Nude Gloss

I often harp on the nude lip on this blog -- it's time to show the light-lipped a little love.  That said, I am still steadfastly against any sort of unflattering nude.  That includes nudes that make you look like you crawled out of your own grave, nudes that make you look like you find your living on the street (and not in this way), and nudes that make you look ruddy.  Yes, all of the above exist.  I won't name names.

But every now and then, when I get so sick of testing all the attempts I've made at an opaque nude lip, I give myself a break and break out the glossy nudes.  For the longest time, lip gloss was my biggest vice (and then came nail polish.  Then skincare.  Then neutral shadows.  Then skincare.  Then foundations.  Then blushes. And skincare again.  I don't even know where there is to go from here) so my experience with them far outweighs my experience with other products.

MAC Nymphette Lipglass -- I've raved repeatedly about this.  It's a midtone, slightly blue-based pink with significant gold shimmer running through.  In fact, this colour's "nudiness" (that's a word, right?) comes mostly from its high-shine gold pigment that takes down your natural lip colour.

Clarins Lip Perfector in Pink -- I also love the apricot version of this, but the colour difference is infinitesimal.  This one leans a shade cooler, but they both give off a milky, high-gloss finish.  This contains zero visible shimmer once it's applied, and the combination of its uber-smooth texture and the sponge applicator makes it a pleasure to reapply.

Laura Mercier Lip Glace in Babydoll -- This is the most shimmery of my picks.  Its shimmer is way different than that of MAC Nymphette -- where Nymphette is almost a flash of gold, you can pick out individual (but miniscule) particles of glitter in this gloss.  This is a very neutral, soft pink that works well on its own, or would layer well over a stain.

Buxom Lip Polish in Dolly -- I remember trying a friend's sample size of this gloss and running out to buy it the next day.  This mauve-y plum is a shade darker than my lips which makes it the perfect gloss to tone down lip colours that are too light for me.  I find this product applies best with fingers, as the brush can sometimes be too small and hard to evenly spread the gloss.  I love the mint fragrance, but I can see it being too strong for some people.

Revlon Super Lustrous Gloss in Nude Lustre -- This is my go-to gloss when it comes to layering.  It is the best combination of peach and pink with just enough shimmer to make it forgiving.  The shimmer in this gloss is equivalent to the shimmer in Chanel Blue Satin nail polish -- you'd have to be under directed sunlight to see even a subtle hint of it.  The texture is just as nice as the Laura Mercier Lip Glace, but you might need to work with the wand to get a smooth finish.

What's your favourite nude?