6 Must-Have MAC Nude Lipsticks
6 Must-Have MAC Nude Lipsticks
About the Temptalia Must-Haves Series
A series of posts showcasing must-have products from MAC Cosmetics’ permanent line of products. Selections are based on quality, universality, uniqueness amongst the line, and the like. Limited edition shades are deliberately excluded to make buying easier. Readers’ comments act as a supplement to these lists of their favorites and must-haves. You can find the entire series here.
High Tea lipstick is a sheer, lightly pinked nude shade that works really well to mute more pigmented lips or add a little bit of glossiness to lips for everyday wear.
Myth lipstick is a satiny smooth, fleshy beige shade. Good for toned-down lips, especially when paired with smoky eyes.
Honeylove lipstick is often my go-to for a matte, pink-nude lip. It’s a great way to contrast with heavier/more colorful eyes.
See three more picks!
Blankety lipstick is an incredibly creamy, pigmented pinky beige nude shade. This is a great color to pair with more pigmented, brighter lipglosses, too.
Hug Me lipstick is a fleshy pinky-nude than most of the others listed here, but for those who find most nudes wash them out, Hug Me is a great way to go for a muted lip instead.
Creme d’Nude lipstick is a creamy, opaque beigey-nude shade that works well for a warmer nude lip.
What are your favorite nude lipsticks?
i like kinda sexy and taupe. kinda sexy is a peachy beige matte, taupe is a brown nude matte. i don’t like shiny nudes for some reason. i love myth too!
Awesome 😀
Peachstock, Freckletone, and Siss.
I like these, too!
I usually use Creme d’Nude for a pure nude lip.
And now that I’m tan, Hue gives me a great pinkish-nude lip.
Do you have swatches for the colors? I’ve love to see comparisons (and the swatches on the MAC site are never helpful)
I agree with Cream De Nude…..the most amazing nude color 🙂 ALSO like suggested swatching all the “must have” colors are a really great idea!!! Not sure if you still own them all, but if you do….adding that as a feature is a really great idea.
I also have Fleshpot and when I wanna go for a really light nude (like wash out your lips kinda nude) its really perfect. Like for a smokey eye. Cream De’ Nude can be worn with other looks BUT Fleshpot really needs a smokey eye or its just too wacky of a nude color.
OH I forgot to add that i think Nude in the Slimshine is really nice as well…its a rather dark nude but its really great….its the only lipstick I brought with me to Mexico and I wore it daily (I also brought lots of glosses but it was the only actual lipstick)
I’m totally blanking on this slimshine. I gotta check it out now 🙂
I don’t, to be honest 🙁 I passed on a TON of my permanent products in lieu of LE ones. Like I don’t think I own more than 1 or 2 from this list, but I have 10 that are LE, LOL.
I don’t have swatches, unfortunately!
I love Plink!, Freckletone and Underplay (too bad this is discontinued!).
Freckletone is pretty 😀
Oh, and I forgot to mention Viva Glam V, of course!
Myth, Blankety, Bare slimshine, Modesty, Creme d’Nude, VGV.
Good list, Alyson!
Modesty!
Was that LE or is that a Cremesheen? I’m totally blanking!
Modesty is Cremesheen, and I agree that it’s pretty! 🙂
I like Brave New Bronze…when I apply it (I’m NC37), it appears nude to my lips.
Creme Cerise if I want sheer light brownish-nude lips
But I love Creamy Nude by Clinique
BNB is one of my faves!
I LOVE BRAVE NEW BRONZE! I like it because it makes my pigmented lips look lighter.. but I want to try going EVEN lighter. but not pale.
anyone have suggestions for my darker more pigmented lips?
so far, brave new bronze is the nudest I’ve gone. I’m kind of afraid of going lighter because I’ve tried NYX Circe and REVLON nude attitude.. and those are WAY too pale on my lips, it makes my lips look chalky and dry.
I’m thinking about trying some of the popular ones: Myth (looks like it might be too pale), Creme d’ Nude, Freckletone maybe, High Tea, Blankety.. I don’t know! AH!
Hey Jenny,
I like Velvet Teddy and Cherish, partially because they’re more opaque. I also like Honeyflower (a little warmer) and Touch (deeper).
