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The Perfect Lip Combo for Every Skin Tone
20
items Your perfect lip combo is out there. You just need the right shades. 💄🤎
Finding a nude that doesn’t wash you out or a liner that actually complements your lipstick can be surprisingly difficult. This is my guide to lip combinations that work acros...
Sections
5
Fair & Light Skin Tones
Light-Medium & Medium Skin Tones
Tan & Olive Skin Tones
Deep & Rich Skin Tones
Universal Lip Combo Staples
Fair & Light Skin Tones
Soft, rosy, and neutral shades that enhance lighter complexions without looking too harsh or orange.
This is such a pretty everyday nude for lighter skin tones. I love the soft rosy tone because it defines the lips without looking too dark or obvious. It’s one of those liners that makes almost any pinky nude lipstick look better.
Charlotte Tilbury Lip Cheat Lip Liner
I love this for adding that juicy finish without completely covering the natural lip color. The sheer pink makes the lips look fresh and healthy, and it works beautifully over a nude liner.
Dior Lip Glow Oil in 001 Pink
This is exactly the kind of lipstick I love for an effortless everyday look. It’s soft and sheer instead of overly pigmented, so it gives my lips a little color while still looking like my natural lips, just better.
MERIT Signature Lip in Baby
I love this when I want a slightly deeper outline around a soft nude lip. It blends beautifully, so I can define the edges and then soften everything with lipstick or gloss instead of having that obvious liner look.
MAKE UP FOR EVER Artist Color Pencil in Wherever Walnut
Light-Medium & Medium Skin Tones
Warm pinks, caramel nudes, and rosy browns that add definition while keeping the look natural.
This is one of my favorite types of liner for creating that softly sculpted lip. The formula is creamy enough to blend but still gives the lips enough definition. I especially love it underneath a nude or rosy lipstick.
Makeup by Mario Ultra Suede Sculpting Lip Pencil
I love this when I want color and shine in one step. It feels much lighter than a traditional lipstick and gives the lips that juicy, polished finish. It’s especially pretty with a slightly darker liner underneath.
YSL Loveshine Lip Oil Stick
This is perfect when I want my lip combo to look really juicy. It gives enough shine to make the lips look fuller but still feels comfortable. I love putting it over a neutral liner and lipstick.
Saie Glossybounce High-Shine Hydrating Lip Gloss Oil
I love this because it gives me that effortless stained-lip look. It starts glossy and leaves behind a soft tint, so even after the shine fades, there’s still some color left on the lips.
Rare Beauty Soft Pinch Tinted Lip Oil
Tan & Olive Skin Tones
Rich nude, terracotta, and warm brown shades that complement golden and olive undertones beautifully.
This is such a good brown liner when I want my lips to have more definition. I love using it with a nude or caramel lipstick because it creates that dimensional lip look instead of making the lips look flat.
MAC Cosmetics Lip Pencil in Chestnut
This is perfect for that polished nude lip without making the color look too pale. I love the creamy formula and how easily it glides over the lips. It’s especially pretty with gloss layered on top.
Natasha Denona I Need A Nude Lip Liner
This is one of those glosses that makes every lip combo look better. I love using it over brown liner because the shine catches the light beautifully without completely hiding the liner underneath.
Fenty Beauty Gloss Bomb Universal Lip Luminizer
This is another one I’d keep in the makeup bag because it works beautifully as a neutral sculpting liner. I love slightly blending it toward the center before adding a lighter lipstick or gloss.
MAKE UP FOR EVER Artist Color Pencil in Wherever Walnut
Deep & Rich Skin Tones
Deeper browns, berries, plums, and warm neutrals that provide definition without looking ashy or washed out.
I love a deeper liner when I want my lip combination to actually have dimension. This gives the edges more definition and looks gorgeous with a warm brown, berry, or nude lipstick in the center.
MAC Cosmetics Lip Pencil in Caviar
I love this when I want the lipstick itself to have more impact. The velvety finish looks polished without being an ultra-flat matte, and the deeper shades are gorgeous for creating a statement lip.
Anastasia Beverly Hills Lip Velvet Liquid Lipstick
I love this when I want a glossy lip with noticeable color. It gives me that high-shine finish while still looking like I actually put effort into my lip combo. A deeper liner underneath makes it even better.
Haus Labs PhD Hybrid Lip Glaze
I love using this as the final step over a deeper lip liner. It softens the whole look and adds that glassy shine while letting the liner and lipstick still show through.
Dior Lip Glow Oil
Universal Lip Combo Staples
The versatile shades and formulas that can be mixed, layered, and customized for almost any complexion.
If I could only keep a few lip liners, this would be high on my list. There are so many shades that I can create completely different lip combinations depending on the mood. The formula is creamy, precise, and easy to blend.
MAKE UP FOR EVER Artist Color Pencil
This is the liner I’d pick when I want a really polished lip. It helps define the shape beautifully and works under lipstick, gloss, or even on its own when I want a more defined nude lip.
Charlotte Tilbury Lip Cheat
I love this for the final glossy step because it gives the lips that soft, juicy finish without making the combo feel heavy. It’s especially pretty over a neutral or brown liner.
Summer Fridays Dream Lip Oil
This is my “make any lip combo better” gloss. I love how it adds instant shine and makes the lips look fuller without completely covering whatever color is underneath.
Fenty Beauty Gloss Bomb Universal Lip Luminizer