Drugstore, baby. $10, baby. Actually, $5 if you do the BOGO 50% off at Ulta right now.
WHAT?!
I know.
Yeah, these are SO GOOD. Maybelline calls them their “un-nudes,” because one woman’s nude is another woman’s nightmare. Not everybody can wear beige nude lipstick, but these are a different spin on standard nudes. Some have pink, or mauve, red, brown, gray (!) or even purple undertones. But they’re still effectively nudes.
My favorite colors are mauve-nude Seductress and Ruler, which is a rad reddish nude (it’s an easy way to get into red if you aren’t used to seeing yourself in red now).
Some of the colors are CRAZY. Like, the grays and purples? Hello, cartoon-y. They really aren’t my thing, but if you have the hair, the clothes, the chutzpah, gray can look amazing.
I see girls walking around Sephora and Target with gray lipstick, and I’m like, “Damn, why can’t I look that edgy?”
Maybe it’s because I sound like a Powerpuff Girl…? I don’t know!
I think some of these are lovely, and they have a fantastic, wickedly easy-to-use formula. They aren’t drying at all, and they’re completely kiss-proof, too, which I know because I’ve tested them extensively…
Hey, now, DON’T BE A PERV. No, ’80s Christian Slater did not show up on my doorstep. I kissed my cat a bunch (maybe more than my husband), and my daughter a bunch, too (so much that she started pushing me away, and I said, “Hey! That’s not supposed to happen until you’re at least 8”).
The liquid formula isn’t just good for low-end either. It’s good for high-end, low-end, and all ends in between because it’s a nice balance between thin and thick. It’s a little watery, but not runny. A little mousse-y, but not as thick as frosting…which I’ll explain further in a bit.
The pointy doe-foot applicator is also really helpful for getting into the corners of your Cupid’s bow, so you can skip lip liner if you want.
As for flavor and fragrance, I think they’re great — like vanilla cookies with buttercream frosting — but both the smell and taste fade very quickly.
When it comes to removing these, you will probably need a heavy-duty waterproof makeup remover, but face moisturizer should work in a pinch. Just make sure it’s thick and rich. Something with oil in it. I do it all the time with the Clarins moisturizer I’m using at the moment… I rub a bunch all over my lips, then remove everything with a cotton pad.
Incidentally, if you can’t find a color that you like in this line, go to Physicians Formula, because they also have some affordable, lovely liquid lipsticks that perform on par with NARS and MAC.
Between these Maybelline lippies and the PF ones, one could completely revamp her lip wardrobe for spring for less than $40.
Yay, Maybelline!
Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,
Karen
P.S. Have a terrific Tuesday. 🙂
I love the pink shadow! 🙂 Quite a color range for nudes. Of course, Protector is my fave of the bunch. I could only wear gray if I was an extra on TWD. It would just be terrible on me!
Aww, thanks Kim! I’ve been trying to push myself out of my usual bronzy comfort zone. LOL gray is nuts, but I love it on other edgier girls (and guys).
I’m a sucker for red/pink around the eyes and this one is great (not like those that make it look like you’ve been sobbing!). I still remember a liner that you wore several years ago that I thought was awesome. It might have been liquid and it was SO bright pink. Can’t remember the brand or name, of course. 🙂 I thought it had an anime character but can’t be sure. Now I’m just rambling – HAHA!
I totally remember that one! Tokidoki Donutella (girl… this post is from seven years ago, OMG!).
“one woman’s nude is another woman’s nightmare.”
Sooooooooooo true! I like most of these and have been curious about them for a minute. Definitely putting this on my list! I especially like that violet nude on you and the burnt orange nude!
Right?! Especially the beige nudes. I feel crazy in some of them, LOL!
Protector!! *grabby hands*
YES!
Once again, I’m so into your true-to-life photos where I can instantly see the shades in more or less natural light. I don’t have to tilt my screen to offset the glare, for example. It’s such a pleasure. And your happy mugging for the camera is infectious & your reviews are informative. Big up ????
Hi Kim-Anh,
I’m glad you like the pics! I really work hard on lighting, so it’s nice to hear that you appreciate it. 🙂
Ooo these all look great on you! I’ll have to try these.
Thanks, Lupe! Happy Tuesday!
“I see girls walking around Sephora and Target with gray lipstick, and I’m like, “Damn, why can’t I look that edgy?””……. It probably has something to do with the diaper bag you’re carrying, lol. If you’re like me, ain’t nobody got time for edgy makeup with the laundry piling up and these crazy people that keep insisting on being fed every. dadgum. night. 🙂
GIRL… that’s the truth! Although, get this. I’ve finally become the person who can leave the house with just one diaper, a travel-size thing-a-ma-bobber of wipes and emergency snacks (because when she gets hangry I feel her wrath), and it’s AWESOME. I remember when she was teeny tiny and feeling that I needed to take everything and the kitchen sink with me in that diaper bag. Not any more. 🙂
I was checking these out in the drugstore last night and thought about how I wished I could see swatches on someone with my skin tone online while reviewing the formula. Thanks for reading my mind, Karen!
