The Nude Lipcolor Anyone Can Wear

Nude: a beigey hue that appears so benign, so neutral, so easy to wear—but is actually not. At least not past the age of 25. Most nudey lipcolors I’ve tried leave me looking washed out, like I applied concealer to my mouth. However. Stop the presses (or, more appropriately for 2016, press the refresh button): I’ve found a formula, at long last, that’s wearable, that should work on most skin tones—and that will be the perfect complement to festive, smoky eyes this holiday-party season.

Blushington BLovely Lipsick

Blushington, a makeup studio with locations in New York, Los Angeles and Dallas, has teamed up with Julie Hewett Cosmetics to create BLovely Lipstick, a limited-edition nude lip cream infused with just a touch of peach (the key to keeping you from looking corpse-like).

For every-day, I don’t like a true nude (I find it too retro, Twiggy-esque), so I'd fill in my lips first with Urban Decay Lip Liner in Naked to deepen my natural lipcolor just a touch, then top with BLovely. The result is more of a beigey-pinky-peach than a legit nude. But it's still very neutral.

In the evening, however, when a pale lipcolor looks chic with dramatic eye makeup, I’d swipe on BLovely, straight up. I also suggest topping with a light coat of balm or lip gloss, such as Bobbi Brown Lip Gloss in Almost Nude or Almost Peach. BLovely's finish is a bit matte—good for longevity but can feel a bit dry.