Rosy Lipsticks for Brown Girls

Hey everyone,

I know I have been away for a while but today I figured it's about time I show the world my sick sick obsession. Rosy-hued lip products.

It's hard being a brown girl in a world where cosmetic companies cater a majority of their products to Caucasian skin, especially the more affordable brands. So finding any product, let alone lipstick that worked for me was always a challenge.

Over my years of exploring higher end brands though, I have come to find some excellent MLBB shades for in-between skin tones like my own. For skin-tone reference I wear Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua in B40 and Laura Mercier Mineral Powder in Natural Beige

Some of my favourites are as follows:

From left to right: Dior Addict Extreme 667 Avenue, Dior Addict 666 Icone, Chanel Rouge Coco Mademoiselle, Nars Dolce Vita Lipstick, Nars Dolce Vita Lip Pencil, Mac Lipliner in boldly bare

1. Dior Addict Extreme Lipstick 667 Avenue - A very warm bright and glossy pink

2. Dior Addict Lipstick 681 Icone - Slightly more blue based compared to Avenue but just as pigmented. Less glossy.

3. Chanel Rouge Coco Mademoiselle 05 - A satin finish and brownish-pink that seems to have equal parts warm and cool tones.

4. Nars Lipstick Dolce Vita - A glossy mauve-brown-pink that has light to medium coverage of the lips. 

5. Nars Matte Velvet Lip Pencil Dolce Vita - The matte version of the Dolce Vita lipstick. Probably my favourite one and has featured many times on this blog.

6. Mac Lipliner Boldly bare - The perfect nude lipliner which can be worn as a very matte lipstick. A slightly less pigmented version of Dolce Vita. 

See lip swatches below. Note that these were taken in daylight with no flash to try and capture their truest colour.

Left to Right, 1 to 6 (as numbered above)

Some tips for when you're testing out lippies in store:

* Always check the lipstick either on your lips (if it has been properly sterilised by the attendant) or on the inner side of your finger tip and hold it up to your lips. This is the most accurate way to assess what it will look like with your skin tone. The back of the hand is usually a different colour to your face.

* Wear the colour in daylight before purchasing. The colour may look fabulous in shop lighting. But when you walk outside, the Rose Huntington-Whiteley lips you were looking for may actually be truer to Nicki Minaj.

* Try on the colour as deeply applied as possible.  If it looks good like this it will look good any time including when it has worn-off/dabbed/stained.

* You know your face the best. That insistent sales person is NOT the expert here, you are. If you feel a colour isn't right for you, speak up and don't be forced to buy something that doesn't make you feel a hundred percent fabulous

I have to give prop's to these high-end cosmetic companies. They are universally appealing brands and I think their success is largely due to their ability to cater to every woman, no matter her colouring.

People always ask me why I am willing to spend so much $$ on "just makeup." I think if something can make you feel good and you can afford it, be that a round trip to Europe, a $2000 bag or that perfect red lipstick, why not? Work hard. Play equally hard.

New Post's coming soon!

Love always,

Beauty Doc
xo