A matte nude can feel tight by mid-afternoon, especially once the heating comes on. A satin nude gives the same color story with more comfort and a little light.

MAC Macximal Sleek Satin in Fleshpot is a warm light beige, a gentler cousin of Velvet Teddy. Charlotte Tilbury K.I.S.S.I.N.G in Pillow Talk Naughty Talk is a neutral nude with a soft glow. MAKEUP BY MARIO SuperSatin in Flatiron is a warm beige with a soft sheen. PAT McGRATH LABS SatinAllure in Négligée is a pink beige with a dewy finish. TOM FORD Runway Lipstick in Understated is a deep nude that lasts all day. Hourglass Unlocked Satin Crème in Alpine 304 is a warm beige with a built-in primer. ILIA Color Block in Amberlight is a warm, soft nude, and the Bobbi Brown hydrating lipstick in Pink Buff is the creamiest of the group.

Pairing tip: satin nudes look best with a little blush in a similar tone. Without it, a nude lip can make the whole face look flat in photos.

What I would skip: a pale, chalky nude with a heavy bronzer. The contrast makes the lips look almost white. Pick a nude closer to your natural lip tone.

The secret to the Velvet Teddy look was always the liner. A nude-brown pencil a step deeper than the lipstick gives shape, and it helps a matte look fuller.

MAC Lip Pencil in Stripdown is the classic creamy brown beige that people pair with Velvet Teddy. MAC also makes a Lipglazer in Velvet Teddy, a shiny liner in the exact shade that fills in the whole lip. Anastasia Beverly Hills Hazelnut is a nude beige brown with a velvety matte finish. YSL Kiss Shaper in Tan Line is a warm brown nude that does not smudge. m.ph Overliner in Cowgirl was inspired by Mary Phillips' overlining technique and contains peptides. Haus Labs The Edge in Nude Satin is a transfer-proof warm caramel. MAKEUP BY MARIO Ultra Suede in Almond is a light caramel brown, and Too Faced Lip Injection Extreme Lip Shaper in Hot & Spicy adds a plumping tingle.

How to use them: line just along your natural edge, going a hair over at the center of the top lip. Then blend inward with a fingertip before the lipstick goes on.

What I would skip: overlining all the way around. Keep any overlining to the center of the top lip and the middle of the bottom lip, where it looks natural.

Start with the original if you have not tried it, and wear it with a nude-brown liner a step deeper. If matte feels too dry, go for a satin nude from the middle row, and keep the liner the same. Test every nude in daylight, since artificial light makes them look warmer. Once you find your version, keep two: a matte for long days and a satin for weekends. A good nude is the lipstick you will reach for most often, so it is the one to get right before anything bolder. If you want to keep browsing, I also put together The Happy Accident Behind the MAC Retro Matte Lipstick and Anastasia Beverly Hills Lip Velvet, Nudes and Matte Alternatives.