How to Find the Perfect Nude Lipstick for Your Skin Tone
Subtlety and minimalism have worked their way into our everyday makeup, and nude lipsticks have led the movement. Close to our natural lip color, these lipsticks give you a raw, barely-there makeup effortlessly. However, like every other makeup product, nude lipsticks have their tones and undertones too. While the right nude lipstick shade can make you look effortlessly stylish and put together, the wrong one can make even the prettiest makeup look drab.
If your nude shade is too light, it can make you look ashy and washed out. Too dark, and it defeats the whole purpose of sporting a nude lip. Learning how to choose a nude lipstick may seem to be a tricky process, but it certainly pays off! To make matters simpler, here’s a step-by-step guide on how to find the perfect nude lipstick for your skin tone.
Is Finding the Right Nude Lipstick Tricky?
Well, yes and no. If you assume that all nude lipsticks look the same and are simply beige or light brown, then the process can be tricky. However, once you understand that nudes also have undertones - like foundations - it becomes much easier to find a shade that complements your skin.
Remember, the right nude for you isn’t about a specific colour. Instead, it’s about what looks natural on your lips while enhancing your features.
What are Undertones?
Every colour has subtle hues beneath the surface. This is why some colours appear warmer, and others seem cooler or more blue. Undertones are why shades from the same family look so different, such as peachy pink vs hot pink.
Your skin and your lipsticks both have undertones, too. That’s why warm, nude lipsticks look better on warmer skin undertones, and cooler nude shades suit cool undertones better. Unlike your skin tone (fair/medium/dark), undertones don’t change with seasons or sun tans.
How to Identify the Best Nude Lipstick for You
With all our basics cleared out, it’s time to learn how to find the perfect nude lipstick for your skin undertone.
Step 1: Vein Test
Look at the veins on your wrist. If they appear green, you likely have a warm undertone. If they look blue or purple, you have a cool undertone. If they’re a mix of both, you have neutral tones. Look for warm nudes if you have warm undertones and cool shades for cool undertones. You can try both for neutral undertones.
Step 2: Identify your lip colour
Now that you know your undertones, try to identify your natural lip colour. It may be dusty pink or even brown. Look for any hyperpigmentation that may make your lipstick appear differently.
Step 3: Go one shade deep
Nude lipsticks, while close to your natural look, aren’t about replication. Choose one shade darker than your natural lip colour to add colour and dimension to your look.
Step 4: Test your shade
Swatching on your wrists isn’t enough. Try to get some pigment on your fingers and dab it on your lips to experience the shade. Finishes, lighting, and the colour of your outfit may change how the lipstick looks, so try out Virtual Try-On tools to understand how a shade may appear on you.
Now that you know the basics of how to choose a nude lipstick, it’s time to explore shades that may suit your complexion the best.
Best Nude Lipstick Shades for Different Tones and Undertones
1. Fair Skin
When choosing a nude lipstick for light and fair skin tones, pay close attention to your complexion and undertone to find a shade that brings out your features. Pale, fair, and light skin tones are at the biggest risk of looking washed out and flaunting the dreaded “concealer lips” if you choose a nude lipstick shade that is too light for your skin tone.
• Nude lipstick shades for fair skin and cool undertones
If you have cool undertones, look for soft, dusty, nude pink lipsticks that have a cool undertone. These nude lipstick shades will enhance the natural colour of your lips and blend in seamlessly to give you the “my lips but better” look. Avoid nude lipsticks with brown undertones as they tend to darken pink lips.
Our pick –
Maybelline Color Sensational Creamy Matte Lipstick – Touch of Nude
• Nude lipstick shades for fair skin and warm undertones
If you have warm undertones and fair skin, nude lipstick shades with orange or beige undertones will add a flawless flush of colour to your lips. Light nude peach lipsticks are also a safe bet for when you want to go for an au naturel lip makeup look.
Our pick –
Maybelline Color Sensational Creamy Matte Lipstick – Beige Appeal
2. Medium Skin
Those of you with medium and olive skin tones can get away with a lot of different nude lipstick shades. From lighter nude peach lipsticks to darker nude brown lipsticks, your complexion can handle it all.
