Nude lipsticks for dark skin are an absolute must-have in every woman of color’s collection. From supermodels on runways to celebrities at the biggest of events - nude lipsticks have created a wave and for good reason. They are super versatile since they can make a smokey eye look hotter and a ‘no-makeup’ makeup look prettier. 

According to Andreea Ali, a professional make-up artist based in Paris, it is actually very hard to find the perfect nude lipstick for your skin tone. “The single thing that influences how you pick that perfect lipstick would be your skin color. It all depends on your skin tone and your skin undertone.” She says it’s important to create contrast around your lips, as a general rule. “You know what that means - Contour. Use a lip liner that is two or three shades darker than your skin tone. Whatever contour shade you use for your face is the perfect lip liner color for you.”

She also mentions that a nude lip color always works best with a little bit of makeup on. We bring you the top best nude lipsticks for dark skin - from matte to gloss - so you can finally get your hands on the ONE.

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  Best Long-Lasting

  Maybelline SuperStay Matte Ink Liquid Lipstick, Loyalist

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Maybelline’s SuperStay Matte Ink Loyalist is a beautiful soft nude that features a super-saturated color pay-off and an impressive 16-hour long stay. The unique arrow applicator provides a precise application that doesn’t smudge or budge at all. It does come easily off with makeup remover though. For those of you who love the  matte finish look, this is the best nude lipstick for dark skin on the market. Great for a day and night look, the pigment tilts toward a light ballerina pinkish beige that is perfect for days when you want to keep it subtle.

2

Best Lip Color-Top Coat Duo

Covergirl Outlast All-Day Lip Color With Topcoat, Nude Flush

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Covergirl’s Outlast All-Day Lip Color in the shade Nude Flush is a two-step process to getting that amazing lip color that literally lasts 24 hours. The duo includes the lip color that needs to be applied first and then finished off with a clear top coat that moisturizes the lips and adds shine. It’s a pretty pale pink shade that looks great with a clean no-makeup look or even with heavy makeup. We suggest trying it out in a store before making a purchase - it does look different when swatched.

3

Super Creamy

Lipstick by Revlon, Bare It All

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Neither too nude nor too bright a pink, Revlon’s Super Lustrous Lipstick Crème Finish in the color Bare It All is a classic nude lipstick for brown skin that suits all moods and occasions. Formulated with 80% super moisturizing ingredients such as avocado oil and vitamin E, the lipstick has microfine pigments that lend it a rich color. It is also very lightweight, minimizing lines that make the lips look fuller and adding a sheer finish to the lips. For extra definition, you may use a lipliner before applying the lipstick.

4

Best Matte Finish

NYX PROFESSIONAL MAKEUP Liquid Suede Cream Lipstick - Sandstorm

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NYX’s Liquid Suede Cream Lipstick in the shade Sandstorm is a rare light brown skin nude liquid lipstick that instantly brings character and definition to the lips. With a nice and smooth consistency, this velvety lipstick is long-lasting and gives a beautiful matte finish. A one-coat application is enough if you need to wear it for a couple of hours, however, for longer than that, we recommend two coats before you head out the door. You can finish with NYX Butter Gloss for a glossy look.

5

Best Intense Hydration

Milani Color Statement Lipstick - Nude Crème

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Milani’s Color Statement Lipstick Nude Crème is a natural vintage-y nude shade with a slight orange undercast. Infused with the goodness of vitamin A and vitamin C, it looks the best when applied along with a darker lip liner. It offers a matte finish and its non-drying formula keeps the lips hydrated for hours on end. Just one swipe can make your lips pop - what’s more, it works supremely well even on minimal makeup. The packaging looks super luxurious - an added bonus considering it’s an affordable lipstick.

6

Best Universal Color

Rimmel London Lasting Finish Lipstick-Kate - Rose Nude

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Rimmel London’s Lasting Finish Lipstick in the color Rose Nude, among others, is a collaboration between the brand and Kate Moss, the renowned British model. It is a gorgeous creamy barely-there hue that is universally appealing and lasts a good 8 hours. It, additionally, makes the lips look plumper, by virtue of its creamy texture. After trying out the product, we deduced that using a lip balm underneath is necessary, for nicely moisturized lips. You might have to go for touch-ups though after eating or drinking, it easily gets washed off.

7

Best Full-Coverage

L'Oreal Paris Colour Riche Ultra Matte Lipstick - Full-Blown Fawn

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L’Oreal Paris’ Colour Riche Ultra Matte Lipstick, Full-Blown Fawn, is a pretty nude lipstick for dark skin that effortlessly glides onto the lips in a single stroke while enhancing the natural color of your lips. Infused with jojoba oil, it is comfy on the lips thanks to the intense hydration it provides. It also blurs imperfections or fills up the lines to give a flawless look. To get more precision to the look, you may opt for the Colour Riche Matte Lipliner in a shade of your choice.

8

Best Budget-Friendly

Maybelline Color Sensational Inti-Matte Nudes Lipstick - Purely Nude

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Purely Nude, the Color Sensational Inti-Matte Lipstick by Maybelline New York is exactly what its name suggests. It is a neutral nude without undertones of pink, peach, or brown. It’s a super creamy lipstick that is infused with honey nectar, therefore is intensely hydrating. It is also fully opaque and matte, so in case you like a little gloss you can add a gloss to finish your look. The inti-matte range of nudes has nine more warm, golden sensational colors to choose from, in case you are big on experimenting.

