Masks Off: 10 Women Share Their Favorite Neutral Lip Combinations
Very early, at the beginning of a statewide mask mandate, I realized my go-to lipstick would simply not cut it. I was on a beautiful outdoor dinner date and by the time we said hello, walked to our table, and sat down, I realized my lipstick was all over my mask and my face. Quickly excusing myself to the ladies' room, I learned very quickly that my beloved 'Lady Danger' lipstick was too much of a hassle, prompting me to seek mask-friendly smudge-proof lipstick alternatives.
While most are abandoning makeup altogether these days in favor of a more natural look, traditional lipsticks have been on a steady decline yet subtly stained lips in neutral tones are on the rise. It's no secret that beauty evolves over time aligning with current events which, in 2021, brightly pigmented lipsticks are last on the list of essential beauty needs. With there being no end in sight to protecting ourselves and others by wearing the newly required facial accessories a.k.a masks, natural-looking lips have seen a recent surge in popularity. Although some would suggest a brightly-colored matte lipstick as an option, the winter season already increases dry cracked lips, so a matte lipstick would do anything but help with the much-needed moisture our lips crave in the cold winter months.
Since wearing your favorite pigmented lipsticks underneath a mask can get extremely messy, I've found the neutral lip replacements that won't fail you. With nudes, it's subtle differences that determine specific shades flattering a range of different skin tones. Easy to quickly and discreetly reapply for an effortless and natural lip, scroll to find 9 shades of nude created with inexpensive color options, beauty tips, and product breakdowns from young women online.
From barely-there to soft and subtle, these are the lip colors setting the tone now until the foreseeable future:
Kaela Randolph
"I used Morphe Creme lipstick in the shade 'Whipped' and then I used Maybelline Lifter Gloss in the shade 'Stone'! It has been my go-to combination lately!"
Hanna
"The lip liner is Morphe 'Trendsetter'; it's actually not listed as a lip liner, just a regular liner but many use it as such and it works perfectly. The lipgloss is KIKO in the color 02. I also add a little bit of Morphe lip liner in 'Sweetheart'."
The products she used to achieve this look:
Line outside lip contour with Morphe in "Trendsetter"'
Line inside lip contour with Morphe in "Sweetheart"
Finish with KIKO Hydra Gloss in "02: Natural Beige"
Angelica
The products she used to achieve this look:
MAC Lustre Lipstick in "Fresh Brew"
MAC Lipglass in "Oyster Girl"Taylor Marie
"It's a Sephora Rouge gel lip liner in 'Brown' (#17 Molasses) and Fenty Beauty 'Fenty Glow' Lip Gloss."
Khalila Schneider
The products she used to achieve look:
Kianna
The products she used to achieve this look:
Pat McGrath Permagel Ultra Lip Pencil in "Contour Beige Brown"
Topped w/
Brittany Davis
"The first step is Fenty Beauty Gloss Bomb in 'Fenty Glow'. The second step is Fenty Beauty Gloss Bomb in 'Glass Slipper'."
Kandi Joseph
The products she used to achieve look:
NYX Professional Makeup Lip Liner in "Intimidate"
Cynthia Perez
"I was using NYX Cosmetics Eye and Eyebrow Pencil in the color 'SPE 902 BROWN' (I was wearing it as a lip liner) and it's no longer available. I applied the brown lip pencil over most of my lips then added the gloss on top until they became one. Then I clean it up with a concealer to perfect it!"
The products she used to achieve this look:
NYX Professional Makeup Slim Eye Pencil in "Brown" (Formerly "SPE 902 BROWN")
Dior Addict Stellar Lip Gloss in "Color 354 Diorsolight"
Shahirah Ahmed
"As for me, I'm loving Astra Beauty lip gloss, a black-owned luxury cosmetic company offering vegan, cruelty-free and clean beauty products energized with crystals to positively impact your mood. Line lips with MAC lip pencil then apply Maybelline Super Stay Matte ink to inner lips. Finally, adding Astra Beauty Natal Nude to complete the look."
The products she used to achieve this look:
Astra Beauty in "Natal Nude"
Maybelline Super Stay Matte Ink in "55 Driver"
MAC Lip Pencil in "Cork"
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Featured image courtesy of Taylor Marie
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Inspired by creator Tracy McMillan's life, the show follows Paige (Kerry Washington), a therapist and single mother whose life takes an unexpected turn when her father, Edwin (Delroy Lindo) --who was released from prison-- moves in with her and her teenage son, Finn (Faly Rakotohavana).
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This new season promises to further explore their unconventional family dynamic. Here are several compelling reasons why season two of UnPrisoned should be on everyone's watchlist.
The Alexander Family Life Is Still In Shambles
UnPrisoned's second season resumes where the series left off, with Paige grappling with the fallout from her troubled therapy practice and Edwin navigating life independently after moving out. Meanwhile, Finn faces his own challenges. The teenager is battling anxiety and seeking information about his father—a topic Paige avoids discussing.
The Alexander Family Are Attending Therapy To Resolve Their Underlying Issues
Amid the chaos in their lives, the Alexander family decides to mend their bond by confronting their past traumas. They seek professional help and attend therapy sessions with a “family radical healing coach,” played by John Stamos, a new cast member. This collective effort aims to unravel the complexities of their shared history and strengthen their relationships.
The process of unraveling each character's internal conflicts and their potential impact on future relationships may clash with Paige's textbook therapy approach. While Paige is used to being in the therapist's seat in both career and family, this forces her into the unfamiliar role of a patient during therapy sessions. This shift would compel her to look in the mirror and try a radically different approach.
The Alexander Family Learned A Big Lesson During A Therapy Session
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While it's unclear whether this scene is reality or fantasy, the image of the family duking it out in the ring certainly makes for hilarious yet compelling television.
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UnPrisoned Is A Perfect Balance Of Comedy And Drama
As a dramedy, UnPrisoned takes a comedic approach to its heavy subjects. The show takes us on a ride with Paige's dating misadventures and navigating a friendship with her ex.
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UnPrisoned | Season 2 Trailer | Hulu
Feature image courtesy
Blair Underwood Initially Turned Down 'Sex And The City' Because 'It Was About How Samantha Was Fascinated By Dating A Black Man’
Actor and heartthrob Blair Underwood is opening up about why he turned down Sex and the City the first time he was offered a role. Many fans of the HBO series may recall Blair's time on the show in which his character was dating Miranda (Cynthia Nixon). However, he was previously offered another role where his character would date Samantha (Kim Cattrall).
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But that didn't stop them from reaching out again. This time he was offered to play Dr. Robert Leeds, the love interest to Miranda and he decided to go for it. "So they were nice enough to call about a year later, and I said, 'Well, is it gonna be about race?' And they said, 'No, no, no, we’re not even gonna mention race!' And I think it really did only come up maybe once," he recalled.
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After a conversation with the movie's director F. Gary Gray and the actor's manager encouraging him to finish reading the script, Blair had a change of heart. What he first thought about the movie turned out to be totally different.
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