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Lip Colors I Tried After Wearing the Same Nude for Five Years

35 items

Audrey Grace

You know who you are. You grab the same shade every single time, maybe a mauve or a rosy nude, and the rest of your lip collection collects dust. I was stuck in that loop for five years until I forced myself to branch out one shade at a time. This is...

Sections

Wearable Reds That Won't Scare You Off

Berry and Plum Shades for When Nude Gets Boring

Unexpected Pinks That Don't Look Like Barbie

Warm Terracotta and Rust Shades for a New Neutral

Mauves and Dusty Roses That Aren't Your Usual Shade

Bold Shades for the Day You Finally Go For It

Wearable Reds That Won't Scare You Off

Red felt intimidating until I realized the trick is picking one with the right undertone for your skin. These are the reds that made strangers compliment me instead of stare.

Grab this if you've been scared of red your whole life. I wore it to a dinner party expecting weird looks and got three compliments before appetizers. It's blue-based so it makes teeth look whiter, which is a nice bonus.

MAC MACXIMAL Silky Matte Lipstick Russian Red Limited

Try this on a random Tuesday, not a special occasion. That's how I broke the seal. It's a vivid cool red that somehow feels casual when you keep the rest of your face simple. Stayed on through coffee and a croissant.

NARS Powermatte Lipstick in Dragon Girl

Use this when full-on red feels like too much commitment. It gives you a sheer red stain that builds, so you control how bold you go. I started here and worked my way up to the opaque stuff.

Joy Soft Pinch Tinted Lip Oil - Rare Beauty

Keep this in your bag for when you want red but also want your lips to feel like butter. My lips are chronically dry and this never emphasized flakes. The shine makes it feel less serious than a matte.

YSL Rouge Volupté Shine Oil-in-Stick Lipstick Balm

Snag this if you want a hint of berry-red without any drama. It adjusts to your natural lip color so it looks different on everyone. I put it on in the car before a meeting and it just looked like my lips but better.

Almost Lipstick in Black Honey | Glossy Lip Balm | Clinique

Berry and Plum Shades for When Nude Gets Boring

I never thought I could pull off berry until a friend literally applied one on me at brunch. Now it's my go-to fall shade and I feel ridiculous for waiting so long.

Wear this on a night out when you want to feel like you have your life together. It's a deep berry-rose that reads sophisticated without trying too hard. My friend borrowed it once and immediately bought her own.

Charlotte Tilbury Matte Revolution Sample Lipstick Walk

Pair this with literally just mascara and you look done. It's a deep plum that somehow works in daylight too. I was nervous the first time but a coworker said I looked like I got a promotion.

PAT McGRATH LABS - Omi MatteTrance Lipstick

Toss this on over any lip liner if you want a berry vibe without committing to a full lipstick. The shimmer catches light in a way that makes your lips look fuller. Great gateway shade if plum scares you.

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Try this if glosses usually feel sticky and gross to you. It's a sheer mauve-berry with zero tackiness. I wore it on a windy day and my hair didn't glue itself to my mouth, which honestly was the real test.

Tower 28 ShineOn Lip Gloss Jelly, Cashew (0.13 oz)

Grab this for holiday parties or literally any day you want to look like you tried. It goes on like a balm but leaves a cranberry stain. I apply it with my finger in the car and it still looks intentional.

BOBBI BROWN CRUSHED LIP COLOR CRANBERRY New

Unexpected Pinks That Don't Look Like Barbie

Pink was my nemesis because every one I tried made me look twelve. These are the grown-up pinks that finally made sense on my face.

Use this if every pink you've tried looks like bubblegum on you. It's muted and dusty, more like a pink you'd find in a linen store than a toy aisle. Applied it before a Zoom call and someone asked if I'd gotten lip filler.

MERIT Signature Lip Lightweight Lipstick

Keep this around for days when you want color but can't be bothered with precision. It's a warm rosy pink that you can smear on without a mirror. Feels like a lip treatment but actually shows up.

Kosas Wet Lip Oil Plumping Treatment Gloss - Dip

Swap your usual nude for this and watch what happens. It's a bright true pink that somehow doesn't overwhelm your face. I wore it expecting my husband to say something and he just said I looked really pretty. Subtle power move.

Laura Mercier Rouge Essentiel Silky Creme Lipstick Rose

Snag this for the grocery store, the school run, anywhere you want a whisper of pink. It's sheer enough that you genuinely cannot mess it up. My lips were peeling from winter and this made them look healthy in seconds.

ILIA Balmy Tint Hydrating Lip Balm 0.15 oz LULLABY

Try this before you commit to a bold pink. It reacts to your lip chemistry so the color is unique to you. I bought it skeptically and now it's the one thing I grab when I'm running late, every single morning.

Vintage 2010s • Christian Dior • Addicted To Dior Jeweled Lip Gloss Duo Compact Keychain • 002 Addicted To Pink

Warm Terracotta and Rust Shades for a New Neutral

When nude got stale, terracotta became my new neutral. These shades feel earthy and cool without being as predictable as beige.

Wear this if you want something that reads as a nude from far away but is actually a warm terracotta up close. It's the shade that made me realize my old nude was washing me out. Stayed on through a four-hour brunch.

