Nude Lips Dominate the 2025 Met Gala: The Power of Understated Beauty

Explore why nude lips stole the show at the 2025 Met Gala and how the trend redefines glamour for every skin tone.

By Medha deb

Created on Sep 30, 2025

Explore why nude lips stole the show at the 2025 Met Gala and how the trend redefines glamour for every skin tone.

Nude Lips: The Defining Beauty Trend of the 2025 Met Gala

At the 2025 Met Gala, the red carpet echoed a bold message: understated beauty speaks volumes. This year, as celebrities gathered under the theme ‘Superfine: Tailoring Black Style’, one makeup statement notably unified attendees: the nude lip. While tailored silhouettes and architectural ensembles drew admiring gazes, the soft, sophisticated presence of nude lips let artistry, heritage, and individuality shine through.

Why Nude Lips Ruled the Night

The evening’s theme, focused on precise tailoring and classic silhouettes, demanded a smart approach to makeup. As top artists and their celebrity clients embraced this shift, the result was a flurry of nude lip variations—from earthy brown liners and smoky blends to dewy glosses and soft-matte textures. This approach amplified the statement of each outfit, letting beauty harmonize rather than compete with fashion’s boldest expressions.

Nude lips offer versatility: from barely-there beige and peachy hues to rich browns, they complement every skin tone and outfit.
They pair flawlessly with statement eyes—think smoky shadows and graphic liners—balancing the overall look.
Leading artists predicted the nude lip surge, calling it “the most tailored beauty statement of the night.”

How Top Celebrities Interpreted the Nude Lip

The 2025 Met Gala redefined the power of the nude lip, presenting endless ways to personalize the classic. Here’s how major A-listers interpreted the trend:

Zendaya: The Defined & Glossed Nude

Zendaya, ever the style maven, punctuated her look with a deep-brown lip liner carved precisely around the lips, topped with clear gloss. This meticulous outline celebrated her natural shape and modern artistry, proving the nude lip can be sculpted and intentional, not merely subtle.

Coco Jones: Dewy & Glowing

Coco Jones went for high-gloss nude paired with radiant, dewy skin and slicked-back hair. Her look highlighted the harmony between hydrated textures and minimalist colors—reflecting a fresh, skin-focused take on glamour. Her edged hair styling completed the chic statement.

Sadie Sink: Rosy Nude Revival

Rethinking the nude, Sadie Sink chose a rosy-tinted nude lip that echoed her natural undertones and brightened her complexion. The slightly flushed lip provided warmth, showing that “nude” isn’t strictly beige—personal undertone matters for achieving a dreamlike finish.

Jennie: Glossy Peach for Vintage Vibes

Jennie’s look, inspired by the 1920s, embodied understated luxury. She wore a glossy peach-nude lip that complimented her custom Chanel dress. The understated mouth made way for intricate fashion details, bridging modern elegance with vintage sophistication.

Gigi Hadid: Soft-Matte to Offset Sparkle

Gigi Hadid, fresh off her milestone birthday, balanced her glittering ensemble with a soft-matte nude lip. The muted texture contrasted perfectly against her dazzling dress, teaching us that a minimal manicure can ground even the most ornate looks.

Simone Biles: Blue Eyes, Glossy Nudes

Simone Biles paired a glossy nude lip with a dramatic blue smoky eye that mirrored her outfit. The neutral gloss allowed for playful eye experimentation, affirming the nude lip’s role as the ultimate companion for bold eye makeup.

Lourdes Leon: Muted, Barely-There Beauty

Lourdes Leon favored a muted nude lip that nearly disappeared into her skin, creating a monochrome, ethereal effect. Paired with a touch of shimmery inner-corner eyeshadow and natural brows, this look epitomized nonchalance and editorial cool.

Miley Cyrus: Pale, Almost Invisible

Miley Cyrus leaned deeply into minimalism, selecting a pale nude lip that nearly matched her skin tone—a modern take on the “concealer lip.” Her choice revived a Y2K classic in an elevated way, showing the nude lip’s transformative versatility.

Makeup Artists’ Take: The Nude Lip Renaissance

Behind the scenes, makeup artists and industry experts called the nude lip “the most essential, tailored statement this year.” Romero Jennings, director of makeup artistry at MAC, was among the first to highlight nude lips as the top trend, especially when paired with precise liner and finishes that echo the event’s focus on structure.

