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Tried & Tested: The Best Nude Lipsticks For Dark Skin

by Tolani Shoneye ,
Tried & Tested: The Best Nude Lipsticks For Dark Skin

Trying to find the perfect nude lipstick can be a real challenge for us dark skinned girls, kinda like trying to find flesh tone tights, or nude underwear, the struggle is real! So to help you ladies out, we tried and tested a range of nude lipsticks so you don't have to.

Not only is it a challenge to find the right shade of nude, applying it can also be a task. I know what you are thinking; Is it really worth it? YES IT IS!

Nude is the the go to lip colour season after season, and it compliments just about every beauty look. Pair with smokey eyes ​for a sexy party look, or with natural make up for an understated chic look.

So to help you rock a nude lip like a pro, we've put together tips from make up artists who know what they are talking about.

Justine Jenkins, Eco celebrity make-up artist, gives us her tips on how to choose the best nude colour.

"The important thing to remember when choosing a nude lipstick for darker skin tones, is to look at the colour of your lips, and match them or go a shade lighter," she explains. "Don't necessarily go to the salmon and pinky beige tones that are classically called 'nudes'. These shades can suit some darker tones but as a general rule I'd steer clear.
Depending on your lip colour, you want to be looking at caramel tones, browns, mauves and even dark rose colours. You can also use a lip pencil all over the lip as the underlying colour and add lip balm or a gloss to make it more comfortable to wear. This is a good tip if you want to disguise any uneven tones on the lips."

International Make Up Artist and founder of WOW Beauty also had some advice to give us. She says, "For girls with glowing brown skin, look out for toffee coloured shades and cover with a clear gloss for your perfect nude tone. When buying a nude lipstick ladies with darker skin should look out for shades with a yellow undertone as this will still show warmth but won’t stand out too much. A favourite of mine is MAC in Fresh Brew which works well with dark skin and has a simple tone that matches well with a dramatic eye."

So what's next girls? Prepping that pout, that's what. Carly Hobbs, MUA, tanner and hair stylist, gave us her flawless step by step guide to getting the perfect nude lips. Take note ladies.

1. Exfoliate

First thing first you need to get the perfect base for the lipstick. Nude lipstick as an habit of showing every flaw on the lips. So exfoliate the lips by blending brown sugar with a little olive oil and buff all over the lips, this will ditch dead skin cells and even out your pout so that everything else slips on in a super smooth fashion.

2. Moisturise

Because dry lips are never a good look, you need to moisturise the lips. Layer on a lip balm, my favourite is Euercin Aquaphor, a thick lip balm that will moisturise your pout like it's never been moisturised before. Leave on for five minutes so it sinks right it.

3. Conceal

Once you've finished your base, take your concealer brush, and without adding extra product, simply using the excess still left on your brush, work the colour completely over the pout. This gives you a clean and perfect base to work with.

4. Line

Grab a liner that matches the skin tone around your lip outline, start at the Cupid's bow and gently trace downwards on each side, then do the lower lip and then open wide and do the inside corners. Once the outline it done, work the pencil across the lips too, it gives your lippy something to hold on to.

5. Apply

Work your chosen nude lipstick over the lips, then press in over the top with your fingertips to give a kissed in, au natural finish.

And because we know the struggle of find the perfect nude shade we have tried out a few nudes, lets just say not all of them are great do dark skinned girls.

Me Me Me Lip Glide Rich Truffle

Nude Lipstick On Dark Skin Tones
Nude Lipstick On Dark Skin Tones
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The Me Me Me Lip Glide in Rich Truffle is a creamy texture that glides on the lips so well, hence the name. And although it as a pink undertone against my skin tone, the colour actually works. It's a nude that actually looks nude! HAPPY DAYS! To really make this colour work, pair it with a brown lip liner.

Maybelline Velvet Beige

Nude Lipstick On Dark Skin Tones
Nude Lipstick On Dark Skin Tones
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It's fair to say this colour is less nude... more pink on my skin tone. Although the Maybelline Velvet Beige looked like the perfect colour for my skin tone, the application proved otherwise. *sad face* What I did love about this lipstick, is how much it moisturisers my lips, because like we all know nude lipstick and dry lips are never ok. NEVER!

MAC Taupe

Nude Lipstick On Dark Skin Tones
Nude Lipstick On Dark Skin Tones
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MAC Taupe is one of my favourite nude lip colours. It's a lovely matte lipstick, thats actually wearable, yeah I know a matte nude that doesn't leave you looking like you are suffering from chapped lips... What a time to be alive. The peachy brown colour is great for an everyday look, and is a must have. Good looking out MAC.

Sleek Succumb

Nude Lipstick On Dark Skin Tones
Nude Lipstick On Dark Skin Tones
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The Sleek Succumb is a sheen brown colour with a pinky orangey undertone. It's a non drying lipstick, that glides so well on the lips. The mauve tones makes it great on my skin tone. Definitely a great every day nude.

Rimmel Nude Delight

Nude Lipstick On Dark Skin Tones
Nude Lipstick On Dark Skin Tones
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This is definitely one to use with caution, I mean just look at my lips, it's everything that's wrong with nude lipstick on black girls. The Rimmel Nude Delight is very peachy orange on my skin tone. So to make it more a nude colour it's best to wear this colour using the Rimmel 1000 Kisses Lipliner in Tiramisu.

Urban Decay Sheer Liar

Nude Lipstick On Dark Skin Tones
Nude Lipstick On Dark Skin Tones
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The Urban Decay Sheer Liar is a muted, medium brown with a hint of rose and a light shine that actually works well on my skin tone. It has semi-opaque color coverage that went on fairly evenly and smoothly. Worth having in the makeup bag.

NYX Butter Lips Pops

Nude Lipstick On Dark Skin Tones
Nude Lipstick On Dark Skin Tones
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NYX Butter Lips Pops feels like you are applying butter on you lips, in a good way of course. Just like many nude lips on the market this colour looks a little pink on my skin tone, but nothing a little lip liner can't fix.

Sleek Tweek

Nude Lipstick On Dark Skin Tones
Nude Lipstick On Dark Skin Tones
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Sleek have done a great job with this Tweek colour. I am so in love, it's a more chocolate nude colour, which compliments dark skin tones so well. Seriously ladies you need this shade. Thanks Sleek you are the real MVP!

And just incase you need even more convincing, here are 10 dark skin girls that have mastered the nude lip.

The Best Nude Lipsticks For Dark Skin © sexyassblackwomen.tumblr.com
The Best Nude Lipsticks For Dark Skin
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What's your fave nude colour? Tweet us @SofeminineUK

This article was written by Tolani Shoneye. Tweet her @tolly_t

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