Unless you know what to look for, finding your perfect nude lipstick can be as tricky as finding a needle in a haystack.
Because just like choosing your foundation or concealer, the most suitable nude lipstick is entirely dependent on what’s unique to you; be it your skin tone, hair colour, or personal preference. And as such, no two definitions of ‘nude’ will ever be the same.
And after an arduous process of trial and error, sometimes it can all feel too hard. With techniques such as matching your nipple colour to your nude lipstick, everyone has their own tips and tricks to selecting their ‘perfect shade’. But in an attempt to keep it as simple as possible, with tips that don’t require you to undress in the middle of Sephora, here are our nude lipstick shade picks according to your general skin and hair tone.
Yves Saint Laurent Rouge Volupte Shine – No.9 Nude Sheer
Cost: $59.00
Best suited to: Light skin with light hair
Top tip: To avoid looking washed out,choose a nude shade with a pink undertone like this lipstick from Yves Saint Laurent. It’s formulated with a dazzling, high-shine finish to instantly brighten up your look.
Maybelline New York Color Sensational Creamy Matte in Daringly Nude
Cost: $17.95
Best suited to: Warm skin tone with light brown hair
Top tip: Choose a lippy with a glossy finish. That way, your lips will stand out from your skin. Supermodel Gigi Hadid swears by this $17.95 lippy from Maybelline New York. If you want a subtle glossy finish, we recommend applying Maybelline’s Baby Lips Colour Balm Crayon in the shade Toasted Taupe.
ulta3 Moisturising Lipstick in Rush
Cost: $4.95
Best suited to: Dark skin tone with highlights
Top tip: Just because you have darker skin, doesn’t mean you should use a darker nude. Lighter caramel shades are great for dewy, summer beauty looks.
NYX Professional Makeup Shout Loud Satin Lipstick
Cost: $16.95
Best suited to: Cool skin tone with strawberry blonde/red hair
Top tip: Look for a satin-pink nude with a glossy finish and sweep some peach blush across the apples of your cheeks to keep your complexion radiant.
M.A.C Lipstick in Taupe
Cost: $36
Best suited to: Warm skin tone with dark hair
Top tip: The brown undertone is what gives Angelina Jolie’s signature pout such punch. And of course, you’ll need to pair it with some serious lip liner, we recommend M.A.C Cosmetics Lip Pencil in the shade Cork.
Burt’s Bees 100% Natural Lipstick in Suede Splash
Cost: $19.95
For: Dark skin tone with dark hair
Top tip: Enhance what you’ve already got with a sheer wash of colour and shiny finish.
Main image credit: @quinnmurphy
