Unlike Fetch, Could I Make Brown Lipstick Happen?

In a nutshell the answer would have to be it depends. I haven’t worn brown lipstick since like 1995/1996 when I was a teen and would buy a random $1.99 brown lipstick from Rite Aid. Back then brown lip color was pretty common especially amongst the era’s stars like En Vogue, SWV, and Total but in this new millennium? Not so much.

But at my Guerlain event I had at Bergdorfs over the summer, reader Dihan (she’s so fab) told me she’d been on the look out for a chocolate brown lipstick. After some time I then got inspired to find some shades of brown to see if I could get into the chocolatey hue.

So first things first, there aren’t a ton of true brown lip colors out there. When I googled for shades the most prevalent shades that came up were Ka’Oir Choco Latte, Lime Crime Salem, and NYX Cosmetics Maison. So I’ve decided that for me that a brown would need to either be a cream or a matte for me to want to rock it. No brown metallics, no touch of sparkle, no gloss—not for me at least. I also decided to add a few variations on the browns that were lighter in color. NYX Cosmetics was kind enough to send over some shades for my little project, too.

Now brown in general is a color that works on everyone. Everyone can wear brown and as with any color, there are certain browns that look better on some people. I like deep chocolate browns for everyone—on fair and lighter skin it makes a great goth-y contrast and on deeper skin it can either be a nude or an alternative to a nude. Lighter browns also work great on many skin tones—be careful with some on lighter skin as they can wash you out—and on deeper skin use a darker liner with it to help blend it in with your coloring.

Ka’Oir Cosmetics Choco Latte

This is in between a cream and a matte and is a deep chocolate brown. It’s the type of shade that would work well on most skin tones—on fair and lighter skin it’s a nice contrast and on deeper skin it can either be a vampy color or on very deep skin it can be a pretty neutral.

NYX Cosmetics Hermes

This is a cream with shine and a deep pinky brown aka typically the type of color to look for in a nude if you have brown or deeper skin.

NYX Cosmetics Sable

This is a pinky-beige matte that had me looking like Tyrone Biggums…lol. I’d need to mix this with something else or use a deeper liner to get it to work better for me because on its own? No girl. On lighter skin tones this would be a pretty light brown but for deeper skin tones this would be more of a light nude than a brown.

NYX Cosmetics Maison

This is a chocolate pinky brown matte aka another color to look for in a nude if you’re about my skin tone or deeper. I really like this color and if I were to wear it I’d go with a darker, heavier eye and maybe wear Illamasqua Excite blush with it to avoid looking washed out since it’s so close to my skin tone. I’m wearing the same blush and makeup in all of these since I took the pictures back to back and plan on doing a post on the blush itself.

Lime Crime Salem

This is a deep chocolate brown with reddish undertones that can read a bit more berry-ish than brown in some lighting. It goes on like a gloss and dries matte for long-lasting wear. This is a color that because it’s so deep will look great on all skin tones but of course you have to be the kind of gal who goes for that look to rock it.

Makeup Details:

Cover FX Total Cover Cream in N110, N120. Cover FX Mineral Powder in N80 to set highlight. BECCA Mineral Powder Foundation in Cacao to set contour (see how I use the shades here)
Jouer Age Repairing Concealer in No. 6 Sable (to highlight and on brow bone)
Kevyn Aucoin The Creamy Glow in Liquifuchsia (I have a lot on here because I’m doing a post on it later)
Urban Decay Smoked Palette
Anastasia Dipbrow Brow Pomade in Chocolate
Anastasia Brow Wiz in Ebony
Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencil in Perversion
Kevyn Aucoin Volume Mascara
KoKo lashes #103
Bobbi Brown Scotch on the Rocks Highlighter Powder in Bronze Glow

When I posted these on Facebook and Instagram asking you guys to guess what I’m working on, many of you thought nudes. So if you were looking for nudes, make sure you check out my nude lips tag, some of my favorite nudes, and my 50 Shades of Lipstick series.

My faves from this round of colors are NYX Maison and Ka’Oir Choco Latte. If I decide to venture into brown again, I’ll have to include some reddish browns and see if I can either find a super deep chocolate brown or make one from mixing a brown with a black and a red lip color. I also saw pics of Rihanna rocking brown lipstick recently so perhaps more brands will come with more shades soon. While I’m more likely to give brown lip color a chance after doing this, I’m still sticking to my reds, nudes, and mauve-y pinks.

What do you think of brown lipstick? Have any shades you love? Tell me in the comments!