When it comes to choosing a lipstick for your autumn/winter look, you don’t automatically need to reach for berry tones. This year, a subtler lip look reigns supreme, with “deep nude” being the brief of choice for makeup artists. “Leaning into your natural tonal palette is incredibly chic and youthful, as it just emphasizes your natural tones, adding depth to your features,” says Zoe Taylor, makeup artist and Chanel UK ambassador. “Choose a shade a couple of tones deeper to warm up the structure of your face, applying what you already know about choosing bronzer to lips and eyes.”
Easier to wear than traditional, wintry hues, deep nudes are not only more forgiving on thinner lips than colors like blackberry, they require less maintenance to upkeep throughout the day and they don’t verge on vamp territory, which can often be the case with darker shades. And because they’re only a shade or two different from what you know and wear, deep nudes only require you to tiptoe, rather than step, outside of your comfort zone.
If you’re looking for a makeup look that can easily transition from day to night, deep nudes check that box too, with virtually no effort required. Simply prep lips throughout the day with a conditioning lip balm and swipe on your chosen shade. Eyes, cheeks and lashes can stay as they are, although a quick dusting of powder might be required for keeping daytime shine at bay.
And while choosing your nude can be akin to hunting for the perfect pair of jeans, the good news is that once you’ve already found that, finding the perfect “deep nude” for your skin tone is simply a question of choosing two or three shades deeper than that. “Getting the tone right can make eyes seem brighter and skin texture smoother, which is perfect to take us into autumn,” says Taylor.
For pale skin, this can mean sepia browns, while medium and olive skin tones can go for milk chocolate shades. Darker skin tones meanwhile can lean right into anything from russet tones to umber.