3 Lipstick Shades Every Black Woman Needs

The perfect lip can make a world of difference in your look. Whether you go all out and do an entire face or like to keep it simple, having the right lipstick in your arsenal is essential. Here are my top three lipsticks that every lady should own:

Nude and Creamy

As flattering as this type of lipstick can be, it's also probably the most difficult to find. Finding the perfect nude for your skin tone takes time. A nude lip can either make your eyes pop and give you a clean, fresh and natural look, or it can make you look like a pale corpse. I particularly love MAC Cosmetics Crème D'Nude and Crème Cup ($16 each,maccosmetics.com). These nudes are great because they give you the nude look with a bit of peachy pink.

Matte Red

If you wear no makeup at all, you must have a bright lip. It can make a huge difference in your entire look. It polishes your look, particularly red because of its sexiness. The matte red stays put and doesn't rub off as easily. It's a great long wearing lip color for an "I threw my hair up in a bun and had no time for anything else" type of day. I like NARS Dragon Girl Velvet Matte Lip Pencil ($25, narscosmetics.com). It has a smooth application and doesn't give you the dry, tight lip feeling like some matte lipsticks.

Shiny and Colorful

We all remember the days when Dr. Pepper Lip Smacker's were the thing to have, and you thought all the boys loved it because your lip gloss was "popping", right? Well, there is a grown woman version: Clinique Chubby Stick Moisturizing Lip Colour Balm in Super Strawberry ($17, clinique.com). It will give you a sense of your youth, while giving your lips a light tint of color and moisture.