Rare Beauty Kind Words Matte Lipstick Gifted

Grab this for that effortless look where people can't tell if you're wearing makeup. It's a warm peachy rust with a little shine. Applied it without liner and it still looked polished, which is rare for me.

NARS Afterglow Sensual Shine Lipstick (Women)

Try this if you want to test the terracotta waters without spending a lot. It dries down matte and lasts through lunch. I accidentally left it on overnight once and it was still faintly there in the morning.

SEPHORA COLLECTION Cream Lip Stain Liquid Lipstick

Use this on days your lips feel thin and sad. It has a slight tingle that plumps without looking overdone. The rust shade is warm enough to work year-round. My sister stole mine and I had to reorder.

Lip Injection Power Plumping Liquid Lipstick

Pair this with bronzer and nothing else for a weekend face. It's a warm caramel-rust that looks like you just ate something delicious. The formula is creamy without being slippery, so it actually stays where you put it.

MAKEUP BY MARIO Moistureglow Plumping Lip Color

Mauves and Dusty Roses That Aren't Your Usual Shade

Before you say you already own a mauve, hear me out. These are the mauves that replaced my boring everyday shade because they have more depth and dimension.

Swap your regular nude for this if you have medium or deeper skin. The original Pillow Talk was too light on me and looked chalky. This version actually matched and became my new daily shade within a week.

Pillow Talk Medium – Matte Revolution – Berry Pink Lipstick

Keep this for date nights. It's a dusty rose with a hint of brown that makes you look put-together without screaming for attention. The matte finish lasts through dinner and doesn't transfer onto wine glasses.

Armani Beauty 5 Lip Maestro Liquid Lipstick

Wait, this is a blush, but tap it on your lips too. I started using it as a lip color by accident and the dusty mauve is better than half my lipstick collection. Blends beautifully with your finger.

Major Headlines Double-Take Crème & Powder Blush Duo

Another cheat code. Dab this on lips and cheeks for a matching flush that looks like you just came in from a brisk walk. The mauve-pink tone is more interesting than any nude lipstick I've tried. Saves time and bag space.

Baby Cheeks Cream Blush Stick in Poppet

Splurge on this when you want a mauve that feels fancy. The packaging alone makes you want to reapply in public. It's hydrating enough to skip balm underneath, and the color sits right between pink and brown.

Gucci Rouge De Beaute Brillant Glow & Care Lipstick 204

Bold Shades for the Day You Finally Go For It

There came a point where I stopped easing in and just went for it. These are the shades I wore on the days I decided to stop playing it safe.

Start here if bold for you means stepping one shade darker than nude. It's a deep whipped cocoa that looks edgy without being loud. I wore it to a job interview and felt like I had a secret weapon.

Velvet Teddy M·A·Cximal Silky Matte Lipstick - MAC

Grab this when you're ready to go full red with zero apologies. It's a universal true red that looks good on literally everyone I've put it on. Wore it to a wedding and the bride asked me what shade it was.

Fenty Beauty Stunna Lip Paint Uncensored 01 Longwear

Try this if you want a color that survives everything. Ate tacos, drank margaritas, talked for three hours straight. Still on. The cranberry shade is deep without looking goth, which is exactly the line I wanted to walk.

Danessa Myricks Beauty Colorfix Mattes Tribe |

Use this on the day you want to channel main character energy. It's the kind of red that makes you sit up straighter. I put it on before a presentation and even I believed what I was saying more.

LiquiLUST: Legendary Wear Matte Lipstick in Elson 4

Snag this deep burgundy when you want drama without sparkle. It's flat matte and intense and honestly made me feel like a villain in the best way. Wear it in winter with a black coat and you'll feel invincible.

NARS Powermatte Lipstick in American Woman 112

Lip Liners That Make Any New Shade Work

Half my failed lip experiments happened because I skipped liner. Once I started prepping my lips properly, even the weirdest shades suddenly looked intentional.

Keep this as your universal safety net. It works under almost every shade in this entire list. I line and fill my whole lip with it before any new color, and it makes everything blend better and last longer.

25+ Charlotte Tilbury Lip Cheat Pillow Talk for sale

Try this warm nude-pink if your lip liner collection is nonexistent. It's creamy enough that it doesn't tug and precise enough that you can overline slightly without looking ridiculous. My first real liner and still my favorite.

Rare Lancome Le Lipstique Lip Liner Pencil New In Box Discontinued Mauvelle

Use this deeper brown when you're wearing terracotta or rust shades. It creates a clean border so color doesn't feather into fine lines around your mouth. Wish I'd known about this trick in my twenties.

Monochrome Moment Precision Lip Crayon

Grab this if you want one liner that works with berries, plums, and deep reds. It's a versatile warm brown that doesn't clash with anything. I tested it under six different lipsticks and it matched every single one.

Make Up For Ever Artist Color Pencil Wherever Walnut

Toss this in your bag as a backup. It costs almost nothing and performs like it should cost five times more. Great under pinks and mauves. I've gone through four of these because I keep losing them, which says everything.

NYX Professional Makeup, Slim Lip Pencil