Lifestyle

I Tried 5 Nude Drugstore Lipsticks For Brown Skin, And The Winner Is Clear

LifestylePublished Sep 25, 2018
By Kala Riggins
drugstore lipsticksRevelist/Kala Riggins

Just like any other lipstick lover, I always keep a hearty rotation of both high-end and affordable nude shades in my collection. Though I don't mind spending a few extra bucks for a great product, I do enjoy the convenience of picking up a drugstore lipstick on the fly. But for black women especially, buying and wearing "nude" shades can be tricky because the options for women of color have historically been limited in the mainstream. 

There are dozens of "nude" lipstick options on the beauty aisle, but how many of them actually complement deeper skin tones? It was time to see for myself, so I tried five of the top-rated drugstore nudes, and here are the results.

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nyx sandstorm
Ulta

My first pick was NYX Cosmetics Liquid Suede Cream Lipstick in Sandstorm ($7, Ulta), one of my favorite drugstore picks of all time.

NYX Lipstick-placeholder
NYX Lipstick
Kala Riggins

Sandstorm is a creamy light brown neutral that swiped on with minimal effort. Although it had a super matte finish, the color was still rich and pigmented once it dried down.

NYX matte lipstick-placeholder
NYX matte lipstick
Kala Riggins

I unsurprisingly liked the way it looked on my skin — this will definitely be a new go-to nude in my collection.

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maybellie carnal brown
Maybelline

Next, I tried drugstore household favorite Maybelline Color Sensational Powder Matte Lipstick in Carnal Brown ($8, Maybelline).

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drugstore lipstick
Revelist/Kala Riggins

This chocolate nude was a brown girl's dream. The lipstick's hue is rich and deep in color, and it served as a great complement to my warm undertones.

maybelline lipstick-placeholder
maybelline lipstick
Kala Riggins

If you’re into lipstick formulas that are super matte, you need this in your life. It saturated my lips in pure matte edginess.

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iman lipstick
IMAN Cosmetics

Next up: Luxury Moisturizing Lipstick in IMAN Nude ($10, IMAN Cosmetics). IMAN is a black-owned brand that specializes in makeup for women of color. Naturally, I expected this lippie to deliver.

iman cosmetics lipstick-placeholder
iman cosmetics lipstick
Kala Riggins

This nude lip shade had a slight orange hue, which looked bomb as hell with my undertones.

Iman nude lipstick-placeholder
Iman nude lipstick
Kala Riggins

This is now officially one of my favorite drugstore lipsticks. The coverage and the formula is amazing, end of story.

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megalast lip color
Walmart

Then I reached for Wet N Wild MegaLast Lip Color in Bare It All ($3, Walmart).

wet n wild lipstick-placeholder
wet n wild lipstick
Kala Riggins

This shade appeared nude in its tube, but definitely appears pink once applied.

wet n wild lipstick-placeholder
wet n wild lipstick
Kala Riggins

Perhaps this shade would be more nude on a darker skin tone, but on me it's a bit too pink. I think it looks good, don't get me wrong, but I wouldn't call this a "nude" on me.

>> Click to buy

That being said, I could definitely add a liner to tone down the pink and enhance this shade.

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l'oreal lipstick
Target

Lastly, I tried L'Oréal Paris Colour Riche Matte Lip Color in Matte-itude ($6, Target), which was one of the highest recommendations for black women across the internet.

loreal nude lipstick-placeholder
loreal nude lipstick
Kala Riggins

I was anxious to give this shade a try because its undertones are cooler than the lipsticks I usually go for. I wasn't sure it would compliment my complexion.

loreal nude lipstick-placeholder
loreal nude lipstick
Kala Riggins

Turns out, I liked this shade a lot, despite its gray undertones that made me fear potential ashiness. I also adore the light cocoa finish. It's also hydrating and long-lasting.

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lipstick swatch
Revelist/ Kala Riggins

Unfortunately, most of these colors didn't appear to be anywhere near "nude" on my skin, but I was still surprised by how complementary all five lipsticks were on me. I get why they're so highly recommended for deeper skin tones.

As a woman of color, I think it's important — necessary, even — to try things out to see how they wear on your skin. This nude lipstick challenge is absolute proof of that.

iman nude-placeholder
iman nude
Kala Riggins

And that's why IMAN Nude is the winner of this challenge.

>> Click to buy

IMAN's hydrating nude, thanks to its undertones and deep hue, was the only shade in the lineup I could truly consider a nude shade, despite how much I enjoyed the other four. But hey, that's just my skin — any one of these other shades might do the same for you.

The real point here, however, is this: Beauty brands aren't providing nearly enough options for people with deep skin tones. Point blank.

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