For a couple of years, I’ve been on the hunt for a nude lipstick that would look good on me. I’m pretty colorful, so I thought a nude lip might provide some balance with the red color of my hair and my pink cheeks. I’ve seen lots of photos of redheads (as well as brunettes and blondes) with nude lips, and they look great. It shouldn’t be that hard to find the right shade. Well, it was.
I’ve gone through lots of nude lipsticks, all failures. Recently, my Ulta bonus allowed me to choose two free lipsticks from NYX. So, I chose two nude shades.
One was a total fail, way too light, a cafe au lait shade with grey undertones, REA LSS532 (on the left in the photo). I looked like death. 
The rule of thumb, I believe, in selecting a nude lipstick is not to go more than a shade lighter than your own lips. Or better still, test it on the skin on the underside of your wrist at the end of your palm. It should be a shade or two darker than the skin there. Also, it should go with your undertone — however, I often stray from that rule (Although I’m cool, I think my red hair lets me do warm as well.)
The other NYX nude, Minimalism LSS615A, had a bit of pink in it (the photo makes it look way too pink/rose, which it is not). That shade was not bad, but it wasn’t the look I was after. The color was still too light, and it made me look a little washed out. I couldn’t get a photo where the color was realistic, so I’ll skip it.
The NYX Extra Creamy Round Lipsticks are nice, extra creamy, come in a zillion shades, and are inexpensive. I think they’re $4.00 each for 0.14oz/4g. The color doesn’t last, but it feels good on (because it has oils in it, but oils I usually like to avoid: mineral oil and lanolin oil). As long as I’m mentioning ingredients I’d rather avoid, I’ve learned that NYX Extra Creamy Lipstick also has BHA in it to keep the product from becoming rancid, but it is a chemical that’s banned in Europe and on the stay-away-from list of the Environmental Working Group. It also contains propyl paraben that I’d just as soon not put on my lips). You can find NYX at Ulta, Fred Meyer, and Target. The NYX lipsticks are made in Taiwan. I don’t know about testing on animals, but I don’t believe I’ve seen NYX on a cruelty-free list.
So, I was given an opportunity to try Milani Color Statement Lipsticks, actually in 5 different rich colors. All are keepers: highly pigmented, lightweight, creamy, not drying, relatively long lasting, and they leave color on the lips, unlike the NYX that disappears completely. The Milani colors all make a statement which I love, but more on the other shades another time.
Today I’m talking nudes, and I found the nude shade for me: Milani Naturally Chic! This nude has a bit of rose in it — though it reads “peach” on me, and this shade is a home run with my coloring. In addition, Milani has a creamy, glide-on lip pencil, Color Statement Lipliner 04 All Natural, that’s the perfect match for the lipstick shade. Using the pencil and the lipstick together makes my lips look super-full without any special tricks.
Why stop at lips? Milani has a nail polish that looks fantastic with the lipstick since they’re both Nude Rose and also look good with my skin tone: Natural Touch 21A. I love it!
I applied it over Revlon Colorstay Base Coat (that I was trying for the first time) 
and sealed it with my favorite, essence gel-look topcoat, on Wednesday, and it didn’t budge till Sunday night when I got a small chip on the tip of my index finger, and that was after washing a bunch of pots and pans without gloves. It’s OK, 5 days of wear without putting on dish gloves most of the time is fine with me.
The Milani Nail Lacquer contains 0.45 fl.oz./13.2mL and it costs $4.49 on milanicosmetics.com. The Color Statement Lipstick is $5.49 for 0.14 oz/about 4 g, and the Color Statement Lipliner is $3.99. You can also find Milani products at CVS, Walgreen’s, Walmart, and Kmart. The products are made in the U.S. and in Italy (although a couple of products in the Milani product line may be made in other European countries). Milani is cruelty-free, and the nail polish is also free of DBP, toluene & formaldehyde. My only caveat is if you’re gluten-free, you may need to pass on the lipstick, because it contains soybean oil and tocopherol (I don’t know whether it’s from wheat or another source).
PS Those are reflections in my glossy mani, not nicks, lol!
Have you found nude lipstick and polish that you like? Do tell!
Milani Nail Lacquer Ingredients: Natural Touch
Ethyl Acetate, Butyl Acetate, Isopropyl Alcohol, Adipic Acid/Neopentyl Glycol/Trimellitic Anhydride Copolymer, Nitrocellulose, Triphenyl Phosphate, Trimethyl Pentanyl Diisobutyrate, Stearalkonium Bentonite, Ethyl Tosylamide, Diacetone Alcohol, Sucrose Acetate Isobutyrate, Tosylamide/Epoxy Resin, Stearalkonium Hectorite, Camphor, Benzophenone-1, Citric Acid, Dimethicone. +/-May Contain: Mica (CI 77019), Bismuth Oxychloride (CI 77163), Titanium Dioxide (CI 77891), Red Iron Oxide (CI 77491), Black Iron Oxide (CI 77499), Ferric Ammonium Ferrocyanide (CI 77510), Yellow 5 Lake (CI 19140), Red 6 Lake (CI 15850), Red 7 Lake (CI 15850), Red 30 Lake (CI 73360), Red 34 Lake(CI 15880), Aluminum Powder (CI 77000), Polyethylene Terephthalate, Guanine (CI 75170), Calcium Sodium Borosilicate (And) Titanium Dioxide.
