Nude Lipstick Guide: How To Choose The Best Nude For Your Skin Tone | Red Apple Lipstick
Who says lipstick has to be bright every single time? Yes, a good colorful lip is fun, but nude lips can be just as beautiful and attractive, if not more. This very popular makeup trend is a must have in every makeup bag.
Women love nude lipsticks because they feel classy, sophisticated, timeless, and universally flattering. A great nude goes with everything and looks good on every skin tone. It is a perfect choice when you want an effortless look that still helps you look polished and put together.
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What Are Nude Lipsticks
What exactly is a nude lipstick, and what makes nude shades different from the rest? Nude lipsticks are shades that are close to either your skin tone or the natural color of your lips. They give your lips a more natural appearance, almost as if you are not wearing lipstick, unlike bold and colorful shades.
Nude Lipstick Shades In Action
Warm, mid tone nude shade Naughty adds a polished, everyday finish without looking heavy or overdone.
If you prefer a nude with a little more pink, soft pinky nude Ooh La La creates a romantic, fresh lip that still feels neutral enough for any look.
Mauve toned nude Maven Mauve adds a touch more depth and color while still reading as a soft, wearable nude.
Nude lipstick shades can range from pale colors to darker and deeper tones: pinks and beiges, light browns, rosy pinks, peachy and pinky beige, medium beiges and browns, tan shades, deeper browns, and even soft berry tones.
Fun Fact: It is believed that nude lips became especially popular in the nineties when blush made a big comeback in makeup routines, giving looks an unmistakably feminine feel.
Nude lipstick is meant to give the lips a finished look without doing too much or adding a big pop of color. It is a classy and sophisticated way to enhance the lips without drawing too much attention to them. Certain looks, like bold eye makeup, work best with a nude lip that complements rather than competes.
Choose Your Nude By Skin Tone
A nude lip can be universally flattering when the right shade is chosen. On the other hand, the wrong shade can throw off your entire look. With so many nude lipstick options, it can feel impossible to find the one that is perfect for you. Do not worry, your perfect nude is out there.
The first step is to understand your skin tone. Your skin tone is your surface skin color. There are three main skin tone categories.
Fair and Light Skin Tones
These are the lightest skin tones, with fair skin at the very lightest end of the range. Fair skin often has a cool complexion, while lighter skin can lean warmer. Light pinks and pinky nudes look best on fair and light skin tones. Just stay away from shades that are too light or too pale, since those can wash you out.
For fair skin, consider nude pink lipsticks that warm up your complexion. A slightly pink tinted nude can enhance your natural glow without making you look washed out. If you like a subtle sheen, a high shine finish in a soft pink hue gives a fresh, dewy look that complements fair skin beautifully. RAL shades like New York are great examples.
Medium Skin Tones
Medium skin includes a broad range from medium light to tan to olive skin. These tones look best in nude shades that are slightly lighter or slightly darker than the complexion. Soft browns, peachy nudes, and pinky beige shades are especially flattering.
For medium skin tones, a pinky nude or a hint of peach can add warmth and vibrancy. If you have cooler undertones, dusty pinks are particularly flattering. For warmer undertones, go for nudes with a touch of gold or richer hues. Adding a gloss topper can also enhance the depth and dimension of your lip color. Shades like Naughty work beautifully on many medium complexions.
Olive Skin Tones
Olive skin tones are characterized by subtle green undertones and often fall within the medium range. These tones play well with contrasting shades such as peach and deeper tans. A beige nude with a hint of brown can offer a stunning contrast that enhances the natural beauty of olive skin.
Pairing your nude lipstick with a gloss that has subtle peach notes can elevate the look and create a more polished finish.
Darker Skin Tones
Darker and deeper complexions sit at the deepest end of the skin tone range. These skin tones look beautiful in richer shades of nude. Think deeper browns, rosy browns, and berry toned nudes. Some great RAL examples are Barcelona and Ooh La La.
For darker skin tones, chocolate browns or rosy browns provide a rich, sophisticated look that complements your natural beauty. Cooler toned nudes can also be striking and modern. If you like a touch of shimmer, a sheer nude with subtle highlights adds elegance and shine.
By choosing the right nude lipstick for your skin tone, you can enhance your natural features with colors that truly complement your complexion.
Choose Your Nude By Undertone
Beyond skin tone, your skin undertone also matters when choosing the best nude lipstick. Your undertone is the subtle color that shows beneath the surface of your skin.
Cool undertones have pink or blue tones in the skin and the veins on the inside of the wrist usually look blue or purple.
Warm undertones have yellow, peach, or golden tones in the skin and the veins on the inside of the wrist often look green. Neutral undertones have a blend of warm and cool tones. Veins may appear both blue and green, or it can be hard to tell.
Olive undertones have both yellow and green or gray tones in the skin. Similar to neutral undertones, it can be tricky to tell if your veins are blue or green, or they may appear to match your skin color. Olive undertones are most common in medium to darker skin tones.
Cool Undertones
Fair cool skin looks best with soft, dusty nude pinks that also have cool undertones. Avoid nude shades that lean yellow, since they can wash out the face.
Cool medium skins should look for cool toned nudes, shades that have a bit of red, or subtle blush pinks that are just a touch deeper than the natural lip color.
Cool darker and deeper skins look beautiful in berry nudes that are blue based or in cooler brown nudes.
