The Best Lip Liner Colours For Fair, Medium, Tan And Dark Skin | Charlotte Tilbury (2025)

Nude shades with a pink tone tend to look the most flattering on fair skin because they resemble the blush tones that are naturally present in pale lips. I created my Lip Cheat Contour Duo in Fair as my perfect nude lip liner for fair skin – it’s formulated with a flawless blend of rosy pink and creamy beige tones that form a soft, natural-looking lip contour effect. The pinky-nude SCULPT and FILL shades are expertly colour matched; they don’t lean too warm or too cool; they don’t overpower a fair complexion; and they create a soft nude lip liner look that acts as a perfect base for nude and pink lipsticks and lip glosses.

Wear it with: Super Nudes Lipstick in Runway Royalty, Hot Lips 2 Lipstick in Dancefloor Princess, Pillow Talk Big Lip Plumpgasm in Fair/Medium.

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To create a mid-toned nude lip liner look for fair and medium skin tones, reach for my Lip Cheat Contour Duo in Medium. The colour-coordinated nude tones are perfect for drawing on natural-looking nude lip contours, gliding on to define the look of your lip shape without looking muddy. The combination of the soft taupe SCULPT shade and the warm sepia FILL shade looks flawless on fair and medium skin; the nude tones are beautifully balanced and blend seamlessly to form a super-flattering, super-nude ombré lip.

Wear it with: Super Nudes Lipstick in Catwalking, Matte Revolution Lipstick in Very Victoria, Big Lip Plumpgasm in Nudegasm Diamonds.

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My original nude Lip Cheat lip liner in Iconic Nude looks sensational on fair and medium skin tones. Inspired by the nude lip looks of legendary 90s supermodels, Iconic Nude is a runway-ready shade with beige and rosy undertones. The flawless balance of nude and pink tones in Iconic Nude is expertly designed to never look flat or dull on the lips – it’s a quintessential 90s nude shade that glides on supermodel lip perfection, every time. Iconic Nude is the secret to your perfect nude lip for fair skin, darlings!

Wear it with: K.I.S.S.I.N.G Lipstick in Nude Kate, Collagen Lip Bath in Pillow Talk, Big Lip Plumpgasm in Nudegasm Diamonds.

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Darlings, supermodels, celebrities, beauty editors and makeup artists all around the world are obsessed with my original, award-winning Lip Cheat in Pillow Talk! I dreamt up my now-iconic Pillow Talk lip liner as the perfect nude-pink shade that mimics the natural tones in lips. I studied lips of all types and created the dreamiest, most romantic shade of nude pink that looks so flattering on fair and medium skin tones. Pillow Talk is the pink lip liner that’s always in my bag, darlings… It’s the ultimate your lips lip liner to accompany every makeup look, whether you use it as a kiss of understated, everyday lip liner or to create dreamy and defined-looking pillow lips.

Wear it with: Matte Revolution Lipstick in Pillow Talk, Collagen Lip Bath in Pillow Talk, Pillow Talk Big Lip Plumpgasm in Fair/Medium.

Shop Lip Cheat in Pillow Talk Original

Who’s the fairest of them all? Inspired by my signature Pillow Talk shade, Pillow Talk Fair is a lighter, more cool-toned addition to the Pillow Talk beautyverse, and if you love Pillow Talk, you won’t be disappointed by this sister shade. Pillow Talk Fair looks gorgeous on fair and medium skin tones, especially those with a cool, rosy undertone to their skin. We all love a pink makeup look, darlings, and this soft, powder pink lip liner for fair skin is perfect for making your lips look pretty in pink. If you love a pretty, understated pop of pink for your lips, you and Pillow Talk Fair will be fast friends.

Wear it with: K.I.S.S.I.N.G Lipstick in Pillow Talk Fair, Collagen Lip Bath in Pillow Talk Fair, Pillow Talk Big Lip Plumpgasm in Fair/Medium.

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With my Lip Cheat in Icon Baby, everyone can be a lipstick icon! Icon Baby has warm nude-rose tones for iconic pink lips. Formulated with a beautifying blend of warm rosy tones and soft beiges, Icon Baby is a super-flattering pink lip liner that complements fair and medium skin tones. The natural-looking hues are expertly selected to define the look of lip contours and lift the look of your lip colour while looking understated on the lips giving them effortless Hollywood definition without a second thought.