I have darker toned lips (for an NC37) and maybe I’ll try Touch. I can’t find Honeyflower online any longer.
So many to try….
hi! by pigmented lips, do u mean dark? coz i have dark lips n i really want 2 find a nice shade of nude lipstick!!!!!!!
It can be dark lips or just naturally more pink/red lips!
ok.. so wad shades of nude wud u rec0mmend 4 dark lips?
Try Touch!
Pretty Please, Hue, Plink & Creme Cup in addition to the ones you mentioned above are my must-have’s.
Creme Cup is nice 😀
I know What A Do may not be nude for everyone, but it gives me the perfect nude lip when i combine it with spice liner & prrr lipglass. stinks it was LE. this is my go-to lip combo when rocking a smoky eye.
What A Do! is still available at MAC online. Look for it in the Going, Going, Gone section. 🙂
So happy you found a nude that works for you!
I have Blanketty, and Hug Me. Blanketty is my FAVE nude lippy of all time!
Very nice!
It would be nice if you actually did some posts regarding women of darker skin tones.
Is this blog geared towards your personal makeup preferences or makeup in general for all types of women?
These posts have nothing to do with limiting to light, medium or dark skin tones… These shades, I think, work well on the majority of skin tones. Of course, not every shade will be great for every one, but I try to say whether they work well on lighter/darker/warmer/cooler skin tones if I find it does lean one way or another.
Why do you clearly make a presumptuous statement and then disguise it as a question, Steph? (A very appropriate and intelligent reply btw, Christine. Love your blogs.)
Cream d´nude and Hue are very nice!
Yay for Cremesheens!
Half N Half is awesome!
That’s my favorite too!!
I think that’s an often overlooked shade!
I’m not a huge fan of nude colors (is Fresh Brew a nude? If yes, I love it!) but my favorite one is Estée Lauder Pure Color in Malt Truffle. Creamy, covering and very slightly shimmered, extremely comfortable to wear. It gets unfortunately discontinued, but I happily have one in back up.
Fresh Brew is a nude in my book, LOL!
freckletone and hug me for me!!!
Good picks, Iliang!
Any recommendations for dark skin tones? Around NW37/40? x
I still like Hug Me, Creme Cup, Shy Girl for deeper skin tones.
My absolute favorite is Shy Girl.
one of my fav!
Nice, Natalie!
Blankety is my absolute HG for nude lips. I’m on my second tube right now. I also love the LE 3N. It’s ultra flattering and wears comfortably. I wish I had got two though 🙁 I’m NW25 for reference
WOW! Second tube!
One of my faves is Honululu Honey by NARS and I really like Marquise ‘D from MAC for a peachy nude.
Marquis D` is awesome! I love that one.
this is one of my fav other then shy girl. I bought two of them knowing it is LE
Good ol’ LE one!
I’ll have to check out the NARS one!
Hue, its amazing. It’s like a peachy nude without being too peachy, looks amazing with ANYTHING.
Second that!
lol! Sounds like it is amazing 😉
fleshpot.
agree! fleshpot all the way!
Fleshpot is quite nude, LOL!
i have myth, but it looks strange on me for some reason…
(i would love you forever if you did comparative swatches on your lips for the nudes you have mentioned!)
I agree. I also thought it would be amazing to include swatched for these and every must-have post. It would be extremely helpful.
I don’t currently have these, sorry!
I don’t have some of these (I gave them away since I have so many LE nudes), so I can’t 🙁
I would love to do it if I owned more of these — unfortunately I own mostly LE nudes at this time 🙁
Second the request for lip swatches. I love Plink, fresh brew, 3N and twig. I don’t think skin colors matter when choosing nude lip products. What matter is your lips pigmentation, go a tad deeper than that and you’ll have your nude colors. Now if only it’s that easy. Lol.
Well said, Pia!
I would definitely do it if I could. I actually meant to buy several today at MAC, but they put me in a bad mood so I didn’t want to fork over any money, LOL.
One of my fav’s is Body Suit (unfortunately it was LE) it is kind of a pinky nude… I love it..maybe they will re-promote… I love a nude lip…
Ohh, I remember that one!
