By Jessica Lauren @norealjewelry April 2, 2018
Finding the perfect nude lipstick is hard as hell; especially if you are a woman of color! Traditional nude lipsticks tend to cater to lighter skin tones, which sucks for WOC because those nudes can look super ashy and quite frankly not all that complimentary to our skin. Well, the hunt for nude lipsticks that slay is completely over thanks to Mented Cosmetics founders KJ Miller + Amanda E. Johnson.
Mented, (short for Pigmented) was created when the two friends decided that they were sick of not being able to find nude shades that helped them get their glow on.
We created Mented Cosmetics because we believe every woman should be able to find herself in the world of beauty. We know you’ll love being put first – because when it comes to beauty, no one deserves to be an afterthought.
Mented creators Amanda E Johnson + KJ Miller via Instagram @mentedcosmetics
Y’all know I love rocking my red lips but now that spring is finally here I’m ready to transition to nudes. So as soon as I spotted an Instagram Ad for Mented I whipped out my credit card and headed straight to their site. I instantly fell in love with all things Mented! The diverse models, the fact that it was a Black Woman-Owned business and most importantly that their cosmetics are vegan, non-toxic and cruelty-free. I mean that’s the perfect trifecta right?!
Now buying makeup online is a little scary. How in the heck am I supposed to know if I like the shades or not?! Well, Mented has that figured out with their #PerfectNudePromise. They promise to not only give you a full refund if you’re not feeling your nudes but if you buy 3 or more shades and aren’t satisfied they’ll let you keep those products and send you 3 more new shades that you can try. Win-win right?
So I decided to go for their Build Your Own Trio package. For $45 you can try out 3 of their shades. Each lipstick is regularly priced $16.50 so that’s about a $5 discount, which ain’t bad! It wasn’t hard for me to pick which shades I wanted because they have a grid with models of every hue rocking each shade. Which is super helpful because you can find the model with a similar complexion to yours and figure out which shade works best for you. See why representation in beauty matters?
So with that, I decided to go for Mented #5 | Peach Please | Dope Taupe.
I was a little nervous about this one because I thought it would be too peachy. But I was pleasantly surprised to see just how closely it matches my actual lip color. On my first try, I found my perfect true nude shade! Now normally I rock mattes all day every day, so I LOVE the creamy consistency of Mented! It’s so moisturizing! My lips feel super hydrated which I am all the way here for. So far this is my favorite and I plan to wear it all Spring ’18.
Dope Taupe is the real OG in my makeup bag! I wear it every single day. It’s a beautiful caramel color that I like to pair with a little bit of foundation and mascara. I wear it when I want to go for a “no-makeup” makeup day, which in my book is every single day lol! If you want a nice a shade that you rock every single day, this is it!
Now if you want to turn heads then go for Mented #5! It’s the perfect chocolatey brown lipstick for all seasons and occasions. Rock it with a simple white v-neck tee shirt and mom jeans in the spring or a black turtleneck in the fall. No matter the season this bad baby needs to be in your makeup bag stat! Mented #5 is one of my faves because it’s not just a regular schemuglar old brown lipstick. Oh no mayum! Mented #5 has a hint of berry in it which is perfect for all seasons. I like to wear it when I am going for a more dramatic look– think going to see a play with some friends or grabbing late night cocktails with the boo. This ultra creamy, sultry shade is definitely a must-have.
As you can see I am a huge fan of Mented Cosmetics. I love the consistency, the color and the overall message behind the brand–that every woman should be included in beauty. FYI– Mented isn’t just for the lips, they also have eyeshadows, nail polish, and makeup accessories.
Original article on NoRealJewelry.com