Wear it with: K.I.S.S.I.N.G Lipstick in Icon Baby, Collagen Lip Bath in Refresh Rose, Pillow Talk Big Lip Plumpgasm in Fair/Medium

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Darlings, you should always Kiss N Tell! The secret to creating a flawless red lipstick look is using the perfect shade of red lip liner for fair and medium skin. My Lip Cheat in Kiss N Tell is a warm-toned scarlet red that pairs perfectly with warm red lipsticks like orange-reds, tomato reds and coral reds. It’s a lighter, brighter shade of red that’s perfect for lifting the look of a fairer complexion. Some deeper reds like crimsons and burgundies can cause fair or medium skin to appear washed out, so I always suggest reaching for a vibrant red that will pop against pale skin.

Wear it with: Matte Revolution Lipstick in Pizzazz, K.I.S.S.I.N.G Lipstick in Love Bite, Hot Lips Lipstick in Tell Laura

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A classic Hollywood red lipstick look looks incredible on everyone, darlings, so I had to include my Lip Cheat in Red Carpet Red as one of my best red lip liners for fair and medium skin. I was inspired by the ruby red tones that you see at every Hollywood event and on every red carpet to create a vivid, true red lip liner that embodies the glitz, glamour, and cinematic impact of an iconic red lip. Just like that, darlings, Red Carpet Red Lipstick was born, followed by Red Carpet Red Lip Cheat to give your timeless red lip pout-perfecting definition. With this lip liner, you can create an effortless red lipstick look with red-carpet confidence!

Wear it with: Matte Revolution Lipstick in Red Carpet Red, Matte Revolution Lipstick in Hollywood Vixen, Matte Revolution Lipstick in Cinematic Red

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For a more muted red lipstick look, try my Lip Cheat in Walk of No Shame. A little bit berry, a little bit rosy, and a little bit red, Walk of No Shame is a beautiful blend of pout-perfecting hues to give lips a blushed-red appearance. If you’re intimidated to wear red lipstick with fair skin, Walk of No Shame is a perfect introduction. The soft, rosy tones give Walk of No Shame a more subtle, understated look with lower contrast to pale skin than a bright red, making it a more wearable option for beauties that haven’t discovered the power of a bolder red lip (yet)!

Wear it with: Matte Revolution Lipstick in Walk of No Shame, Superstar Lips Lipstick in Walk of No Shame, Collagen Lip Bath in Walk of No Shame

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Nude lipstick looks that are lighter in tone can look stark on tan and dark skin, so I suggest reaching for a richer nude lip liner with tones like coffee browns and caramels. My Lip Cheat Contour Duo in Tan features two nude-brown lip liner shades that look beautiful on tan and deep complexions. The first shade is a pigmented tan brown that’s perfect for contouring tan and dark lips, and the second is a creamy, caramel nude that’s sweet and rich. Both tones pop on deeper skin tones and create a nude lip liner look that’s always flattering and never ashy.

Wear it with: Super Nudes Lipstick in Supermodel, Look of Love Lipstick in Nude Romance, Big Lip Plumpgasm in Nudegasm Diamonds.

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Deeper complexions require shades of nude with plenty of depth. Often, lighter shades of nude with pale pink and beige tones can be too light to wear alone on tan and dark skin because they are lighter than the complexion and therefore don’t read as a natural nude shade on the lips. I created my Lip Cheat Contour Duo in Deep as a deep, colour-rich, brown-toned lip liner duo with the saturation necessary to show up on deeper complexions. The cocoa-brown shades work together to create a beautiful, natural-looking nude lip liner look for dark skin, accentuating the look of lip contours and providing flattering nude lip colour.

Wear it with: Super Nudes Lipstick in Super Fabulous, Matte Revolution Lipstick in So 90s, Big Lip Plumpgasm in Nudegasm Diamonds.

Shop Lip Cheat Contour Duo in Deep

The foxiest of all my Lip Cheat lip liners is none other than Foxy Brown! Brown-toned nudes look extremely flattering on tan and deep skin, and that’s why Foxy Brown is a favourite. Formulated with rich suede and saddle brown tones, Foxy Brown is a perfect base for brown and nude-brown lipstick looks. Use Foxy Brown to softly contour your lip shape before gliding on a nude lipstick or fill in your entire lip for a catwalk-ready 90s nude look for tan and dark skin.

Wear it with: K.I.S.S.I.N.G Lipstick in Icon Baby, Matte Revolution Lipstick in So 90s, Big Lip Plumpgasm in Nudegasm Diamonds.

