NYX Cold Brew vs The OG Brew: What's the Difference?
NYX’s Cold Brew and The OG Brew are frequently compared because many longtime Cold Brew wearers felt the original shade behavior changed over time. The OG Brew was later introduced as a deeper alternative inspired by the earlier Cold Brew people remembered, which naturally led users to compare the two directly.
Even though the shades sit in a similar muted brown family, they do not behave identically once applied. Both lean more rosy, plum, or berry-toned than a classic neutral espresso brown, but The OG Brew generally appears deeper, cooler, and more muted overall.
Depending on skin tone and lip pigmentation, both shades can also pull noticeably berry, red-purple, or plum once applied.
At a glance
Short recommendation
Choose Cold Brew if you want softness and a more natural everyday look.
Choose The OG Brew if you want more depth, contrast, or a cooler appearance.
NYX Suede Matte Lip Liner
Cold Brew: softer rosy brown
Best when warm browns pull orange.
Cold Brew is the softer and rosier option of the two.
Even though it is technically a brown liner, it carries a muted mauve-pink undertone that can make it appear softer and more dimensional than a traditional warm brown liner.
On some wearers, especially deeper skin tones, the shade may also pull more berry or red-purple than expected.
Because it is not extremely deep, it works especially well as a softer blended lip contour rather than a very high-contrast liner.
NYX Suede Matte Lip Liner
The OG Brew: deeper muted plum-brown
Better when you want more definition.
The OG Brew sits slightly deeper and cooler compared to Cold Brew.
The shade has more muted plum and gray-brown influence, giving it a stronger cool-toned effect overall.
While it provides somewhat more contrast and definition than Cold Brew, some deeper wearers have also found that it pulls more red-purple or plum than expected once applied.
It behaves more like a muted rosy-brown liner than a classic neutral espresso brown.
How they compare
| Feature | Cold Brew | Difference | The OG Brew |
|---|---|---|---|
| Undertone | Softer rosy brown | The OG Brew reads cooler and more plum-muted. | Muted plum-brown |
| Depth | Softer and less deep | The OG Brew gives more visible depth. | Deeper and more defined |
| Contrast | Lower contrast | Cold Brew blends more softly; The OG Brew defines more. | More contrast |
| Overall effect | Softer, rosier, more natural | Cold Brew is gentler; The OG Brew is more defined. | Cooler, more muted, more defined |
| Best use case | Everyday softness | Choose by how much definition you want. | Added depth and definition |
- Cold Brew — softer rosy brown
- The OG Brew — deeper muted plum-brown
- Cold Brew appears slightly softer and pinker
- The OG Brew provides somewhat more contrast and depth
- Both shades lean more berry/plum than classic neutral brown liners
Which one should you choose?
Choose Cold Brew if...
- You prefer softer everyday brown definition
- You want a rosier, less intense brown
- You like muted browns that avoid obvious orange warmth
Choose The OG Brew if...
- You want slightly more depth and contrast
- You prefer cooler muted tones
- You want a brown liner with more plum influence
Neither is ideal if...
- You want a true neutral espresso brown
- You need a very high-contrast liner
- Berry or plum tones usually look too strong on you
Bottom line
While Cold Brew and The OG Brew look similar at first glance, they do not behave identically. Cold Brew leans softer and rosier, while The OG Brew reads deeper, cooler, and more muted.
Both shades sit closer to muted rosy-browns than classic neutral espresso browns, which helps explain why some wearers experience more red, plum, or purple tones once the shades are applied to the lips.