Maybelline's New Lipstick Launch Was Tested on 50 Skintones So They're Really Universal
Slowly but surely the beauty industry has started waking up to the needs of a diverse customer base. Having 40 (or more!) shades for a foundation launch is the new normal, and there are more complexion products than ever for everyone to find their match. But what about other color cosmetics?
Lipstick, in particular, can get tricky. Just like foundation, lip shades have different undertones that flatter your skin tone (or don't). When it comes to drugstore brands, it's even more of a gamble, because you typically can't swatch or try lipsticks before you buy them. Maybelline wants to get rid of the guesswork with its upcoming launch: Maybelline Color Sensational Made for All Lipsticks ($8 each). There are seven shades—reds, neutrals, and pinks—all of which have been tested on 50 different skin tones, according to the brand. The formula apparently has the "perfect mixture of undertones" to look equally amazing on fair, medium, deep skin and everyone in between.
The only catch? The lipsticks, first debuted backstage at New York Fashion Week Spring/Summer 2019, won't be available until January. ELLE.com got an exclusive sneak peek at the launch, however, and got to test out just how these universal lipsticks really perform on different skin tones. See our reviews and how each of the shades look on a real person, ahead.
Maybelline Made for All lipstick swatches top to bottom: Mauve for All, Ruby for Me, Spice for Me, Fuchsia for All, Plum for Me, Pink for Me, Red for Me Kristina, ELLE.com Senior Beauty Editor Kristina in Pink for All.
I wear lipstick every day and rotate between two shades: red and "nude." Far too often, I'm disappointed in the shades I get—reds usually end up too orange, while nudes end up too light peach. Looking at digitally rendered colors online or guessing a shade in the drugstore beauty aisle based on its packaging isn't exactly the most effective way to find your match. When I heard that Maybelline planned to launch a lipstick collection meant to flatter all skin tones, I was intrigued but skeptical. It sounded like another marketing gimmick. Isn't all lipstick technically "universal?" But, as I tried each of the shades on myself and witnessed my colleagues Nerisha and Holly—at opposite ends of the skin tone spectrum—both call the same lipstick their perfect "nude," I was convinced. Each of the shades looked different and damn good on all of us. Pink for All was by far my favorite for its flattering, rosy tone just a notch above my usual "nude."
As far as the formula goes, I love how velvety it feels on the lips and how strong the color payoff is from the get go. I wore Ruby for All out during New York Fashion Week when my night included four events going up until midnight and I didn't reapply. I was munching on all the party hors d'oeuvres, too, so I'd say that is a pretty impressive test run.
Nerisha, ELLE.com Assistant Editor Nerisha in Spice for Me
Usually, women with deeper skin tones have to use a lot of different techniques and products to make a lipstick work for our skin tone because that "one size fits all" mentality doesn’t really work when it comes to lipstick—not every nude or red is made to cater to dark skin. I always found it slightly annoying that you couldn’t try on lipsticks in drugstores, so often times I ended up with the wrong shade—too bright, too drying, too ashy—which resulted in a makeup box full of unused lipsticks that would never see the light of day. I think it’s amazing that Maybelline did all the leg work by creating a collection of universal shades, because nothing’s more magical that scoring that perfect nude. I usually stay far away from red lipstick. I guess after hearing for so long that dark skin girls can’t wear bold, loud lip shades, I actually started to believe it. But, whoever started that lie clearly hasn’t seen dark skinned beauties like Lupita Nyong’o, Issa Rae, or Solange (I can go on) completely rock bright pouts. Now, add me to that list.
I fell in love with Spice for Me right off the bat. I usually prep my lips with chapstick before applying lipstick, but for this Maybelline lipstick, I didn’t need to. It glided on my lips so smoothly and felt super moisturizing. As a lipstick that claims to suit every skin tone, I was surprised to see how good this nude shade looked on my dark skin, because not all nudes are created equal. It would look even better with a dark brown pencil.
Holly in Mauve for All Holly, ELLE.com Fellow
I honestly loved the way all of these shades felt on my lips. The formula is super velvety without transferring too easily, and designing the shades to be flattering for all skin tones is seriously a game-changer for drugstore beauty junkies who have to guesstimate. Mauve for All is my dream nude shade—my natural lip color, but better!—and Ruby for Me is definitely the most flattering classic red I've worn, as far as drugstore lipsticks go.
See how all of the Maybelline Made for All lipstick shades look, below.
Spice for Me Advertisement - Continue Reading Below Ruby for Me Mauve for All Plum for Me Red for Me Pink for Me Fuchsia for All