I love Peachstock and Jubilee
ditto to that!
Yup, not many mentions of Jubilee, but that is an awesome one!
Aw, a few people agree with ya, Jessika!
Peachstock is a good one!
Creme Cup. Shy Girl. Modesty. Blankety.
Nice choices, Rachel 😀
kinda sexy and snob
Snob’s more of a pink, isn’t it?
I am an nw45 for refernce and
I like spirit lipstick with ample
Pink glosss. Try faux too!
My favs are High Tea, Fresh Brew, Freckletone, Creme Cerise (LE), Hug Me, Chelsea (DQ’d) and 3N (LE)
Creme Cerise!! Love that one from Cult of Cherry.
Me too!
I love Creme Cerise!
Blankety is my most favorite lipstick ever! I’m almost done with my third tube !
Wow!
I am not familiar with any of these lipsticks (I am more of an eyes girl so I sort of float over the lippies towards the eyes haha) and I’m sure I’m not the only one… maybe these “must-have” posts could be accompanied by swatches? Just for the readers who aren’t super hardcore and know every product by name (though, that said, I have to admit I was familiar with most of the eyeshadows chosen so far for these posts haha!)
I don’t own all of the products on the list, because I’ve foregone them in lieu of a LE dupe or color extremely similar, sorry!
Bare Slimshine deserves to be in this list I think.
It’s not a lipstick as far as this series is concerned, actually! It would belong to a slimshine-only entry 🙂
Love Siss with C-Thru lipglass.
Sounds gorg!
Viva Glam V!
All of the Viva Glams are must haves 😉 That goes without saying!
Hug Me is my HG nude! Runners up include Blankety, Modesty and High Tea.
Nice list, Leah!
My favorite is Fleshpot (PRO). It is perfect and I love it!!!
Sounds like this is a winner!
thank you for this, i can never find the perfect nude (they all wash me out or look too dark)…checking out Hug Me now 🙂
Good luck, Abi!
I love MAC Bare Slimshine and MAC Hue!
Hue is a good one!
Creme Cerise, 4N, Viva Glam V
Loved Creme Cerise!
I love honeychild. It’s a little darker but it looks amazing with Nars Turkish Delight over it!! I love it!
Will have to look into that!
I hat e the concept of nude lipsticks. Seriously, the color completely ignores others. I am not peach or pink; therefore, my nude doesn’t look like that.
Any suggestions? I’m honey brown, btw.
I’m like caramelly brown and I couldn’t agree anymore! It’s unfair to people who are a little darker.
I always hate hearing the word ‘nude’ used because it’s never ‘nude’ on me. -__-
I love Copperglow Berry by Revlon though. It’s pretty much nude coloured on me with a hint of mute berry colour. I’ve been recently wearing it with Money Honey dazzleglass and I love how it looks!
Nude, to me, is flesh toned, whether it’s pale or medium or deep. It’s going to vary a lot based on your skin tone, but I’ve found it has more to do with your lip pigmentation.
Nudes range from nearly colorless to pink to peach to almost brown. You could try a nude like Touch, if you want something with less peach/pink.
Hello all 🙂
For a reference I’m an NC45.
In regards to nudes, I like Spirit, Taupe (though I find it has a bit of a reddish tone) & Touch. Lip gloss-wise, I find that Revealing is fantastic!
*HoneyBrown maybe you can try Mousse slimshine…the texture is great, and it adds a hint of color & shine 🙂
Thanks for all the recs, Roxanne 😀
I am an NC 43 so for nudes I always grab Stay In Touch, Chelsea, and Viva Glam V gloss.
HoneyBrown don’t stray from nudes. You just have to find a good one. I imagine you’re my tone, maybe a little lighter so I would suggest a good gloss to get your feet wet. Revealing is a good one and so is Viva Glam V. Lined with a nude/light brown liner would help with the color, so it won’t look so pink, if that’s your issue.
Thanks, Dawn. I’ll check it out. I’m a MAC NC42.
Thanks for helping her out, Dawn 🙂
Viva Glam V is my favorite nude lipstick right next to Creme Cerise, Cute Ster and Quiet, Please. I’ve been wanting Hug Me and Honeylove l/s for sometime and will get them!