Defined Edges: Many looks featured a deeper pencil around the outer lip for a sculpted effect.
Finish Flexibility: Gloss, matte, and satin nudes all took center stage—proving there’s no single right way to go nude.
Complexion Synergy: Artists sought the perfect nude for each client’s undertones, ensuring every version felt elevated and intentional.

Nude Lipstick: 2025’s Hottest Beauty Commodity

Fashion events like the Met Gala don’t just reflect trends—they set the course for an entire season. Brands are already responding to the demand for matte, long-lasting, and hydrating nude lipsticks, with global searches peaking during and right after the Gala. Layered looks, precise liners, and sustainable packaging are now more sought-after than ever.

Market Trends Table

Theme	Peak Search Volume	Average Sales (2024.11–2025.04)
Nude & Matte Lipstick Sets	553.2	3,277
Long-Lasting Cream & Matte Lipsticks	592.6	1,567
Nude & Pink Lipsticks – Long Lasting	266.6	1,254

Source: Amazon Trends (Nov 2024 – April 2025)

Core Insights Emerging from the Gala

Matte nude lips have the highest sustained demand, prompting brands to innovate hybrid formulas for long-lasting hydration.
Glossy and creamy nudes are rising, bringing dimension and freshness to classic minimalism.
Sustainability resonates: Refillable, recyclable packaging is now a significant selling point for lipstick lines.
Technology—especially AI-augmented shade matching and virtual try-ons—is shaping buyers’ choices.

How to Find Your Perfect Nude Lip

The secret to picking a flattering nude isn’t universal—it’s a personalized journey:

Know Your Undertone: Identify whether you have warm, cool, or neutral undertones for a harmonious match.
Test in Natural Light: Lipsticks can appear different under artificial lighting, so check your shades in daylight whenever possible.
Layering is Key: Use a slightly deeper liner and blend inward for extra depth and dimension.
Texture Matters: Go for matte for longevity, gloss for plumpness, or satin for a bit of both.
Balance Your Features: If you’re going big on eyes or cheeks, a nude lip brings everything together with subtlety.

From Minimalism to Statement: The Nude Lip’s Cultural Resonance

What’s most striking about 2025’s nude lipage isn’t just variety; it’s cultural relevance. The nude lip is no longer “basic”—it’s a canvas to explore identity, fashion’s history, and the power of understatement. The trend’s diversity, as seen at the Met Gala, underscores beauty’s movement toward inclusivity and self-expression. There’s a nude lip—and a way to wear it—for everyone.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q: What shades count as a “nude lip”?

A: “Nude” is any shade that harmonizes with your natural skin and lip tone—it ranges from beige and peach to rose, brown, caramel, and soft mauve. The goal is harmony, not invisibility.

Q: How can I make a nude lip last all night?

A: Prep lips by exfoliating and moisturizing first. Layer a matching liner to define, apply a long-wear nude lipstick, and finish with a dab of gloss (or blot for a matte look). Choose formulas labeled as long-lasting and touch up as needed.

Q: What’s the best nude lip for dark or very light skin?

A: For deeper skin, look for rich browns, caramel tones, and terracotta nudes. For fair skin, pink-leaning beiges, peaches, and soft taupes are very flattering. Always test before wearing to find the most natural effect for you.

Q: Can I wear a nude lip with both dramatic and minimal eye looks?

A: Absolutely. Nude lips are perfect with bold eye makeup—like the smokey and colored looks seen at the Met Gala—but also pair beautifully with low-key or no-makeup makeup styles.

Q: Are nude lipsticks suitable for every occasion?

A: Yes. A nude lip is universally sophisticated. It works for formal events, daily office wear, weekend errands, and everything in between. The key is choosing the right finish and undertone for the setting and your skin.

Key Takeaways: Why Nude Lips Stay Powerful

The nude lip was the Met Gala’s standout trend, tailored to each face and gown and proving timeless sophistication is always in style.
The movement celebrates inclusivity, creativity, and sustainability—making it more than just a fleeting fashion moment.
Accessible yet endlessly customizable, nude lips will continue to inspire product launches—and inspire us to reimagine “bare” beauty for years to come.

References

Author

medha deb

Medha Deb is an editor with a master's degree in Applied Linguistics from the University of Hyderabad. She believes that her qualification has helped her develop a deep understanding of language and its application in various contexts.

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