Warm Undertones
Warm skin tones look best in nudes with warmer undertones that lean toward brown. Choose browns with yellow undertones, such as caramel browns and browns with orange or red undertones.
Warm lighter skin will look best with pinky nudes that have brown undertones but are not too dark. Medium skins can reach for peachy nudes, golden beige nudes, caramel, and taupe shades.
Darker warm skins can go for milk and dark chocolate nudes as well as deeper berry nudes. Deep skin tones look incredible in darker nudes, brown and caramel shades with hints of red.
Neutral Undertones
Those with neutral undertones can wear almost any nude shade that works with their skin tone. The perfect nude lipstick for neutral undertones will be a shade that is neither too warm nor too cool.
Just remember to choose a nude shade that is neither too light nor too dark for your complexion.
Olive Undertones
Olive skin looks great in peachy nude shades, which help balance the green tones in the skin.
Golden beige nudes also work beautifully, but avoid nudes that are much lighter than your complexion, since they can end up looking like concealer on the lips.
Some of the best nude lipsticks for olive tones include Naughty and Ooh La La.
For more Red Apple Lipstick lipstick suggestions, make sure to visit the Best Nude Lipstick for Your Skin Tone article.
How To Wear Nude Lipsticks
What is the best way to rock a nude lipstick? What kinds of looks are ideal with a nude lip color? Just like black clothing, nude lipstick can work with almost any look and any season.
There are, however, certain makeup styles that really shine when paired with a nude lip.
Colorful, Bold, And Darker Eye Makeup
Makeup looks that focus on the eyes will always look their best with a nude lip. Bold eye looks such as a smokey eye are stunning when paired with the right nude shade.
Brown smokey eyes, in particular, look amazing with a nude lip. Warm complexions pair beautifully with richer browns and deep gold eyeshadow colors, while cool complexions look best with more grayish brown shades for a brown smokey eye.
Neutral skin tones look best with medium toned brown eyeshadow shades.
A nude lipstick shade also looks great with darker or colorful eyes, such as a deep gray or black smokey eye or a plum smokey eye. Plum eye looks pair especially well with pinkish nude lipsticks.
Any eye makeup that is bold, dark, or uses rich, colorful eyeshadows is meant to be the main focus of the look. In these cases, a bright lipstick can be too much, while a nude lip enhances the lips in a more natural way and keeps the attention on the eyes.
More Natural And Simple Looks
While nude lipsticks complement bold and darker looks, they also look perfect with simple, natural makeup.
There are days when you simply do not want to pair a minimal face with a bright lip, and that is completely fine. A bit of thicker, dark eyeliner in black or dark brown is often all you need.
Combine that with a touch of blush and or bronzer so you do not look washed out, and you are good to go.
Application Tips For Nude Lips
These are some of the best nude lipstick tips that even a makeup artist would recommend for a perfect application.
- Exfoliate the lips for a smooth base. Nude lipstick can sometimes accentuate dry skin, so gentle exfoliation helps. Try the Lip Exfoliate Stick to smooth your lips first.
- Always prep the lips with a light layer of lip balm, such as Rallye Balm. Hydrated lips give you a smooth base for lipstick application.
- Start with lip liner. Lining the lips helps define them and gives a more polished look, especially when using a lighter nude. Choose a natural shade, either a neutral brown or a shade that closely matches your natural lip color. Shades like Natural and Barely Pink are great choices.
- Choose a creamy formula. Avoid formulas that are very matte, since they can make lips look dry. You also do not need anything super shiny or glossy. Look for a hydrating formula that feels comfortable.
- Do not over apply. Too many coats of lipstick can look thick and cakey. A couple of thin coats is just right.
- Pair a nude lip with a touch of color on the cheeks, especially when wearing lighter nude shades, so you do not look washed out. Soft neutral pinks and corals pair beautifully. If you want a very natural look and do not want to wear blush, a light layer of bronzer on the cheeks works well.
- Try these tips and suggestions if you are having a hard time wearing a nude lip or finding the right shade. They can make a big difference. If you have additional tips that have helped you with nude lipsticks, we would love to hear them in the comments.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is nude lipstick for?
Nude lipstick is meant to enhance the lips without them needing to be too dramatic. It adds polish and definition while keeping the overall look soft and natural.
What are some tips for avoiding a washed out look?
To prevent looking washed out, fair skin tones should avoid the palest shades that mimic concealer. Darker skin tones should avoid shades that are too light, since they can create an unwanted frosted effect. Adding blush and bronzer also helps keep the face balanced.
How can I wear nude lipstick without looking dull or lifeless?
Lip liner is key. It helps define the lips and prevents a nude shade, especially a lighter one, from looking like concealer. Use a liner that is natural looking but slightly deeper than your lipstick shade, and add some blush and or bronzer to keep your complexion lively.
How do you wear nude lipstick with very pigmented lips?
If your lips are very pigmented, many makeup artists suggest applying a light layer of foundation or concealer over the lips to mute their natural color first. After that, line the lips and apply your nude lipstick so the shade shows more true to tube.
Which nude lipstick shade is best overall?
The best nude lipstick shade will complement both your skin tone and undertone. In general, choose a shade that is no more than a couple of shades darker or lighter than your complexion or the natural color of your lips. Universally loved choices from RAL include Naughty, Ooh La La, Maven Mauve, New York, and Barcelona.
