Nude is the new Red

Nude lippies were all over the Emmy red carpet - some wear it better than others

These days I'm all about nude lips - not counting Halloween, of course. The Spring/Summer 2010 runway trend this year was all out nude lips. There were some your-lips-but-better looks, but for the most part nude was nude. Sometimes the natural lip color was lightened with foundation, sometimes it was just a sheer wash of nude color. Using a nude lip can be tricky and challenging (finding the right shade for you), but once you find it it's a very nice place to be. Reapplying a nude lip takes a lot less effort than reapplying a red, fuschia or berry lip (all colors I love, but have placed on the back shelf for a little bit).

Backstage Armani Spring 2010

I'm loving some of the MAC offerings. I went to MAC to look for a nude lippy and found at least 5 I would easily wear, among them: Blankety, Hug Me, Love Me and Freckles. I bought Blankety and have been very happy with it. I feel like there's a tiny bit of pink in it, maybe, I don't know...maybe peach. The thing about it is, it's a perfect nude that doesn't wash out your features. Some nudes can leave you looking a bit anemic, but not Blankety. You can maintain your healthy glow while keeping a comfortable nude lip. It's a healthy, upbeat nude. No grey whatsoever.

Jessica Stam - I don't know what show this is

All the major brands make at least one nude - in fact, most will have one named NUDE - and they'll range from pinkish nudes, greyish nudes, brown nudes and yellow/peach nudes. I'm biased to the pinkish and peach nudes, they look best on me. MAC Blankety is a good example of a peachy nude, MAC Bare a good example of a pinkish nude, and Chanel Allure Mythic a perfect example of beige nude (with a bit of shimmer). All lovely, all must-haves for me - at least for the next 6 months, give or take.

Very fun use of color here, and totally wearable if a bit more sheer

When it comes to texture I prefer the creamy to very matte, although matte lipsticks are great under gloss, creamy not as much. Basically, you have to test, test, test until you find the ticket - the one that works for you. Pairing a good nude lip with cheerful cheeks and/or color fun eyes can be a super cool way to hit Spring/Summer in style. For this season I would recommend staying away from the heavy black smokey eye and instead opt for a good liquid eyeliner and illuminating shadow, or brown smokey eye, or better yet a brown/burgundy eye. This will give you that night-out-on-the-town you're looking for while keeping it fresh and chic. When I wear nude I like a very luminous and perfect, even complection. In order to acheive this I use foundation, a bit of bronzer, a peach or pink blush, and highlighter. The to get your foundation to glide on smoothly and avoid streaking is to moisturize your face first. Even in hot weather you'll find that putting on a nice thin layer of moisturizer will help your skin look better and your makeup perform 100% better. There are oil-free and even mattifying options that are perfect if you have oily skin.

Hugs, Kisses and Lipgloss Wishes!