How to achieve the perfect nude lipstick look

A variety of shades, from chestnut to peachy, can work as nudes. Here's how to pick the tones that work with your complexion, plus practical tips to help you blend and define

Finding the right shade of nude lipstick can be tricky, especially if you have a deeper complexion. It might be a case of ignoring the pinks in favour of the browns. So spend a little bit of time understanding the different tones and how they work with your complexion and you should soon be able to master the nude lips look.

Here are a few different nudes that I find work well for my skin tone (colours shown in the order they are listed below):

E.l.f. Cosmetics Blushing Brown (via Superdrug, £4.50) – a warm brown tone with a satin finish, perfect for a really natural look.

Kat Von D Lolita ll (via Debenhams, £17) – a deeper, warm-toned pink with a super matte finish.

Huda Beauty Trendsetter (via Selfridges, £18) – a peachy tone with a matte finish that works amazingly with a deep brown lip liner.

Buxom Cosmetics Instigator (via Debenhams, £15) – mauve tone liquid lipstick with a creamy matte finish.

Nip+Fab Marshmallow (via Superdrug, £7.95) – a pure liquid lipstick with a pale pink tone, great for an ombré look when mixed with a brown lip liner.

MAC Cosmetics Chestnut lip liner (via MAC Cosmetics) – pure brown lip liner with a cool tone that is perfect as a match for every nude lipstick.

Once you find out which tones work for you, play about with the products and experiment to see how you can get the most out of each colour. Here is how I do it:

Step one
Priming your lips before applying anything else is essential if you want a longer-lasting colour. My favourite is Inglot Cosmetics lip primer (via Inglot, £9), as it moisturises my lips so they still feel soft and creamy even with a matte lipstick.

Step two
A step often skipped is applying lip liner. However, a deep-brown lip liner works wonders when paired with any nude shade of lipstick for deeper skin tones, as it creates natural shadows that allow the lip colour to blend into your skin without any harsh differences. Even for fair or light complexions, a lip liner that is a shade darker will allow the lip colour to blend more effortlessly. I love the MAC cosmetics lip liner in the Chestnut shade (via Mac Cosmetics, £13), as it is a cool-toned deep brown, giving perfect definition.

Step three
Complete your look by applying your favourite shade of nude lipstick in the centre of your lips and blending it out into your lip liner. This will give the illusion of a natural shadow and highlight on your lips that blends to your skin complexion a lot better. My favourite shade of nude for everyday is the Buxom Cosmetics wildly whipped liquid lipstick in the colour Instigator (via Debenhams, £15). This is a mauve-toned pink that looks near-nude on deeper skin complexions while also adding a subtle hint of colour.

It's always good to try different colours and don't feel as if you should stick to one shade; everyone will have various shades – from chestnut to peachy – that can work as nudes. Just explore and see which tones suit your complexion best.

The best summery nails

For someone whose nails are almost never unpainted, I'm decidedly unadventurous. With the best of intentions, I'll lustily examine all the beautiful, bright, multi-finish colours on the manicurist's sample fob, or in my bedroom drawer, and invariably plump for some variation on red.

But summer is a time to take stock and embrace lightness and, being ever suggestible and fearful of missing out, I've been seduced by the multichrome nail polishes (that shift between shades under light) on Pinterest. Opaque multichromes are fiddly and heavy-looking, but the sheerer versions suit my current mood down to the ground, since they're the closest I can comfortably get to following the new no-polish craze extolled by the fashion crowd. (It's about showing how healthy one's nails and cuticles are, without the suspicious camouflage, apparently. The wellness bores can prise the lacquer bottle from my cold, dead, imperfect hands.)

With a sheer multichrome, you get a peep of what lies naturally beneath without sacrificing all colour and prettiness – and unlike traditional pastels (which I avoid at all costs), they don't look at all bridal. Zoya's Monet (£9.95) is an almost clear, cruelty-free polish with mirrored pink and blue particles that remain largely invisible until they catch the light, when nails become a clear lilac. I love it alone, but the glitter is sparse, so you may prefer it as a topcoat, or worn over gel polish such as CND Shellac to relieve boredom and conceal wear and tear between monthly changeovers (always ensure you use non-acetone remover, so gels beneath stay intact).

When glitter feels too childlike and unsophisticated, I opt for OPI's Significant Other (£7.95), which gives a smooth, shimmery, silver-lavender finish that's like catnip for beauty fans – I receive compliments at every wearing (which, with hands like mine, is remarkable). As a bonus, the semi-transparency of iridescent polish makes the inevitable chips harder for the naked eye to spot, so you can more safely use cheap lacquer.

My best buy, however, are Primark's Prism Holographic Nail Polishes, which, despite their name, are not holographic, but multichrome, though at £1.50 a bottle (in store only), I shouldn't nitpick. One, 2 Cute For You (beautiful polish, nauseating name), is a pearly-white with a surprisingly skin-flattering purple reflection that looks fabulous alone for a subtle, summery gleam.

For healthy and beautiful nails, get rid of these 6 bad nail habits right now!

Perhaps, you have been determined to peeling off your nail polish or stop biting your nails. However, in-spite of tall that determination, you invariable end up doing it. Apart from nail biting and peeling off polish, there are several other bad things you maybe doing to your nails unintentionally. If your aim is to have healthy and beautiful nails, yo must immediately put a stop to these 5 bad habits.  Once you stop these, your nail will always and forever be in a good, healthy shape. So here is what you need to stop right now!

1. You should never cut your cuticles

Even if you there is a small piece of hang nail on the side, you should never cut it off. Stead you could use a cuticle remover. Apply the remover and just press it back to the skin. You should push the cuticle with a cuticle pusher. After this you can slowly remove the hang nail.

2. Never peel of nail polish with your fingers

This is possible one of the worst things you could do to your nails. Never peel off your nail polish with your fingers, however tempted you are. Always use a nail polish remover. Take a small portion of remover on a cotton and press the cotton on your nails for few seconds before you wipe it off.

3.  Never forget to apply the base coat first

If you want to have a smooth and long lasting nail polish, always apply the base coat. This will help your nail polish to stay longer and also it prevents your nail from staining that some nail polish give.

4. File your nails in one direction

Filing your nails back and forth is what most people do. However, what you do not know is that it will ruin your nails and will lead to breakage.

5. And never bite your nails

This is one addictive habit that most people find difficulty in getting rid of. However, you should stop doing this.  It will weaken your nails, give infections causes all the bacteria to go into your mouth and several more. If you have grown nails, just cu tit with a nail cutter.

6. Avoid going off to sleep after putting nail polish

Even if your nail polish seems semi dry, you should never go off to sleep after applying nail polish. Because after you wake up, chances are you will find the prints of your bed sheet and your nails will look horrible.