You’re welcome, Monika. I’m glad you found this post helpful! Do you think you might go back and grab one?
Happy Tuesday!
Visionary looks great on you! I might give it a try.
Thanks, Nyx! It’s a fun purple. If you do get it please send me a pic of you wearing it, as I’d love to see it on you!
I always have such a hard time finding nudes that work for me. I’m fair skinned, so most nudes just totally wash me out and make me look a little dead haha. I normally stick with pinks or deeper mauvey tones. I just ordered a nude liquid lipstick from Flower Beauty so I’m crossing my fingers it looks good on me!
Hi Kristen,
Oh, that’s exciting! I like that line. It’s affordable and they do some pretty colors. Which shade did you order?
You’re so awesome, Karen– you can totally rock that gray! Now I’m inspired!
That’s nice of you to say, Linda! I feel kinda crazy in it. LOL! But it’s fun.
No way, I was just procrastinating over the Stila weekend sale wondering if Patina and Baci would make me look like a corpse (didn’t get). These are actually nice!!
LOL, Diana! I’ve worn the Stila liquid lipsticks and although I love the high pigment I find them quite drying. Very pretty on the lips, though!
Unrelated but I remember in a comment a few posts back you were talking about hair… I would love to see yours. Send me a pic sometime!
Burnt orange color is calling my name! I actually did a video on the elf lip color remover with these, it takes them off without any rubbing or scrubbing. It’s awesome! I really like the formula on these but it’s a commitment putting them on. ?
Hi Nicole,
Ahh, so intrigued by that lip remover! When I swatched these I used the Urban Decay one in a stick. It’s really good.
The burnt orange would pop on you, methinks.
Visionary and Amazonian must be mine!
Great choices, Susan! I’m thinking you’ve gotta wear Visionary with a gray smokey eye. It’s the right thing to do. 🙂
Hope you’re having a great week so far.
I picked up two of these last week during a similar deal at Walgreens. I bought Visionary and Philosopher. I would have picked up Huntress too, but I have a couple of other lip colors that shade, which I adore. Anyway, I’m glad you mentioned the scent of these. Lately, everything I buy smells like dessert, like the Soap & GloryLaurie body butter that smells like buttercream frosting and melts into the skin right out of the shower.
Hi Laurie,
The food scents are popular, right?! I’m glad that this one is subtle as I can’t hang with the ones that are too in your face.
BTW, if you like these liquid lippies, you might want to try the Physicians Formula ones, too. They’re great!
Visionary, Huntress, and Philosopher are my favorites, but they all look great.
Hi Rachel,
They’re pretty fab! For some reason I can see you wearing the grays really well.
I wear grays and grayed-shades more than nudes. They suit me better, I think.
Some of these beiges make you look very 2000s ? So many good colors for a variety of skin tones. Most nudes tend to be aimed at the average white woman, so kudos, Maybelline.
I had Loyalist from their original line of this formula, and recently picked up Ruler from this un-nudes collection. I love them both!
I am so with you on these Lippies…they really are awesome! The 1st one that I bought was Fighter mostly because it was so different than my normal reds and browns. I actually didn’t think that I would like the color as much as I do and find myself reaching for it more and more.
I am actually working on an Ulta order now and have a few more in my cart. But since I saw your photos I will totally be adding a few more. Except for the greys and violets. I just don’t see me going that far out of my comfort zone. LOL!
Kiss proof is very important, I usually leave marks all over my kids, they look like they are bruised sometimes.
These seem really pretty, i love the idea of having a range of ‘nudes’ that can be inclusive for everyone xoxo
These are so pretty! And I love the packaging too. I think Ruler and Protector are my favorites. Thanks for trying on all the colors!
I have been curious about these – I’m so glad you searched them all!!! I love Ruler on you! That might be the first one I try. I’m also curious about visionary, but I’m afraid I’ll look like the corpse bride in anything with a gray tint because I’m pretty fair-skinned
You can rock ANY shade! You look amazing! I might try these! x
Hi Emmy,
I hope you give one or two shades a try. They’re great and so affordable.
Thanks so much for posting! I’ve been trying to find the colors on someone with close to my skin tone. I will be bypassing Seductress (really close to Lover, which I already have) and buying Ruler.
Got Driver free as a sample. It makes me feel mid-90s early Bare Minerals. And not in a good way.
Just wanna say that I’m sooo glad to find your blog, since your skin tone is so close to mine! I was a little bit reluctant to try amazonian because I saw some swatches on some YouTube channels but on darker skin tones so they didn’t look that flattering. But it looks good on you and I bought it. And now I’m in love with the shade. Thanks for writing this very informative post. Your blog has definitely become one of my go to blogs if I wanna know how some products would look on me without leaving my couch. (I’m such a lazy ass, I know. Haha)