I think everyone should own all of the VGs, lol!
I love Viva Glam V because it doesn’t make my lips look white/dead. I’m not completely sure how to pull off nude lips, either, without it looking too dramatic.
I usually start with a nude lipstick, and then I’ll layer a gloss on top to mitigate any “weird” nude shade, LOL.
fresh brew, taupe, velvet teddy, 4n, creme cerise, bare truth lipglass…and if i feel extreme then masque. currently i prefer the matte shades though.
Ohh, Velvet Teddy! I like that one 🙂
In case this is helpful, I made an on-the-lips swatch pic last year that includes Myth, Blankety and Hug Me, here it is: (hope this code works!)
nude lipsticks pic
I also love 3N, Masque, and most of all Barely Lit (all LE) :/
Umm, love it!!!
Thanks, Carrie 😀
I love Hug Me, and Bare Slimshine topped with Love Nectar is gorgeous. Creme Cerise, too.
Thanks for the combo rec, Elle!
I love Underplay..its my perfect nude lip!
OMG Underplay!!
The Amplified creamy pigmented formula completely cancels out my naturally red lips for a sophisticated nude look! Love it.
Ohhh, that’s fantastic, Sun!
So glad you found your perfect nude!
Kinda sexy (rosey nude that doesnt make you look sick)
viva glam ll ( pinkish beige, i use it for warmer bronzy looks with gold gloss over it)
Hue- my ultimate FAV! perfect pinky beige
Hue is great!
Can someone help me…I’m african american and NW40-NW45?
You could try some of the shades others have suggested — Spirit, Taupe, and Touch!
I love nude lipsticks and use c-thru gloss everyday. I bought myth hoping it would provide more staying power but it looks really odd on me. Can anyone recommend a lipstick that is close to c-thru?
Honeylove is similar for me…
Spanish Fly
I’m gonna have to swatch that one again!
Oh I love all the lipsticks you just named! (: I also like Viva Glam V, Freckletone and Cutester!
Freckletone almost made the list!
I love when you do these posts Christine, they are so helpful and very exciting to read! I love Hue and Fleshpot also but I agree that Fleshpot is a little difficult to wear at times. I too, would love to see swatches!! I’ve been debating getting some of these for a very long time now and I would have a chance to see them in the most accurate way. 🙂
I’ll try to do swatches if I can find some time in the next few weeks since I’d have to go to the store (it’s midterms/finals). Thanks!
What happened to MAC’s MALT lippy?
My absolute fave all time go to nude next to Fresh Brew, Creme Cerise, Honeylove, Siss, Jubilee and Fleshpot!
It was almost on the list, Theresa!
Honeylove and Velvet Teddy are my favorites! I love them. Thanks for continuing this series. It’s the best!
No prob, Arika!
Creme d’Nude! It’s the only lipstick that is the same colour as my skin 😀 All the other nudes I’ve tried are too dark.
Yay for the perfect fit!
Creme d’Nude is nice but it’s almost impossible to find locally because people love to buy it out and it never gets re-stocked. Pretty Please is my favorite pink nude lipstick — but I’ll be quick to admit that lustre lipsticks annoy the hell out of me in more ways than one.
They’re REALLY slow to restock some products, like Cremesheens 🙁 It SUCKS!
I adore Jubilee, Creme Cerise and Hug Me.
Sounds like Creme Cerise was a big hit!
Mac kinda sexy!
A few people have suggested this one, too!
Honeylove washes me out, but Hug Me is definitely my go to! I wish I could make Honeylove work because I’d love to do a nude matte, but it just doesn’t.
Aww 🙁
Vanity’s Child is my absolute favourite!! (i know its LE). My other constant is Hue and i recently picked up Honeylove.
I just picked up Honeylove, too!
Blankety is my favorite nude! It works well with my very pigmented lips. I had been searching for a color like it for so long, then thank goodness, a MAC artist recommended it to me (she knew exactly what I wanted just from observing the lipsticks i was browsing!).
So glad that MA was able to get you to your fave, Yaya!
