Frequently Asked Questions
What are the best lip colors for fall?
Remember, there are no “best” lip colors at all—it’s all about what draws you in. That being said, if you need some ideas to get you going, you’ve got options. When fall comes around, it may feel like you’re required to bring out the darker, vampy shades, but that’s not a must-follow rule.
Case in point: One of Briceno’s go-to fall shades, rosewood, is a dusty rose color. “Rosewood is one of my favorites because you have both rose and brown,” he says.
You can also reach for a brown-red, which “has warmth and depth without becoming a straight brown,” he adds. Classic fall shades in the red family like burgundy and cranberry take you in a “moodier direction,” he says.
If you like a quieter, more subtle lip color, “I like cocoa or a deeper beige-rose,” says Briceno. On the other end of the spectrum, “For more drama, I’ll move toward wine, plum, or blackberry,” he says.
What are some trending lip combos?
Each year, fall makeup trends change and evolve, but some things never change (as in, we’re always going to want to reach for those warmer, richer shades this time of year).
However, application and how you pair them together is what stands out this fall. (Spoiler alert: There’s a lot of brown lip liner ahead.) Many of the trending combos right now complement each other and make the lips look more naturally sculpted. “A deeper brown liner with a softer rosewood or nude center still looks very current, but I like the transition diffused,” says Briceno, who’s noticing that diffused look more often lately than a “perfect dark ring around the mouth.”
Another option: “I also like a brown or burgundy liner with a berry, wine, or black-cherry center,” he says. “Sometimes I’ll concentrate a little more color through the middle of the mouth and let it soften toward the edges. You don’t always need the same amount of pigment everywhere.”
Rather than a monochromatic red lip for fall, “a deeper brown or wine pencil can shift the red,” says Briceno. “It can make a classic color feel a little less expected.”
How do I pick a lip combo?
Picking a lip combo may feel daunting at first, especially when it comes to wearing lip liner for the first time. Here’s an easy guide: “Start with your natural lip color,” says Briceno. “If your lips are naturally pink, mauve, brown, or deeply pigmented, that color will mix with whatever you put on top.” It’s best to look at your lip color when you’re first picking out your product, because “a hand swatch can give you an idea, but it cannot tell you exactly what the color will look like on your mouth,” he adds.
With olive complexions, Briceno tries to avoid shades with a lot of gray or beige “because they can sometimes make the skin look dull.” Instead, he likes to add rose or red to deliver warmth. “On deeper complexions, I pay attention to whether the color has enough pigment to register on the mouth,” he says. “A nude can still be soft without disappearing.” When it comes to cool undertones, they “tend to come alive with blue reds, cranberry, plum, mauve and cooler rosewoods,” says Quinn. “Warm undertones often look beautiful in brick, terracotta, cinnamon, caramel and warm nude shades. Neutral undertones can usually move between the two, particularly with balanced reds and rosewoods.” Both experts agree that your skin’s undertone can be a helpful guide, but it doesn’t have to be a rigid rule.
If you want to keep things as simple and straightforward as possible, choose a liner that “defines the natural lip color,” says Quinn. Then, “soften it inward with a brush or fingertip, and then add the lipstick, balm or gloss,” he adds. A pro tip: “Step into daylight before deciding,” he says, as your makeup can look completely different once you’re in natural lighting.
One thing worth thinking about: In the fall, your lips could feel drier as the air cools down. Regardless of which color palette you choose for your lip combo, consider looking for lipsticks, lip oils, and lip balms that hydrate. Ingredients like hyaluronic acid, jojoba oil, and shea butter are common ones you’ll see in lip products, and those will keep your pout protected no matter the weather.
Meet the experts
- Christian Briceno, a makeup artist in New York City
- Tim Quinn, a makeup artist and cofounder of Halo42 Skincare in Palm Beach, Florida
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For our list of the best fall lip combos, we considered each product’s performance across five primary categories: product ingredients and efficacy, packaging, fragrance (or lack thereof), texture, and product wear. Every product was determined to have excelled in each category by our editorial team, which is composed of in-house writers and editors as well as contributors—along with special consideration from board-certified dermatologists. To learn more information on our reporting and testing processes, read our complete reviews process and methodology page.
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