The nude lipstick, also known as barely-there-shade, is slowly finding his place (again) in the beauty industry. Experts say that one of the main benefits of the nude lipstick is to have chic and sexy lips at the same time but with a natural finish and less constructed. These shades are perfect for both day and night make up – it can be the perfect balance to a glamorous smoky eye, or serve as the final touch to a barely-there beauty vibe. Finding the right shade is not that complicated, however there are a few basic rules to know and let’s not forget the seasonal trends! 

© instagram/iliabeauty

How to choose the nude lipstick

The nude lipstick is the perfect color if you want to highlight your smile with discretion and style, especially if you usually use more make up for your eyes and don’t want to create too much contrast. Also, it’s the ideal solution if you don’t like brighter colors such as red. However, there are two basic rules you should keep in mind next time you buy your lipstick: the shape and the color of your lips. If you are the kind of woman with full lips you shouldn’t use bright shades, while it’s the opposite for thin lips. It is also important to have harmony with the blush in order to have the right contrast and highlight your smile. When it comes to trends, don’t forget that the aim is to get a realistic nude, elegant and charming. 

Start with your skin tone

The first step is to consider your skin tone. If you’re in the lighter skin range, you should try to  create a nude lip based on your natural lip color. Don’t go much lighter, otherwise your lips will disappear. If you’re in the medium range, look for a caramel or a deeper pink. People with darker skin tones can begin their search with deeper berry nudes, in addition to exploring options that don’t have pink undertones. “Deeper skin tones can pull off a lip color that’s a shade lighter than their actual foundation color and any browns or caramels with a hint of orange and red”, says celebrity makeup artist Neil Scibelli. 

Consider your undertone

Anyone can wear nude lipstick, you just have to find the shade that flatters your complexion and that makes you look fresh, not washed out. For lighter skin tones, think pink. “Girls with pale skin should wear a nude that has a hint of pink” says celebrity makeup artist Troy Surratt. If you have an olive skin, you should stick with nude shades that have warm undertones that mimic your own. Stay away from shades that are lighter than your skin tone to avoid looking like “you’re wearing concealer on your lips”. If your skin tone is medium to tan, go with nudes that have peach undertones. Dark skin tones look great with milk and dark chocolate nudes, or shades with berry undertones. 

Your natural lip color

Last thing to consider is the color of your lips. Anyone with a lot of natural pigment in their lips tends to have a challenge finding the right nude. If you want something that’s either identical to or a shade lighter than the natural lip tone you need to look into a color that has a bit of peach or even gold in it. The yellow undertones will neutralize the blue in your lips, so it appears lighter than your lip tone. 

RMS Beauty Wild With Desire Lipstick – Breathless

Ilia Lipstick – Madam Mina

RITUEL DE FILLE Forbidden Lipstick – Oracle

The trick to is to exfoliate first using a lip scrub to eliminates any rough spots and ensure smooth application and to always moisturize your lips – it makes the difference! 

Text: Margaux Lombard, November 12th 2018