude that’s as deep as dark cocoa.

From beige nude to dark taupe, lipsticks come in every shade imaginable, so it’s just a matter of finding the one that works best with your natural lip color without totally washing you out. When in doubt, go a shade darker. If it doesn’t read “nude,” you can always wear it as a colorful alternative. The worst thing you can do is to choose a shade that’s so light, it looks like you have no lips at all!

When Should You Wear a Nude Lipstick?

A nude lip is perfect for those moments when you want to create a natural look. But it’s not just for wearing to the gym or to the Saturday morning farmer’s market. A nude lip is also a great way to balance out a glam look for night.

When you opt for a full-blown smoky eye or go heavy on the mascara, eyeshadow, and false lashes, a nude lip is a great way to create some balance. Why? Because when you have colorful eyeshadow, dark eyes, or intense lashes, a nude lip won’t try to fight for attention!

How to Apply Nude Lipstick

Like all of the skin on all parts of our bodies, it’s important to keep the lips hydrated to maintain a soft, supple feel.

It’s always best to wear a hydrating, nourishing lipstick that moisturizes the lips while delivering the pigment you want. But if your perfect nude shade happens to be a somewhat drier formula, you can add moisturizer to your lips with a nourishing lip primer or lip treatment first.

Drugstore products, such as Burt’s Bees 100% Natural Moisturizing Lip Balm and Aquaphor’s Lip Protectant with SPF 30, are inexpensive and effective ways to keep your lips soft and hydrated all day long. Apply them a few minutes before putting on your lipstick and liner to give them a chance to sink into the skin, and even the driest lipstick crayon will go on like butter.

Want to give your nude, natural pout a bit more definition? Apply a lip liner in a slightly deeper shade than your nude lipstick. Just be sure to blend out the corners of your mouth so that it looks as natural as possible.

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The 11 Best Nude Lipsticks for Every Skin Tone

Now that you know how to choose your perfect nude hue and how to apply it, it’s time to shop! Here are our favorite nude lipsticks for every skin tone from super fair to deep and dark.

Charlotte Tilbury Matte Revolution

Charlotte Tilbury Matte Revolution

If it’s a matte finish you love, check out the Charlotte Tilbury Matte Revolution lipstick. Available in a range of ultra-pretty and ultra-hydrating nude hues, this lipstick is a must-have in every beauty fanatic’s cosmetic bag.

The Very Victoria shade is inspired by our favorite posh princess, Victoria Beckham. The Cover Star shade is an absolute dream for people with darker skin tones. This lipstick also comes in a slew of vibrant hues and pigments, so when you’re not in a nude mood, you’ll have no trouble finding a stand-out shade!

Chantecaille Lip Veil

Chantecaille Lip Veil

Of all the cosmetic and skincare brands on the market, we can always rely on Chantecaille to deliver the most amazing colors and luxe finishes. Chantecaille is a favorite amongst professional makeup artists as well as beauty fanatics that are willing to spend a little bit more for a lot more luxury.

Jennifer Aniston. Gwyneth Paltrow. Thandie Newton. Emily Blunt. Rosamund Pike. We could go on and on listing all of the celebrities that have rocked Chantecaille beauty products on a red carpet. Just consider yourself warned – when you bring colors and products from this brand into your everyday makeup routine, people will ask you what you’re wearing and where you got it!

When it comes to nude lipsticks, Chantecaille Lip Veil is one of the best. The Honeypot color is an easy, pink nude. The Tamboti hue is warm with a brown tone. Lip Veil lipstick is also super hydrating, so it keeps your lips perfectly moist while delivering the ideal wash of color.

Nars Air Matte Lipstick

Nars Air Matte Lipstick

If you love liquid lipstick, shop the NARS Air Matte Liquid Lipstick for your perfect nude hue. With a range of lipstick shades to choose from, this formula feels super lightweight on the lips, so it’s perfect for wearing from day to night.

Dolce Vita is one of our go-to’s when we’re in a romantic, pink mood. But it’s their Surrender shade that takes our top spot when we’re looking to create a natural and neutral taupe lip. 

Nars Velvet Matte Lip Pencil

Nars Velvet Matte Lip Pencil

Prefer more of a lip crayon to a lipstick? Check out the NARS Velvet Matte Lip Pencil in shades of Bahama, Bettina, and Belle du Jour.

This lip pencil has a matte formula and finish with a smooth velvety feel that doesn’t feel dry on the lips. How is that possible? Because it’s formulated with Vitamin E and other emollients that create a creamy texture and keep your lips feeling as soft and as smooth as can be.

Related: Our 7 Favorite Hypoallergenic Makeup Brands [Buyer’s Guide]

Tom Ford Lip Color Lipstick

Tom Ford Lip Color Lipstick

Tom Ford’s Lip Color Lipstick comes in a bevy of incredible nude shades. From Sable Smoke to Paper Doll, we love this lip color for its full coverage, satin finish, and long-wearing formula. Swipe this across your lips, and you’ll have luminous, fade-resistant color for up to eight hours!

