1. Reds
Reds pop off so hard on tanner skin, it makes us looked sunkissed and glowing. Choosing the right red can do wonders to bring out your skin’s gorgeous undertone. Here are two of my favorite reddish-orangish shades!
Colourpop: Lovebug
Lovebug is a gorgeous deep maroon shade. It looks a little bit darker than it does on this model here, but I’m absolutely in love with how sharp it makes my lips look. The only problem I have with this is how matte it is — it can crack and feather sometimes. But with proper exfoliation and moisturizer, it’s perfect.
Price: $7
Smashbox Always On: Bawse
Smashbox is definitely more on the pricy side, but their quality is amazing. The Always On lipsticks are satiny and apply smooth, and definitely stay true to their name: they’ll stay on almost all day without reapplication. Bawse, entertainer Lilly Singh’s shade in this line, is one of the most universally flattering colors I’ve ever seen. I think it works especially well on medium to olive tones. It’s an incredibly rich, saturated, and striking shade of red. I love it!
Price: $22
2. Berries
Personally, I think berries look the best on brown skin tones (but maybe it’s because purple is my favorite color!). It’s relatively easy to find one that works for your specific undertone, and the contrast between the lipstick and your skin is absolutely magnificent.
NYX Soft Matte Lip Cream: Transylvania
I’m absolutely in love with NYX’s line of Soft Matte Lip Creams. They aren’t too drying on your lips, are low price, smell like cupcakes, and come in a huge range of colors and undertones. Transylvania and Copenhagen are two of my favorite berry shades from this line. Transylvania is a deep maroonish purple that looks gorgeous on brown skin. The only problem I have with this line is how it fades over the course of a day — reapplication is a must.
Price: $6
Sephora Collection Cream Lip Stain: Blackberry Sorbet
This is my favorite lipstick of all time, for sure. I love the way this looks on medium-dark skin, it really makes the undertones come out and emphasizes the shape of their lips! The consistency of this lipstick is soft but still matte while being comfortable to wear. You might have to reapply this once in a day, but other than that its great for long-term wear. I’m obsessed!
Price: $14
3. Nudes
Nudes can be so diverse on brown skin — you can go for something pinkish, brown, maybe pinkish-red, and it’ll all look lovely!
Anastasia Beverly Hills: Ashton
I love Ashton because, this might sound weird, it looks different and beautiful on everyone. People have different lip colors and lip undertones, and Ashton is a shade that almost… fits to your colors. It looks like a deep nude on some people, pinker on others, and even red at times. While some users may not appreciate that, I happen to. I think it’s an amazing shade for brown women. It can get a little too matte/drying for me, so I love to layer clear-sheer gloss on top for some extra bling.
Price: $20
NYX Butter Gloss: Praline
Praline and its sister shade Ginger are two well renowned and loved shades by women of color. The application is smooth and silky, and similarly to Ashton, emphasizes the color of the user’s lips, not its own shade. I haven’t tried the two combined, but that would be a godly combination!
Price: $5