6 of the best nude lipsticks, according to your hair & skin colour
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.
RELATED: Victoria Beckham pays tribute to Posh Spice with her latest lipstick range
RELATED: Self-confessed beauty junkie Rose Byrne reveals the one look she won't try
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.
Read more Yves Saint Laurent Rouge Volupte Shine reviews here...
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.
Read more Maybelline New York Color Sensational Creamy Matte reviews here...
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.
Read more ulta3 Moisturising Lipstick reviews here...
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.
Read more NYX Professional Makeup Shout Loud Satin Lipstick reviews here...
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.
Read more M.A.C Lipstick reviews here...
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.
Read more Burt’s Bees 100% Natural Lipstick reviews here...
Main image credit: @quinnmurphy
Which is your signature nude lipstick?
Have you tried any of the products mentioned above?
Review them now to earn points that you can swap for free beauty products in RewardsRoom.
205 Member Comments
As a girl who LOVES her lipstick, this article has too many things I want to comment on! Firstly, I think everyone should have one 'Power' lipstick which I think is nicely represented by the YSL lippie at the start...the Maybelline and MAC lippies both look quite wonderful as does the Burt's bee lipstick which is a gorgeous dark colour and looks quite sexy for someone with dark skin! Nice!
- Log in or register to commentReply to comment
- Likes 0
For years I would always choose pinky nudes and wasted so much money before realising I much prefer more browny nudes instead. If only I knew this years ago lol.
- Log in or register to commentReply to comment
- Likes 0
As I now have grey hair and a fair skin, I no longer wear a too bright lipstick and I now always go for a nude lipstick but for a special occasion one with a slight pink and I have always have preferred a matt finish.
- Log in or register to commentReply to comment
- Likes 0
I love my two Maybelline lipsticks. Both are Nude but in different ways. One is creamy and the other is matt.
- Log in or register to commentReply to comment
- Likes 0
I’m now curious to try the one recommended for me!
- Log in or register to commentReply to comment
- Likes 0
I've never been able to find a nude lipstick that looks good on me. Saving this list to swatch next time I go shopping.
- Log in or register to commentReply to comment
- Likes 0
I love nude lipsticks and loved the tip to choose a lippy with a glossy finish. That way, your lips will stand out from your skin. Thanks for the great articles BH
- Log in or register to commentReply to comment
- Likes 0
Always looking for a good nude but so far the right one has eluded me.
- Log in or register to commentReply to comment
- Likes 0
My lips are quite naturally dark so every time I try anything nudish it just looks weird to me!
- Log in or register to commentReply to comment
- Likes 0
I'm fair with cool-toned skin & dark hair, so traditional nude lipsticks make me look like a cadaver. If I'm going to wear a "nude" lipstick, I look for something with pink or even a rosy tone. My go-to's are from Nude by Nature (the Moisture Shine lipstick in Dusty Rose is almost cadaver-ish on me, but I can pull it off) & Eye of Horus (their Bio Lipstick in Venus Pink is a good pinky-nude).
- Log in or register to commentReply to comment
- Likes 0
I need one for warm skinned but light blonde hair.
- Log in or register to commentReply to comment
- Likes 0
I'm not a fan of nude lipstick shades. Makes me look washed out.
- Log in or register to commentReply to comment
- Likes 0
YSL Nude Sheer - just gorgeous and the packaging too!
- Log in or register to commentReply to comment
- Likes 0
Nude shades are BO-RING and don't suit my olive skin at all. I like that pink Ulta3 lippie though, I would wear that!
- Log in or register to commentReply to comment
- Likes 1
Have trouble with nude shades, they often make me look washed out.
- Log in or register to commentReply to comment
- Likes 0
There's no option for fair skin & dark hair, or cool skin-tone with dark hair. That's because nude lips look ghastly with my colouring! The closest I'll go to a nude lip is nipple pink.
That NYX red pictured is more up my alley.
- Log in or register to commentReply to comment
- Likes 1
Me too! That is my colouring too ! I do avoid nudes too
- Log in or register to commentReply to comment
- Likes 1
I used Maybelline lipsticks.
- Log in or register to commentReply to comment
- Likes 0
Oooo so many look cute! What about light/cool skin tone and medium/highlighted hair?!!
- Log in or register to commentReply to comment
- Likes 0
I've not tried a nude lippie before, only reds and pinks
- Log in or register to commentReply to comment
- Likes 1
Loving nude lipsticks at the moment!
- Log in or register to commentReply to comment
- Likes 0
