In the world of celebrity beauty, it can be easy to get intimidated by the luxury products and indulgent routines. That’s why it was refreshing to see that Sofia Richie Grainge’s light-and-breezy glam for her wedding weekend this summer was, in fact, quite effortless to achieve. From her own Get Ready With Me (GRWM) TikToks to makeup artist Pati Dubroff’s beautiful wedding-day look, the makeup was simple, timeless and glowing.
A key part of her looks? Nudestix’s multiuse makeup crayons.
Founded by Jenny Frankel and her daughters, Taylor and Ally, in 2014, the brand launched with makeup sticks that have remained a pillar, although it’s expanded into skin and body care too. And since 2022, Richie Grainge has been the brand’s Nude Beauty Director, collaborating on collections and starring in campaigns.
As someone who is constantly on the hunt for makeup that helps me spend less time doing my makeup, I was impressed by Richie Grainge’s quick GRWM videos and immediately wanted to test out the Nudestix products. (Don’t get me wrong, I love doing my beauty routine, but day-to-day I’m looking for efficiency.) Besides the two she is seen using, Nudestix has a whole range of makeup products that highlight an easy-to-achieve light makeup look — think neutral tones, dolphin skin and glowy finishes.
Enlisting the help of my colleagues Gabby Triolo and Rachel Dennis, we set out to test Nudestix’s bestsellers (plus a new launch). Read on to find our top picks and honest opinions about the products.
What we liked
We love the color payoff and longevity of the Nudies Cream Blush stick. Whether you apply it straight onto your cheeks or dab a bit on your fingers to apply it, you only need a touch for the color to show, and it’ll stay put all day. “This is a very pigmented blush,” Dennis says. “It has a creamy formula, is easy to apply (thanks to the packaging) and blends nicely with the use of your fingers.” She tried the deep-eggplant Moodie Blu shade and “ended up falling in love with how pretty the color looked” on her skin. Plus, you can wear it on your eyes and lips, so it’s a multiuse beauty product.
I opted for the shade Sunset Strip, which I saw Richie use in her pre-wedding makeup look. In the packaging, it looks like a bright coral, but on the skin, the shade’s warm undertones come through for more of a sun-kissed pink. Meanwhile, Triolo tested the true dusty rose Naughty n’ Spice for a natural-looking flush.
While we tried the matte shades, it also comes in Satin and Radiant finishes for those who prefer a glowier blush.
The brand’s newest addition to the Nudies collection, this blush stick — which can be used on the eyes and lips too — provides hydrating matte color, thanks to its inner glow core that has skin care ingredients like conditioning peptides and ceramides. The stick does not feature a dual-ended applicator with a brush like the Nudies Cream Blush stick, but we found that we preferred blending both products with our fingers anyway. Once you blend it out, the Matte + Glow Core blush feels soft and flexible, like a true cream product, whereas the Nudies Cream Blush stick sits more atop the skin.
While it has a matte finish, the glow core has some shimmer in it, so it’s best for those looking for a hybrid product, as the subtle sparkles add a highlighting effect.
This bronzing stick is my favorite product out of the bunch. My goal was to go for a warm, summertime makeup look, and I found that the Sunkissed shade is perfect for creating a golden glow. I applied it to my temples and just underneath my cheekbones to mimic a day spent under the sun. The shade also blends beautifully with the Sunset Strip Nudies Cream Blush.
Triolo tried the Bondi Belle shade, which works great for more of a true contour rather than a bronze. “The color at first looks a little orange but becomes more cool-toned once you blend it,” she shares.
Like the other Nudies products, this highlighter stick is super easy to apply and we liked blending it with our fingers. The Nudies Glow sticks have a dewy, shimmery finish, so they can help you add dimension to your makeup look.
Triolo, who tried the rose gold Euphorix shade, says that it may not be a hit for all skin types, however. “The color looks great, but the product is more hydrating, so if you have oily skin like me, it might make you look oilier.”
The Magnetic Eye Color eye shadow pencils come in over 30 neutral-toned shades, making it easy to master a latte makeup look or a classic smoky eye. The product applies creamy and blendable. We noticed it doesn’t tug on the skin at all and doesn’t budge once it sets.
As with Nudestix’s other products, the stick format means fewer makeup tools needed to complete your look, so it’s a great travel-friendly beauty product.
“This lip and cheek balm is another product that is super pigmented,” says Dennis, who tried the beet-red shade Wicked. “It feels comfortable on the lips, although it’s a tad tacky, and adds a nice flush of color to the cheeks.”
Balmy and hydrating, it has a glossy finish that feels moisturizing. It comes in a range of nine pinks, browns and reds to suit any skin tone. I tried the rose-nude J Mama shade, which is a true neutral-toned pink that I prefer as a lip color. On its own, it looks like a high-shine lipstick, but I usually layer it over lip balm for a sheer, everyday look.
What we didn’t like
While the formulas are pigmented and the stick format make them super easy to apply, we found that the brushes that come with the Nudies Cream Blush, Nudies Glow and Nudies Bronze were not the best for blending in the products. The fibers are too short, dense and stiff for even blending and seem to transfer the color from place to place rather than create a seamless finish. We preferred blending the products with our fingers or a fluffier makeup brush.
We also tried the Tinted Blur Foundation Stick but found that the formula gave light coverage and wasn’t the most practical option for all-over application. While we liked it for color correction and a no-makeup makeup look, it didn’t perform as great as other foundation sticks we’ve tried. “It’s really great for discoloration and blemishes,” Triolo says. “It’s not very full coverage, though, so if you’re looking for that, you might want to put another foundation over it.”
Along with that, the formula was a bit softer than the Nudies Cream Blush or Nudies Bronze, which made the top of the stick a bit smushed and messy after a couple applications.
How it compares
Foundation, blush and bronzing sticks are not novel in the beauty space, but with a name like Nudestix, you can expect the brand to deliver highly effective products in the format — and they do. Whereas similar blush sticks promise a sheer, dewy color (I’m a fan of the Merit Flush Balm and Pat McGrath Labs Divine Blush Balm), Nudestix’s Nudies blush sticks are packed with long-lasting pigment. And while some brands may have select products in the stick format, Nudestix’s variety covers all the essentials so you can do your eyes, lips and face in a matter of minutes.
Price-wise, $35 per stick is just a few dollars more than the popular shimmer and bronzer sticks from Fenty Beauty. Since a little goes a long way with Nudestix’s shades, you’re getting decent value for the cost. And whether the product has blush, bronzer or highlighter on the packaging, the labels also dub them as “all over face” colors, so they are truly multiuse products that you can incorporate into your makeup routine however you wish.
Bottom line
After testing Nudestix, I can see why Sofia Richie trusted the products for her wedding makeup. When I swatched them on my hand for the first time, they didn’t budge when I tried washing them off with regular soap and water. It took an oil-based cleanser to get the color to wash off, and every time I’ve applied them on my face since then, they’ve stayed put all day.
And along with the 10/10 staying power, we were impressed with how pigmented most of the products were. Plus, being able to do most of your makeup with stick-based products makes for an incredibly efficient routine. Nudies blush especially has become a recurring product in our makeup looks.
We love that pro makeup artists use Nudestix, but they’re simple enough that anyone can use them. The makeup sticks make it easy to apply each step and are great for reapplication and traveling too.
