Mauve lipsticks for tan skin

Mauve lipsticks are muted shades between pink and purple, softened with grey or brown. Their low chroma makes them read quieter than a pink or a plum. A mauve with more red reads rosy, one with more violet reads cooler and dustier, and lighter mauves sit close to a natural lip colour. For tan skin this page uses a reference lightness of L* 45. Contrast between lip colour and skin decides how strongly a shade stands out. Medium, medium-deep and deep shades are listed here; the lightest shades make a strong pale contrast against tan skin and appear on the fair, light and medium pages. Nudes are listed only when their lightness is within 18 L* points of the reference.

93 mauve shades listed for tan skin, grouped by undertone.

Last verified 24 October 2026. How we measure.