Nude Lipstick for Dark Skin
Finding a nude or natural lip color is a challenge. As a woman of color, it took a long time for me to figure out how to shop for a natural lip shade because most products marketed as a nude lip were always too light on my skin tone. Through trial and error, I discovered two major tips when it comes to finding a natural or nude lip color as someone with a deeper skin tone:
- A brown lipliner can save so many lip colors you may have purchased that aistoo light.
- For an out-of-the-tube neutral lip, look for the shade marketed as the traditional flesh or nude color and purchase the product that’s 2-3 shades deeper.
In addition to those two tips, I’ve listed 5 of my favorite lip products with varying price points and finishes that result in a beautiful, neutral lip color for brown skin.
Neutral Lip Swatches
Maybelline Color Sensational Creamy Matte Lip Color – Nude Nuance
Maybelline nailed it with their Color Sensational Matte collection. The formula is thin and lightweight, but provides a good color payoff. As the name suggests, Nude Nuance is a nude lip color with a hint of warmth and slightly darker than the traditional nude lip products. This is my go-to lip shade when I have a warm, neutral eye and want my lips to be in the same color family. Of the products mentioned in this post, Maybelline’s Creamy Matte Lip Color has the best “barely there” feeling.
MAC – Touch
MAC stores can be hit or miss (mostly miss) with their color matching assistance, especially on women of color. From my experience, I’m always shown the default “brown-skin friendly” products which are oftentimes too warm and deep for my particular skin tone. I recently went to a newly opened MAC in my area and surprisingly walked out with not only a beautiful neutral lip shade, but one that quickly jumped to the must-have list. Touch is a brown nude that has a lustre finish, meaning it has a buttery smooth application with a sheen finish. Because it’s a lustre finish, Touch is another must-have shade for daily application as it look very natural due to the sheer opacity.
Bite Beauty Multistick – Honeywheat
Bite’s Honeywheat multi stick can be worn on the eyes, lips, or face depending on your mood. I purchased it with the intent of finding a “blank canvas” nude lip. This is a beautiful shade with strong yellow undertones, so that part can be a little surprising upon first applications however, it settles nicely into a golden nude. Although shown above on plain lips, I like to add a sheer gloss overtop to break up the overall makeup look.
Kat Von D Everlasting Liquid Lipstick – Bow N Arrow
Kat Von D is a top brand for liquid lipsticks because of its smooth, wearable formula. I only have a few but Bow and Arrow is my favorite of the bunch because it surprisingly looks amazing as a daytime nude lip.
Anastasia Beverly Hills Liquid Lip Gloss – Sepia
Sepia is a must-have lip gloss for women of color. On lighter skin tones it appears as a slightly warm brown, but for deeper skin tones it makes for a beautiful neutral lip. Not everyone is a fan of lipstick, so this option is for those of you who like to stick to lip gloss. It’s opaque enough to be worn alone and still provide full-color impact. The added bonus is Anastasia Beverly Hills lip gloss has a buttery smooth consistency so your lips won’t feel sticky throughout the day.
The next time you make a trip to find neutral lip shades, try out these five options and see how you like them on your skin tone:
- Maybelline Nude Nuance
- MAC Touch
- Bite Beauty Honeywheat
- Kat Von D Bow ‘N Arrow
- Anastasia Beverly Hills Sepia
Comments +