• Nude lipstick for medium skin and cool undertones
If you have medium or olive skin tones with slightly cooler undertones, look for a subtle blush pink nude lipstick shade that is just a touch darker than your lips. This will ensure that the cool undertones and the pink shade do not wash out your bronzed, warm skin tone. You also add some lip gloss on the center of your lips to add some depth and dimension to your nude lips and make the lip colour stand out.
Our Pick -
Maybelline Sensational Liquid Matte Lipstick - Rich Ruby
• Nude lipstick for medium skin and warm undertones
The best nude lipstick for people with medium and olive skin tones is one with warm undertones like caramel, beige, and orange that complements their natural yellow undertones. Go a shade darker than the shade of your skin to really play up the warmth of your complexion and tie your golden undertone together with the warmth of the lipstick.
Our Pick -
Maybelline Superstay Matte Ink Crayon Lipstick – Enjoy The View
3. Dark Skin
When looking for a nude lipstick shade for dusky, deep, and dark skin tones, find one that delivers a striking but subtle contrast to your complexion! Sounds contradicting, right? Hear us out. You want your nude lipstick shade to make your lips stand out but in a good way. A too-light nude lipstick will make you look chalky and ghostly, and a shade too close to your skin tone or darker will get lost within the rest of your features.
• Nude lipstick shades for dusky skin and cool undertones
Choosing the right nude lipstick for dark skin with cool undertones is all about finding shades that complement the natural pink, red, or blue hues in your skin. The wrong nude—like overly warm browns or peachy nudes—can make your lips look too orange, dull, or ashy. The key is to pick shades that have cool or neutral undertones to harmonize with your complexion.
Our Pick -
Maybelline Superstay Matte Ink Liquid Lipstick - Ringleader
• Nude lipstick shades for dusky skin and warm undertones
The best nude lipstick shade for those with deep and warm skin should have rich undertones of chocolate brown or red. Avoid wearing pink nudes with cool undertones as they can make your lips look frosty, and that is not a good look on anybody! Accent your complexion’s natural warmth with intensely pigmented formulas that have warm undertones. With darker complexions, you can also use a sheer or glossy nude lip that lets the natural colour of your lips peek through.
Our Pick -
Maybelline Superstay Matte Ink Crayon Lipstick – Live on The Edge
Understanding The Difference Between Nude And Washed-Out
Finding the right makeup is about developing an eye for what looks good and what simply doesn’t. The right nude lipstick should enhance your lips, not erase them. If your lipstick is too light or too close to your skin tone, it can take away your lips’ colour to make them look dull or sickly. On the other hand, if it’s too dark, it may not look nude at all.
The key is balance, which is best achieved once you know your undertone. Make sure you’re looking for warmth and dimension while learning how to choose a nude lipstick.
How to Apply Nude Lipsticks
Learning how to find nude lipsticks is not enough. Applying it in the right manner can make a world of difference. So, follow these 5 simple steps to get your perfect nude lips.
1. Exfoliate: Nude lipsticks, especially in matte formulas, can emphasize those chapped, dry patches on your lips. So before applying your shade, use a lip scrub, finely grained sugar, or a soft toothbrush to gently exfoliate your lips. You can moisturise them with a lip balm or primer after.
2. Lip Liner: A slightly darker lip liner prevents the lipstick from looking flat and helps define your lips. However, choose a liner that’s only one shade darker than your lipstick for subtle dimension.
3. Blend Outwards: Start applying your creamy nude shades at the center of your lips and gently blend outwards into the corners. You can use your fingers to dab and blend for a more natural look.
4. Highlight: Add a bit of highlighter above your cupid’s bow to add dimension to your lip makeup.
5. Setting Spray: Makeup setters aren’t reserved for the foundation. You can add a bit of setting spray to your lip makeup to increase the longevity of your shade.
Conclusion
There’s always a lipstick shade that’s seemingly made just for you. Now that you know all about how to choose a nude lipstick, you can find your own meant-to-be shade and create signature looks wherever you go. Learn more lip makeup tips with Maybelline India and experiment with the best products to find your style.
Create a full face with eye makeup and face makeup and find your tone-matched foundations with Maybelline’s Foundation Finder Tool.
