A nude lip that truly works is hard to come by. There are entirely too many variations that leave your smackers looking like a strippin' crack whore. Or a dead person. Collectively, Indie editor Amanda and I have tried hundreds, nay thousands! Nay, probably, hundreds of nude lipsticks over the years and had not found one single one that suffices. Until now.  Pat McGrath, the Cosmetic Advisor of Dolce & Gabbana The Make Up has hit the colorless mark within their Italian Summertime collection.

The nude you need: Mandorla.

Mandorla, the Italian word for almond, gives just that shade. It applies lighter on the lips than it does in the tube, and blends with a fair to medium skin tone. Unlike the other beige lip colors in the collection, Mandorla has no shimmer, and that makes all the difference.

It has a familiar scent to it, you know the one that your mom and grandma's makeup had. It smells like a old time vanity, and with purpose. They added fragrance for the sake of nostalgia.

With the rest of our faces are painted in Italian Summertime, we took a liking to these products:

Sole is the color of this Tuscan sun orange/red blush. Use a tiny amount from the apple to high cheekbone for a sultry glow.

Agave (16) on the bottom eye line, Bronzo (15) on the top lid for subtle definition.

Vulcano is what you get when you combine such deeply heated colors. The colors go on strong and solid.

Dahlia has the mascara leaning on the mauve side of black. It brings the eye in for a closer investigation.