makeup

CASE STUDY: THE NUDE LIP

Post + Photography by Amy Nadine, Graphic Design by Eunice Chun

Last month we studied (and fell in love with) the new ways to create red lips (revisit our Red Lipstick Evolved Tutorial if you missed it!). But today we’re diving into the world of nude lips and how far they’ve come as well. I can remember a decade ago when the only nude lipsticks in my kit were NARS Honolulu Honey and NARS Belle Du Jour (still classics and still in my kit!). But now there are different textures and finishes to choose from that don’t come from a lipstick tube. These are my top three favorites: 

1. Lip Crayon — Almost every makeup brand now offers a lip crayon and honestly I’ve preferred them to lipstick for a long time now. But Hourglass just debuted their own version, Femme Nude Lip Stylo, in six different nude shades. Yes, you read that right! Six shades of nude depending on your mood or skin tone. I’ve found #4 to be the most universally flattering on most skin tones, but you should play with them at your local department store and find the perfect one for you.
2. Lustrous Shine — It used to be that a nude gloss went on clear or shimmery, making it more of a bare than a nude. But NARS Larger Than Life Lip Gloss is heavily pigmented so it goes on more like a liquid lipstick-gloss hybrid than a gloss. My favorite nudes are Tiber and Odalisque.
3. Velvet Lacquer — For a matte finish that has a little life to it (aka won’t make you look dead!), my favorite is Armani Lip Maestro Matte Lacquer in Blush. I’ve used it on a client at this year’s Comic Con and on another client’s Pre-Emmy party and it looked divine on both!

P.S. The answers to our Instagram quiz are: 1. B, 2. C and 3. A!