It’s ironic that one of the most trendy lip hues out there is really rather colorless. Nude lipstick is more about giving you a barely-there, even, or creamy, neutral lip look, rather than delivering a punch of rich and contrasting pigment. It’s arguably a new classic, right there next to crimson red and baby pink, is incredibly flattering, balances the most extreme of eye makeup looks, and one form of it or another fits into just about every season. See why we’re all obsessed with finding the best nude lipstick yet? If you have yet to have a successful search for the perfect neutral swatch, check out this shopping guide below that rounds up the best nude lipstick for every need and desire.
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Hydrating
There’s something unbelieveably frustrating about applying a super creamy lip color to your lips and then noticing that they’re completely dry and even dehydrated less than an hour later. Instead of sacrificing one lip state for another, pick up a product that delivers the desired nude hue WITHOUT making your pout feel like sandpaper. This lipstick from Jouer is made with cupuacu butter to keep you moisturized and glides on like gloss but with control.
(Where to Buy: Jouer Hydrating Lipstick in Julie, $22, nordstrom.com)
Treatment
A lot of the times, lipsticks are free of the stuff you really need to block the sun’s worst qualities, UVA/UVB rays. That’s where SPF comes in. In addition to SPF, you probably, again, want something that will treat your lips to a nourishing, moisturizing treat. Finding all that with color isn’t always easy. Fresh created a nude version of their Sugar treatment, which is formulated with, yes, sugar to prevent moisture loss and grapeseed polyphenols to smooth and soften your lips, as well as black current seed for hydration.
(Where to Buy: Fresh Sugar Nude Tinted Lip Treatment Sunscreen, $22.50, fresh.com)
Organic
Those seeking products free of harsh chemicals and that fall in the organic spectrum of cosmetics can get their dose of nude lipstick with this beauty buy. au naturale’s Lipstick in Innocence holds an organic, gluten-free, and non-toxic status and applies to your lips with a nude, slightly rose tint. It’s made with a variety of recognizable ingredients (hence its stamp of organics), from coco seed butter to avocado oil.
(Where to Buy: au naturale in Innocence, $22, aunaturaleglow.com)
Matte
NARS has a reputation for producing heavenly matte lip products—and the formula that delivers that shine-free finish is available in a nude pigment. This nude-beige color will give you that skin-colored look you want without shimmer or gloss. And even though it’s technically what you’d use for a “no-makeup” look, the color is really rich, giving you just the right amount of notice you would want from a nude product, and is long-lasting.
(Where to Buy: NARS Pure Matte Lipstick in Tashkent, $27, sephora.com)
Affordable
Nude for not a lot of money at all, e.l.f will give you something to rave about. Not only can this lip product double as a pencil to outline a more dramatic look, but it applies in a matte finish and its super thin, pencil-like packaging gives you control to produce a flawless, neat look, which is really important in wearing nude lipstick the right way. It’s also made with vitamin A, C and E for added moisture.
(Where to Buy: e.l.f cosmetics Studio Matte Lip Color in Nearly Nude, $3, eyeslipsface.com)
The Classic
For a creamy, pigmented, and nourishing product, try out Urban Decay’s Revolution Lipstick. The product has become a lipstick classic, pumping your pout with tons of color, based on the hue you choose, of course, and oils to ward away dry, cracked, and flaking (gross, we know) lips that don’t tend to look cute under lipstick. The brand makes this product with a “Maxi-Lip” formula that ends up making your lips look fuller than they actually are.
(Where to Buy: Urban Decay Revolution Lipstick in Naked2, $22, urbandecay.com)
An Exclusive Splurge
You may have already heard about Charlotte Tilbury’s lipsticks for the light-reflecting properties that make lips look bigger and fuller, as well as the antioxidant-rich formula that protects from oxidative stress. The makeup artist is back at her beauty magic with an entirely new line of lipstick that all still hold those amazing 3-D qualities but apply with a matte finish. Not a bad bonus, huh? This taupe nude is inspired by Victoria Beckham, appropriately named, Very Victoria. The new line officially launches in September, but is available for one month now on Charlotte Tilbury’s website. Get ’em before they disappear and then reappear a few months later.
(Where to Buy: Charlotte Tilbury Matte Revolution Lipstick in Very Victoria, $32, charlottetilbury.com)
A Drugstore Win
Like butter, this product deposits a creamy, blendable, and soft formula onto your lips in a noticeable, nude color. Even though the color is rich, it applies relatively light and wears well during the day so that you won’t feel like your lips are uncomfortably coated. It’s also $6, so your purse-strings won’t feel any annoyance, either.
(Where to Buy: NYX Butter Lipstick in Bit of Honey, $6, nyxcosmetics.com)
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