Milani Color Statement Lipstick Ingredients: Naturally Chic
Ricinus Communis (Castor) Seed Oil, Tridecyl Trimellitate, Euphorbia Cerifera (Candelilla) Wax (Candelilla Cera), Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Microcrystalline Wax (Microcristallina Cera), Beeswax (Cera Alba), Zokerite, Copernicia Cerifera (Carnauba) Wax (Cera Carnauba), Fragrance (Parfum), Vanillin, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Tocopherol, Glycine Soja (Soybean) Oil, Retinyl Palmitate. +/-May Contain: Mica (CI 77019), Titanium Dioxide (CI 77891), Iron Oxides (CI 77491, CI 77492, CI 77499), Red 7 Lake (CI 15850), Yellow 5 Lake (CI 19140), Red 28 Lake (CI 45410), Red 6 (CI 15850), Yellow 6 Lake (CI 15985), Red 22 Lake (CI 45380), Red 27 Lake (CI 45410), Red 36 (CI 12085), Blue 1 Lake (CI 42090), Manganese Violet (CI 77742), Carmine (CI 75470)
NYX Extra Creamy Round Lipstick Ingredients
Ceresin Wax, Polyethlene Wax, Microcrystalline Wax, Beeswax, Lanoline Oil, Isopropyl Myristate, Mineral Oils, Octyl Palmitate, BHA, Propyl Paraben, Mica, Titanium Dioxide, D&C Red No.A1 Lake, Pearl Powder, Iron Oxide.
Alas, no nude lips for me. I look dead. I tried Viva Glam V from Mac .. a reasonable pinky nude .. bleck. I’m more of a color lip gal. I love pink, purples and maroon (burgundy) and some of those rusty raisin colors too 🙂 Nude lipstick looks wonderful with your warm coloring.
Speaking of ‘looking dead’ I saw the cutest zombie movie this weekend called “Warm Bodies” .. it was really a cute movie.
Monica
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I hear ya, Monica! This was the result of a year long search for a nude lipstick that would work for me, and it only works because it has some color in it. I agree that many of us are really color girls. And frankly, that’s why I usually wear lipstick — for the color!
Thanks for the movie tip! I haven’t heard of Warm Bodies but Jeff loves to go to any movie so this one might be a fun change from our usual fare 🙂
I am with you on the search for the perfect nude lipstick that doesn’t make me look like death, lol. I have blonde (highlighted) hair, green eyes, fair skin (MAC NW20, MUFE HD 118), and so far my favorites are Mac’s Creme Cup and Buxom’s Sandi gloss, all used with Clinique’s Bamboo liner. I want to try Hourglass’s Whisper lipstick, too, which has some shimmer. Will have to try the Essence gel topcoat! I also am loving the Revlon Colorstay base coat and top coat as of the last month or so. Manicures usually last a hot second on me, but these two products give me at least 2 or 3 chip-free days.
2-3 days! I’d lose my mind, Elizabeth 😉 I’m so bad at applying nail polish that I couldn’t stand having to do mine that often. Before I found the essence gel-look topcoat, I also got only 2-3 days. When I got my nails done at a salon, they often started to chip the next day so it just wasn’t worth the $. The super-inexpensive essence top-coat really has made a difference for me. I get at least 5 days even with inexpensive nail polish brands, and over a week with the mid-tier, like essie, OPI etc. Give it a try, at $2.49, you won’t be out too much if it doesn’t work for you 😉
I will be on the lookout for the nude shades that you mention. I’ve been wanting to try the Hourglass Whisper lipstick too. I’ve got a Groupon for $10 at Sephora that I’ve been saving for a lipstick splurge. I had my eye on Buxom Hooligan but I’ll check out the Sandi gloss and also the Hourglass nude while I’m at it!
For what it’s worth, I can do Milani lipsticks and I’m allergic to wheat! Thank goodness, because they are fab!! I have the most gorgeous nude Milani (can’t remember the name) but it was from before they released the new line last year. That lipstick and MAC’s HIgh Tea are my favorite nudes. I love the nude shades above on you. I can’t believe your mani lasted so long!
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That’s really interesting about being able to wear the Milani lipsticks. It may be that the vitamin E is from a non-wheat source like rice, I just don’t know. And if you’re allergic to wheat, you may not be bothered by soybeans. Do you do soy? Also, the amounts of these ingredients is so small. But happy to hear it, at any rate! Milani has beautiful colors. I will check out the MAC High Tea next time I’m at a dept store. A girl can never have too many lipsticks! And a good nude is hard to find lol. (Thank you so much for retweeting my posts. You really are so lovely!)