9

Best Fragrance-Free

wet n wild Megalast Catsuit High-Shine Liquid Lipstick - Send Nudes

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Wet n Wild’s Megalast Catsuit High-Shine Liquid Lipstick in the shade Send Nudes is formulated with moisturizing and nourishing ingredients such as murumuru seed butter, shea butter, sunflower seed, macadamia oil, and vitamin E. So naturally, you can expect the texture to be ultra-smooth and creamy which also makes for easy application. Based on our observation, this particular lipstick combines the high pigmentation of a lipstick with the intense shine of a gloss. The color, Send Nudes, in particular, is nice and subtle and can be worn at work or as casual daily wear.

10

Best Hypoallergenic

Mineral Fusion Lipstick - Nude

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The Nude lipstick from Mineral Fusion is a luxurious peachy nude lipstick for brown skin great for everyday use.  Infused with lip-protecting antioxidants and botanicals such as jojoba oil, cocoa butter, red tea, white tea, and Vitamin C, and E, it offers intense nourishment while adding high-pigmented color. Neither too matte nor too glossy, it lasts long and leaves a natural finish. However, it might appear darker or lighter depending on the color of the lips, so we recommend swatching it on before making a purchase.

11

Stila Stay All Day® Liquid Lipstick, Caramello

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Stila’s Stay All Day Liquid Lipstick in the color Caramello has a mousse-like formula that effortlessly glides onto the lips and stays put for 6 hours of continuous wear. The color is a subtle beige pink and can be worn with pretty much all kinds of outfits. Moreover, drawing from our experiences it doesn’t dry out the lips - a common problem with most matte liquid lipsticks - and is buildable so you can apply more coats for a richer color payoff.

12

YOUNG VISION Matte Nude Liquid Lipstick Set

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The six matte nude liquid lipstick set from YOUNG VISION is a great pick for you if you are a lippie junkie. The shades are all different shades of pink nudes with a great color payoff and beautiful texture. Drawing from our experience, the set can be used to get a nude ombre look for dark skin- the shades can be played with. We also recommend this product if you like experimenting and get bored too easily with your purchase. It is long-lasting, however, you might have to reapply if you have had something to eat or drink.

13

NYX PROFESSIONAL MAKEUP Soft Matte Lip Cream, Cairo

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NYX’s Soft Matte Lip Cream in the shade Cairo is a nude color in the true sense of the term. It glides on like a dream, and is super long-lasting, which means you can transition from morning to moonlight with perhaps just one touch-up. This mousse-textured lip cream can also be used as a blush - used a pea-sized amount and dab it on using a powder brush for that natural flush of color on your cheeks! The product works great in a single thin swatch, the more you apply the cakier it looks.

14

L'Oreal Paris Colour Riche Lipcolour, Fairest Nude

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L’Oreal Paris’ Colour Riche Lipcolour in the shade Fairest Nude is a gorgeous nude with pink undertones. As its name suggests, it has a rich color payoff and a satiny finish, is super creamy, and keeps the lips nicely moisturized thanks to ingredients like argan oil, omega 3, and vitamin E. To give your lips more definition, we recommend using the Au Naturale Lipliner to contour the lips before applying the lipstick. The packaging takes the cake though, the lipstick looks uber-luxe in its gold case.

There are a ton of nude shades for dark skin available in the market. However, it can be quite overwhelming to get the right one for you. We will tell you how.

It is important to choose the right nude lipstick so that you don’t look washed out or plain unattractive.

Look for Contrasting Shade
It’s always better to choose a lip color that is, if not striking, then at least a subtle contrast to your skin tone. Ideally, lipsticks with warm undertones - avoid ones with cool undertones such as pink nudes - suit those with dark skin the best. Avoid too light nudes that may end up making you look like a zombie. And the darker nudes defeat the purpose of wearing a nude color in the first place. 

Try Different Products
Don’t shy away from trying out semi-matte, matte, creamy sheer, or glossy lipsticks. On days when you want to make a statement, you can go for highly pigmented matte nudes, whereas on a lazy casual day, you can opt for a gloss that lets the natural color of your lips shine through.

Whether you are using a stick or a liquid lipstick the method of applying the color is standard. 

Application
Start by applying towards the center of the upper lip, then contour the lips through to the edges. You may follow the same method for the lower lip or simply swipe the lipstick across the entire length. 

Line Your Lip
Some nudes don’t look as good on their own. They need a darker liner to balance out their color. In that case, you may choose a lip liner of your liking and pair it with your nude to make the color stand out. 

Build the Coverage
There are highly pigmented lipsticks that give a great color payoff with just a one-stroke application. You might have to reapply after a few hours and you’re good to go again. Then there are liquid lipsticks that are buildable. These can be applied as a single coat for a natural look or a couple of coats can be slathered depending on how buildable the product is. 

Nude lipsticks for dark skin are a must-have in your vanity bag. Especially now that we know how to choose and use nude lipstick. It is imperative to find a shade that gives you a natural glow, keeps your lips feeling moisturized, and makes your lips pop just the right amount. As per our expertise, we bring you the best ones available both online and in-store. While we recommend having at least one shade that complements your skin tone, you can invest in two or three shades so that you may use them alternatively without getting bored. From the office to the party, nude lipsticks can be easily dressed up or down according to the look you want.