The rest of the Anastasia Beverly Hills lip drawer is built around the same brown and beige palette. The Velvety-Matte Precision Shaping Lip Liner is a full-pigment pencil, and the shades I would look at are Hazelnut (nude beige brown), Muted Mauve (nude taupe beige), Deep Taupe (soft beige brown) and Sunbaked (rosy brown). The brand says to pull the cap straight off rather than twist it, and to sharpen the pencil before each use for extra precision.

For a stick, the Full-Pigment Matte and Satin Velvet Lipstick comes in Taupe Beige, a pink beige with a satin finish, and Rose Brown, a rosy brown with a satin finish. The brand suggests pairing it with the liner for a sculpted look. On the glossy side, the Universal Luminous Tinted Lip Gloss in Amber Sparkle is a golden amber, and Kiss Theory Hydrating Glossy Shine Lip Balm in Brown Sugar is a rich amber brown hybrid of gel and balm with hyaluronic acid. With Kiss Theory, twist up only a small amount, because the component does not retract and too much can break.

How to combine them: line with Hazelnut, fill with a Lip Velvet nude, then press a little Amber Sparkle in the center for a soft dimensional look.

What I would skip: pairing a liner with a lipstick that is lighter and pinker than it. Choose a liner that matches or sits just a touch deeper.

Matte liquid lipsticks do not all feel the same, and this grid is the proof. Huda Beauty Liquid Matte Mousse in Baby Pink is a whipped, soft matte mousse with a blurred finish, and the shade note calls it a cool-toned pink flush. Patrick Ta Silky Lip Creme in She's Unapologetic is a soft pink nude with a satin matte finish. MAC Powder Kiss Lip and Cheek Matte Liquid Mousse in It's Personal is a cool dusty nude, hazy matte, for lips and cheeks.

Pat McGrath Labs LiquiLUST Legendary Wear Matte Lipstick in Divine Rose is a soft plum rose that the brand says wears up to 12 hours without smudging or transferring. Valentino Liquirosso in 128R Nude At Last is a deep pink soft matte for lips and cheeks. Violette Plume Lip Whip in Chataigne Grillee is a neutral toasted chestnut with a feather matte finish. Tom Ford Liquid Lipstick in Carnal Red is a rosy red with orange undertones for a bolder night, and Basma Ultra-Hydrating Liquid Lipstick in Raspberry is a cool toned pink in a three in one blurring gloss balm formula, so it is glossier than the others.

Tip: if a matte feels tight, press your lips together once and blot with a tissue, then add a thin layer of balm on top.

What I would skip: layering two mattes on top of each other. Choose the one with the finish you like and build it in thin coats.

Start with your everyday nude. I would test Pure Hollywood, Pale Mauve and Peachy Nude side by side, then add a liner one shade deeper if you want definition. For a softer, blurrier finish, look to Huda Beauty or MAC. For a longer night, try the Pat McGrath Labs one. Whatever you pick, apply it to smooth lips, keep the layer thin, and shape it with the wand. If you like a lip that reads as color, the Kiss Theory balm or a satin lipstick in Rose Brown is the easier route. And if you like a matte nude that can also sit on your cheeks, the MAC and Valentino formulas are made for both.