The Best Nude Lip Liners of 2025 for Fuller Lips

Minimalist makeup has dominated beauty trends in recent years. From clean-girl skin tints to no-mascara makeup, we’ve seen (and tried) it all. Now, as the pendulum shifts from barely there to naturally enhanced, high-quality basics are having a major moment. Like the perfect white T-shirt, nude lip liners are a staple that shouldn’t be overlooked.

The concept of a nude lip isn’t new, but this modern approach aligns more with today’s aesthetic preferences than traditional makeup styles. Instead of contouring with dark browns and filling in with a lighter shade, the look is simpler: a your-lips-but-better finish designed to subtly enhance your natural shape. Ahead, we asked two makeup artists to share their best tips for defining lips with nude lip liner.

Featured Experts

• Randi Orlinsky is a professional makeup artist and educator for MAKE UP FOR EVER
• Amanda Gabbard is a celebrity makeup artist

How to Find Your Shade

For any skin tone, the right nude lip liner should enhance your natural coloring rather than overpower it. The most flattering shades add soft definition while complementing both your undertone and the depth of your complexion. “Using your undertones as a baseline will guide you to the right color,” says Randi Orlinsky, a professional makeup artist and educator for MAKE UP FOR EVER.

According to Orlinsky, warm undertones pair best with equally warm shades such as cinnamons, cocoas or dusty roses. “Cooler complexions work well with rosier colors like petal pinks and mauve,” she adds. For deeper complexions, embracing variations of brown and pink can be most flattering. The key is assessing the color’s depth to ensure it delivers richness instead of washing you out. Raisin-toned browns and dark mauves often make the perfect natural shade for deeper skin tones.

Narrowing down your options is only the first step. The next is testing shades to see how they actually wear on your lips. Since your lip color differs from your inner arm, hands or face, Orlinsky recommends swiping the product directly onto your lips for the most accurate match. “Nude lip liners can look very different on your hand than they do on your lips,” she says. Instead of matching to your skin tone alone, look for a hue that strikes the right balance between your undertone and your natural lip color.

How to Wear Nude Lip Liners

Lip liner application can take practice to perfect, but the beauty of nude liners is that they’re far more forgiving. After prepping your lips with a gentle scrub and balm, use the pencil to softly trace your natural lip shape. “Using the tip, line the outer portion of your lips, lightly feathering the product toward the middle,” says celebrity makeup artist Amanda Gabbard. As you move toward the corners of your mouth, bring the pencil slightly onto the lips and continue the line to create a naturally plump effect.

For a soft yet full-looking pout, Gabbard suggests gently blurring the edges with your fingertip, then filling in the lips with the liner before blending it out with a small makeup brush.

Nude Lip Liners to Try

1 / 7

This collection of liners boasts eight neutral shades to help you find the right your-lips-but-better look. The colors range from cool-toned nudes to soft pinks and deep bark, making it easy to find the perfect shade match. Plus, the formula is supremely hydrating, thanks to containing vitamin E and castor oil.

2 / 7

These viral lip liners are a favorite of beauty creators for good reason. They offer a diverse range of natural lip colors, intense color payoff and a waterproof formula that doesn’t budge. The gel consistency also blends out smoothly, diffusing any harsh lines for an au naturel pout.

3 / 7

True to their name, these liners glide onto your lips with ease and impart a good amount of color in a single pass. But the long-wearing formula is the real star. It clings to your lips and is hydrating for comfortable wear. The soft matte finish is also a nice touch for creating a bolder, natural lip.

4 / 7

If you have cool undertones, a beige-toned shade can be best for creating a naturally soft lip. Luckily, this collection offers several options, including a true beige with peach undertones, a warm pink style and a mid-toned hue with a natural mauve color.

5 / 7

Few brands do nude as well as Makeup By Mario. These pencils live up to the hype and deliver full coverage with expert precision, thanks to the duo design. One end features the sharp-tipped pencil, while the other has a small lip brush to help blend out the product. The combination is perfect for shaping and filling in the lips.

6 / 7

Refy’s Lip Sculpt is the perfect product for a blurred and blended look. The creamy formula is velvety smooth and produces a similar finish. But it’s also conditioning with coconut oil and vitamin E that softens the lips and adds to the blurred effect. It’s even self-setting, so the color stays put for an all-day hold.

7 / 7

If you prefer a more radiant finish, reach for this liner. The non-drying formula imparts a punch of color while the rounded tip can be used to line and fill in the lips, adding fullness and definition. They can be used under lipsticks and glosses, but the neutral tones make just as bold an impact when worn alone.