Nude Lipstick Shades That Won’t Look Pasty on Darker Skin Tones

Nude lipstick is a beauty essential for everyone, but finding one that suits dark skin can be challenging. To increase your success rate, arm yourself with these easy-to-follow tips.

Pop quiz: what makeup goes best with a nude lip colour? The short answer: Anything! From dramatic eye makeup to radiant highlighting to a peachy flush, a nude lip colour is a supportive bestie for any type of beauty look. That's why it's a consistent go-to for celebs on red carpets and spotted on high-fashion runways every season. It's the finishing touch that completes a look without being overwhelming.

A nude lip not only looks gorgeous for any occasion but also flatters all skin tones, from the fairest to the deepest. Wherever you are on the melanin spectrum, the best nude lipstick will appear beautifully natural and give lips effortless enhancement. However, if you have darker skin, finding that perfect match can require some work. Landing on one that makes you look vibrantly alive can be an exercise in trial and error.

Similar to seeking out a perfect foundation match, discovering the undertones in your skin will provide you with a clue to the range of nude lip colours that look best on you. Undertones contribute to skin's healthy glow, so the goal is to avoid lip shades that will appear pasty and make you look unwell. To figure out your undertones, look at the veins on your wrist.

If they appear green or olive, your undertones run warm. Skin with warm undertones tends to look best in lip colours that have a red or an orange hue. A balanced nude like L'Oréal Paris Colour Riche Intense Volume Matte Lipstick in 113 Le Nude Admirable can be a flattering choice.

If your veins are blue or purple, your undertones are on the cool side. Skin with cool undertones generally looks best in lip colours that have a blue or purple base. Look for a nude-pink lipstick with a cool tone. A rosier option like L'Oréal Paris Infallible Lacque Resistance Lipstick in Nu Rose 600 can feel more harmonious while still keeping the lip look polished and wearable.

If your veins have no identifiable colour, your undertones are neutral, which means you can choose shades from both sides of the colour wheel. Find yourself some natural light and swatch lip shades side by side to identify subtle differences.

Today, the term "nude" is widely interpreted and inclusive—which means we all win! With a palette that ranges from pale pink and taupe to warm caramel and rich brown, both your skin tone and your natural lip colour will help inform a seamless match. If a shade is too light, then it's bye-bye healthy glow; skin will just look washed out. If the shade is too intense, the nude effect will slip into statement-lip territory.

When a nude hue such as L'Oréal Paris Infallible Matte Resistance Liquid Lipstick in Breakfast in Bed is doing its job, it won't just merge with your natural lip colour; it will give lips a boost. To get this effect, pick a shade that's one or two shades darker than your natural lip colour.

Clean lines make a nude lip colour pop, whether your ideal match is a deeper matte nude like L'Oréal Paris Infallible Matte Resistance Liquid Lipstick in Breakfast in Bed or a rosier lacquer finish like L'Oréal Paris Infallible Lacque Resistance Lipstick in Nu Rose 600. If you want a classic satin statement shade to round out your lip wardrobe beyond nude, L'Oréal Paris Colour Riche Lip Colour in 350 British Red is a great option to keep on hand.

For increased precision, try tracing a matching tone of lip pencil along your Cupid's bow, outer corners and lower lip line, or use a tapered lip brush to apply colour.

Finding the best nude lipstick for darker skin tones is really about undertone, contrast, and finish. The most flattering shade usually won't be the palest one. Instead, it will be the one that works with your natural lip colour and adds definition without draining warmth from the face.