Shop Lip Cheat in Foxy Brown

My Pillow Talk lip liners are designed to give everyone, everywhere their perfect nude-pink lip look and Pillow Talk Intense is my perfect nude-pink lip liner for tan and dark skin. Formulated with deep, tawny rose and brown tones, Pillow Talk Intense is an intensified version of Pillow Talk that complements the richer pigments in dark skin. It’s rosy and romantic while matching the deeper colouration of tan and dark skin, giving deeper complexions my signature Pillow Talk Effect!

Wear it with: K.I.S.S.I.N.G Lipstick in Pillow Talk Intense, Collagen Lip Bath in Pillow Talk Deep, Pillow Talk Big Lip Plumpgasm in Medium/Deep.

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Pillow Talk looks fabulous on everyone, darlings, but Pillow Talk Medium is perfect for creating a deeper, sweeter lip liner look for tan and dark skin that still looks pretty and pink. Pillow Talk Medium is a beautifying blend of warm rosy pink and rich berry pink; I dreamt up this gorgeous shade as an extension to my Pillow Talk universe, giving beauties a slightly deeper pink lip liner option that still creates the dreamiest, natural-looking lipstick looks that are particularly flattering on medium to deep skin tones.

Wear it with: Matte Revolution Lipstick in Pillow Talk Medium, Collagen Lip Bath in Pillow Talk Medium, Pillow Talk Big Lip Plumpgasm in Medium/Deep

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The 90s called, darlings… 90s Pink is a beautiful pink lip liner for tan and dark skin; it’s a warm-toned pop of pink that’s perfect for defining your lip shape and filling in lips with super-flattering, 90s-inspired pink pigment. Moody lip colours ruled the 90s and while nudes and browns were extremely popular, there was always a place for pink lip liner in my makeup kit. 90s Pink is a perfect Hollywood Pink; it marries bright and rosy tones with sultry mid tones to create a super-nuanced pink pout that looks gorgeous on deeper complexions.

Wear it with: K.I.S.S.I.N.G Lipstick in 90s Pink, Collagen Lip Bath in Pillow Talk Medium, Pillow Talk Big Lip Plumpgasm in Medium/Deep

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Bolds and brights like fuchsia, ruby and magenta look sensational on tan and dark skin! The depth of a deeper complexion enables jewel tones to pop without overwhelming your look, making them easy to wear as a statement addition to your makeup. If you have a tan or dark skin tone and want to create a knock-out pink lipstick look, my Lip Cheat in The Queen is my secret to creating a vivid, shapely pink lip that’s unapologetic! The Queen is for the pink lovers, darlings… It’s lip liner royalty!

Wear it with: Matte Revolution Lipstick in The Queen, K.I.S.S.I.N.G Lipstick in Velvet Underground, Big Lip Plumpgasm in Medium/Deep

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Do you love a pinky-red lipstick, darlings? Lip Cheat in Savage Rose is a rosy-red lip liner that’s perfect for lining tan and dark lips ready for red lipstick. Formulated with a careful balance of pink and red tones, Savage Rose will complement the warm tones in a red lipstick like Cinematic Red or work as a super-flattering base for blue-toned reds like Hollywood Vixen or Pizzazz. If you love to wear a red lip, darlings, Savage Rose belongs in your makeup bag.

Wear it with: Matte Revolution Lipstick in Hollywood Vixen, Matte Revolution Lipstick in Pizzazz, Matte Revolution Lipstick in Cinematic Red

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Red lip liners with a hint of chestnut or caramel brown can be particularly flattering on tan and dark skin tones. My Lip Cheat in Hollywood Honey is a beautiful blend of honeyed caramel brown tones with a hint of red; it complements deeper skin tones so effortlessly and is a perfect base for your red lipstick of choice. I love to pair Hollywood Honey with warm-toned red lipsticks like Fame Flame or Mark of a Kiss because it helps them to appear richer and forms a gradient that seamlessly complements tan and dark skin.

Wear it with: Matte Revolution Lipstick in Fame Flame, Matte Revolution Lipstick in Mark of a Kiss, Matte Revolution Lipstick in Red Carpet Red

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Crazy in Love is a deep pinky-red lip liner that pairs perfectly with a range of red, pink, purple and berry lipsticks. It has a softer appearance than a true red lip liner but leans more red than your average pink, making it a versatile shade to wear on tan and deep skin. I like to use Crazy in Love to sketch a vibrant lip line that carves out a super-flattering lip shape, then pair it with the perfect lipstick for whatever eye makeup look I have created.

Wear it with: Hot Lips 2 Lipstick in Viva La Vergara, Hot Lips 2 in Amazing Amal, Pillow Talk Big Lip Plumpgasm in Medium/Deep

Shop Lip Cheat in Crazy in Love