Finding the right nude lipstick can be a very daunting task for any woman. It can be even harder to find the right shade if you are of a deeper complexion because too light of a shade may make you look very scary! Please don’t walk out of the house looking like Tyrone Biggums (see above)! In this post I will be sharing some of my go-to nude lipsticks that will work for many different skin tones. Keep reading if you are interested!

My first nude lip combo that will be featured is my absolute favorite! Unfortunately both of these products are no longer available (boo MAC!). Cozy Up is more of a coral toned nude lip that is great for darker skin tones. It is a matte lipstick, but it doesn’t seem to accentuate dryness on my lips like some other matte shades. I can wear this lipstick alone or top it with a gloss. Normally my topper of choice is Natural Flare Cremesheen Glass by MAC.


If you were not able to get your hands on Cozy Up when it was available, don’t worry, my next combo is very similar.

Kinda Sexy is very similar to Cozy Up, but is a touch more coral. On my skin tone I still consider this a nude. Like Cozy Up, is doesn’t overly dry out my lips even though it is a matte formula. I am able to wear Kinda Sexy on its own or topped off with Maybelline Luminous Latte.


Next up is something a little more affordable, Rimmel Nude Delight.

If you have never tried the Rimmel Moisture Renew Lipsticks, you must! They are moisturizing (hence the name), but still very pigmented. Nude Delight is a beautiful peachy nude that I think will definitely work on any skintone. I’ve been told that this is a dupe for MAC’s Shy Girl lipstick, but I don’t own that one so I can’t say for sure. I never wear this with a gloss because it has enough sheen on its own.

Another lipstick that I don’t top with a gloss is Half N’ Half by MAC. This is my newest nude lipstick, but I have worn it a lot already. Like Nude Delight, its finish is slightly glossy, but still very pigmented. This is more of a mauve toned nude. When I purchased Half N’ Half, I was originally going to get MAC Blankety lipstick. After swatching them side by side, I decided that Half N’ Half was probably a better fit for my skintone. It is like the dark skinned sister of Blankety! 🙂


My last combo shows how you can tone down a too light lip color, by adding a darker gloss.

NYX Echo is light brown-based nude lipstick. It is the lightest shade I’m featuring in this post, but still not so light that it makes me look like Tyrone! Whenever I wear Echo (or any lighter nude) I will add a darker gloss on top.


Lipstick Comparison:

Gloss Comparison:

I hope that this post is helpful for some of you ladies who are still searching for your perfect nude lip!
What are your favorite nude lipstick combinations?
Nice blog! Very helpful!
Thanks lady!
You have a gift for picking the perfect colors for your skin tone! I love the nude lipstick Lauren London wears on “The Game”; it looks very similar to your Half n Half pic, I think. Thanks for the suggestions!
Thanks! Half n’ Half is so easy to wear, it will look great on you!
‘cozy up’ is definitely one of my favs! ‘nude delight’ is the best drugstore nude lippie.. ever! lol! another good one is mac’s ‘siss’. it’s great on brown skin! I’m so infatuated with nude lips!
I heard Siss was nice! I may try that on next time in Mac!
I like the idea of trying a darker gloss on top of a too-light nude. I have the maybelline buffs touchable taupe and it makes me look like Tyrone! Maybe I should keep it and try your suggestion….
Definitely try it, I do it all the time! I hope it helps!
Great post! I’m definitely going to try these recommendations! They look great on you!