Formulated with Soja seed extract and murumuru butter, this lipstick feels extra-creamy and oh-so-luxe on your lips.

MAC Matte Lipstick

MAC Matte Lipstick

Mac Matte Lipstick is available in more than 30 different colors, including a wide array of nude tones for fair skin, medium skin, and dark skin tones. Honey Love, Velvet Teddy, and Act Natural are some of the most incredible nudes in this lip palette, but there are so many to choose from that it’s hard to pick just one fave.

This matte lipstick is THE perfect way to offset and balance a fully glam, metallic, and colorful MAC eye makeup look!

Huda Beauty Power Bullet Cream Glow Hydrating Lipstick

Huda Beauty Power Bullet Cream Glow Hydrating Lipstick

We gotta give it up to Huda Kattan for turning what began as yet another beauty blog into a half a billion dollar brand. According to Forbes, Huda herself has an estimated net worth of $490 million, and Huda Beauty rakes in a cool $200 million in sales every year.

The next time your mom wants to know why you’re spending soooo much time posting OOTDs on Instagram, throw out those facts!

 From light terracotta nude to rich chocolate brown, Huda Beauty has a nude for every person and every skin tone. We especially love her Power Bullet Cream Glow Hydrating Lipstick with a high shine finish and Vitamin A, C, and E to hydrate and improve the texture of your lips. 

Yves Saint Laurent Rouge Volupte Shine Lipstick Balm

 Saint Laurent Rouge Volupte Shine Lipstick Balm

The Yves Saint Laurent Rouge Volupte Shine Lipstick Balm comes in a wide range of bold, vibrant colors. But if you’re looking for the perfect nude lipstick, check out Nude Sheer, Beige Instinct, and Beige Satin.

Offering different levels of intensity for different skin tones, this lipstick balm offers lots of shine and lots of hydration, the perfect way to create a gorgeous, glowing, natural look.

DIOR Rouge Dior Refillable Lipstick

DIOR Rouge Dior Refillable Lipstick

The DIOR Rouge Dior Refillable Lipstick comes in a huge selection of colors – but it also comes in different finishes, including matte, metallic, and satin.

Whether your skin tone is fair, dark, or somewhere in between, DIOR makes a color that will blend with and enhance your natural lip tone. And when you’re in the mood for something a bit more vibrant, there are plenty of shades to pull off a bold, more glam look as well!

Mented Lip Gloss 

Mented Lip Gloss 

Let’s be honest, not all beauty brands create colors designed with women of color in mind. But Mented does.

Mented Lip Gloss comes in a variety of nude, neutral shades for women with darker skin tones. With colors named Send Nudes and Baby Browns, this gloss makes it easy for people of color to find the perfect nude hue.

In addition to its uniquely dark color palette, beauty fanatics also love Mented lip gloss because it’s buildable and moisturizing without feeling sticky. 

Fenty Beauty Slip Shine Sheer Shiny Lipstick

Fenty Beauty Slip Shine Sheer Shiny Lipstick

You don’t have to be a Rihanna super fan to be a superfan of Fenty Beauty. Rihanna’s Fenty line gets rave reviews not because Rihanna is behind it, but because their products are somewhat amazing.

If you’re on a quest for the perfect nude lipstick, check out the Fenty Beauty Slip Shine Sheer Shiny Lipstick. In shades like Makeout Break and Glazed, this nude lipstick is hydrating and nourishing with a sheer finish that adds just the right amount of color to your pout.

This cruelty-free lipstick also includes pomegranate butter that makes it ultra-creamy and locks in moisture so you’ll always have soft, kissable lips.  

What Is the Best Nude Lipstick?

Choosing “the best” nude lipstick is as impossible as choosing the best concealer or the best foundation – it all depends on your skin type, your skin tone, and what type of look you’re going for.

If you’re hoping to create the ultimate nude lipstick look, you might have to try a few before you find the perfect one. But here’s the good news:

Even the lipsticks that don’t scream “nude” might be perfectly lovely colors!

So don’t toss them away simply because they don’t create that perfect nude look. As long as they complement your skin tone, opt to wear them as slightly darker or lighter colors and rock them whenever you’re not in a nude mood. 

You might also be interested in: How To Whiten Your Teeth Without Damaging Them

Best Nude Lipsticks: 

  1. Charlotte Tilbury Matte Revolution
  2. Chantecaille Lip Veil
  3. NARS Air Matte Liquid Lipstick
  4. NARS Velvet Matte Lip Pencil 
  5. Tom Ford’s Lip Color Lipstick
  6. Mac Matte Lipstick
  7. Huda Beauty Power Bullet Cream Glow Hydrating Lipstick
  8. Yves Saint Laurent Rouge Volupte Shine Lipstick Balm
  9. DIOR Rouge Dior Refillable Lipstick
  10. Mented Lip Gloss 
  11. Fenty Beauty Slip Shine Sheer Shiny Lipstick

Jessica Heston

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