8 Nude Drugstore Lipsticks for Medium Skin

Updated with 2021 recommendations.

Anybody else guilty of hoarding neutral and nude lipsticks? We’ve all heard the joke— we have eight of the same color, but they all have different undertones, or this one is more daytime, or this one is matte! Today, I’m sharing my favorite neutral and nude drugstore lipsticks for medium skin tones, and I promise they’re all a little bit different from one another. You can also absolutely wear these if you have paler or deeper than medium skin as well, there are no rules here!

1. NYX Lingerie Push-Up Lipstick in Bedtime Flirt
This light, peachy nude comes in an easy-to-use twist up crayon, and dries down to a classic flat matte finish. It’s extremely pigmented in one swipe, and actually has a cooling sensation on the lips that feels soothing. It’s not completely transfer-proof, but there’s minimal fading throughout the day. You can see more of these shades swatched in my post here.

2. Honest Beauty Liquid Lipstick in BFF
If you’re into clean beauty that doesn’t sacrifice quality, this liquid lipstick from Honest Beauty is the way to go. It’s an extremely comfortable formula that dries down to satin matte finish that never feels dry. BFF is a warm, medium beige that will match practically any look. They do transfer quite a bit, but the color lasts impressively for hours. You can see more of the shades swatched in my post here.

3. Milani Ludicrous Matte Lip Crayon in Can’t Even
For something that has a rosier undertone, Can’t Even is a pretty mauve with very subtle silver sparkle to it. This lip crayon has a satin finish and feels lightweight, with no feathering. The shea butter, argan, jojoba, and avocado oils make it feel super balmy on the lips.

4. wet n wild Megalast High Shine Lipstick in Clothes Off
Glossy lips are totally in, and this is one of my favorite formulas to wear for a shiny finish. Clothes Off is a pinky nude lipstick that’s a good neutral pick for both warm and cool skin tones.

5. Maybelline Super Stay Ink Crayon in Enjoy the View
If your skin is more olive toned and you have naturally deeper lips, something like a true rose like Maybelline’s Enjoy the View may be the perfect neutral for you. It’s a medium shade that will look great on tan skin with a matte finish that stays on for up to eight hours of wear. The Super Stay Ink Crayons are more comfortable to wear than their liquid lipstick counterparts, and I feel like they help minimize the appearance of my lip lines. You can see more of the shades swatched in my post here.

6. L’Oreal Signature Rouge Matte Lip Stain in I Explore
Tan skin with warm undertones will love the warm, dusty orange/brown that is I Explore. The Signature Rouge Matte Lip formula is one of my favorites at the drugstore, a hybrid of a liquid lipstick and a lip stain. It’s incredibly pigmented but very thin and light on the lips– so much so that I forget I’m wearing it, usually! You can see more shades swatched in my post here.

7. Revlon Super Lustrous Glass Shine Lipstick in Rum Raisin
Another shiny option, Rum Raisin is a translucent cool toned neutral pink. It has more of a tinted look, and doesn’t give you full opaque color, but it’s a nice pick for when you want something lighter than lipstick but more noticeable than gloss. To see more swatches of this lipstick collection, check out my post here.

8. ColourPop Ultra Matte Liquid Lipstick in Beeper
If you’re a brown lipstick fan but want something a little less 90s, check out Beeper from ColourPop. It’s a cool toned, muted brown that is still soft enough to be neutral on medium/deep skin.

Don’t feel bad about having a ton of nude lipsticks in your collection. Each one will match a different type of look and vibe, and they’re year round staples that you’ll get plenty of use out of.

What’s your current go-to nude lipstick?