I live for Hug Me lipstick, It’s my YLBB and I think I grab it almost daily ;D
Very nice, Wilcoa!
OMG my HG for nude pinkish lips are “Aloof” and “15 minutes”. You can get them dirt cheap at any CCO store!! So AMAZING!!! Love love love them
15 Minutes was LE, yeah?
yes 15 minutes was limited edition. it is the most perfect pigmented nudey pink. It is also to die for with a little lip gloss…i get stopped all the time with ppl asking “what lipstick are you wearing”. Loves it!!
Too bad it was LE!
I love Malt 🙂
Nice one! I have only a sample of that one!
I love Tiger Tiger. I wish they’d bring it back, because it was warm yellow-peachyish, and it did not wash me out.
I LOVE! Tiger Tiger, too. It was sooo pretty!
Underplay l/s (Amplified) was the most beautiful peachy brown nude.. why why WHY did they discontinue it!? I also really like Freckletone.
🙁 MAC discontinues some crazy things!
i switch between fresh brew, high tea and myth!
Good choices, Nancy Alicia!
hey, iam an nc-40 and i have myth and high tea – i love the colour of myth, its goregous, the ultimate nude, but wen i but it on it tends 2 be very cakey and it just doesnt go on well and tends to slide right off my lips, no staying power at all. how do i fix this problem, or is their even a way? i got high tea recent and oh boy wat a disspaoinment, it exactly matches my lip colour and is more of a brown not nude at all – gutted!
You can try layering foundation over your lips first or Prep + Prime lip!
frecketone is one of my favorite lipsticks, i love how the peachy nude looks on my skin, which is tan with orange undertones.
Nice pick, SK!
I love honeylove, myth, creme dnude. But my creme dnude melts soooo fast! And it is barely hanging in there! =[ has this occured to anyone else?
I feel like the cremesheens require a bit more product than the average lipstick.
Myth, Fleshpot, Modesty, Creme d’ Nude!
I love Mac Touch lipstick for neutral tone colour, it’s great colour for NW43/45 skin tone.
I also love heather lipgloss by Bobbi Brown
I LOVE: GOSH Darling, YSL #2 Sensual Silk, and Glam Couture lipgloss in PURE
i need a lil help, i want a nude l/s from MAC but there soo many to choose from & i dont want to look dead or sick. any recs.?
im NC37
(i was thinking creme d’nude w/a gloss over it, maybe love nectar?)
Have you tried Touch or Honeylove?
nO i havent, but next time i go 2 MAC i will
thnx
I am NC37/40 with quite pigmented lips and found creme d’ nude to be the most flattering nude on me. I wear ample pink lipgloss on top of it.
really? i def. goin 2 try it on, i really wanted that l/s but i always thought it would wash me out
hopefully it’ll look good on me 2
Im an NC35 (so just a shade lighter from you) and my favorite mac lipstick of all time is SYRUP! it looks my lips but better lol! I love to layer it with a dazzleglass called bare necessity and it makes the perfect nude for me. I also like Angel (if I fill in my lips with strip down first) with NARS Turkish Delight. I tend to be a fan of the smokey eye and even if you arent wearing a smokey eye, these lip colors still look great :]
I think Syrup shoulda been on this list ;]
I like fresh brew, politely pink, creme de nude, and freckle tone.
the one i think would be a prefect nude lipsticks are:
half n half
siss
fast play
jubilee
cherish
velvet teddy
cosmo
mac lipstick (cream cup)
Prior to my new all time fav creme d nude…i was obsessed with Myth. and by obsessed I mean I have taken 6 empties Back2MAC for a free one, and have had gone through 12 tubes of it. Glad that phase passed.
Hue and Myth!
if you have medium to tan skin, touch wins. hands down.
My top nude MAC lipsticks are Cherish, Patisserie, Shygirl, Hug Me, High Tea and sheen supreme Bare Again. Nudes are just the best!
my FAVS are blankety!!~my first mac lipstick and Lady gaga 2(but its not permanent)
I own and love Mac Lipstick in MODESTY. I just got into wearing nude lipstick and I found that the pinky-nudes look the best on me. I would like to try similar shades by MAC and this site is SOO helpful!