Like Coco Chanel once said, “If you’re sad, add more lipstick and attack”. Sad or not, lipstick is a powerful tool to lift one’s spirits. And while lipsticks can’t solve all our problems, they’re a pretty great start!
July 29 is celebrated as Lipstick Day and this has inspired us to take a look at some trends that have made waves over the last few years, with some old ones making a comeback and some all-new ones surprising us. Read on to know more…
Go Glossy
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For all those who loved this 90s trend, you have reason to celebrate. Glossy lips have made a comeback and how! Gone are the days of tacky, sticky ones that attracted your hair to it in under three seconds. Gorgeous glosses in pinks, mauves, nudes, berry shades and even clear are receiving much love, with options of transfer-proof lip glosses hitting the shelves too. Lip plumping glosses have also found many takers. Glosses lend lips that healthy, pouty look that is much sought after, and with dewy skin becoming popular it’s no surprise that these tubes of magic offering high shine and volume have become vanity staples.
Liquid ‘Matte’r
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Liquid matte lipsticks have pretty much ruled the roost over the past few years and were one of the fastest growing categories in colour cosmetics, especially ones that are long-lasting and transferproof. With the world going back to work at the office (we’ll miss you WFH!), and still having to wear masks every now and then, these work best as they don’t transfer to masks and then turn up on our noses! The defining factor has now become ‘comfort matte’ when it comes to liquid lipsticks, because no one wants to deal with creased lips that are dry and uncomfortable anymore. We’ve seen numerous brand launches in this category; from Estee Lauder’s Pure Color Whipped Matte Lip Color and Huda Beauty’s New Liquid Matte Ultra-Comfort Transfer-Proof Lipstick as well as Indian brands such as Lakme’s 9To5 Primer+Matte Lip Color and Colorbar’s PowerKiss Vegan Matte Lip Color, while older favourites like the budge-proof Maybelline’s Super Stay Matte Ink, comfortable mattes are still flying off the shelves.
Balm-y Textures
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The pandemic also paved the way for lip balms and balm-textured lippies for those who wanted a hint of colour minus the heaviness or full pigmentation of a traditional lipstick. The trend continues with balm-like lipsticks being a current top favourite for many. Catering to this demand are brands like Dior’s Addict Lip Glow, Bobbi Brown’s Crushed Lip Color, Benefit Cosmetics’ California Kissin’ Colorbalm and others too, that have on offer hydrating lip balms with nourishing ingredients that leave lips soft, with a healthy glow and colour. In all honestly, we’re just happy to indulge our 15-year-old selves who loved lip balms back in the day and now love these grown-up versions!
Brown & Beautiful
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Did you know? Research has shown that brown lipsticks empower women. Earthy browns are universally flattering and can work for literally everyone in its many variations. From nude-y browns to taupes, and terracottas to deep chocolate, browns truly have our heart. It’s no wonder then that among MAC’s bestseller lipsticks are a large number of shades from the brown family like Velvet Teddy, Whirl & Taupe. The key to wearing these is to find ones that suit your complexion without washing you out, so it shouldn’t be too close to your skin tone. Softer browns also pair well with smokey eyes or other stunning makeup looks where you want the attention focussed on the eyes. Bottomline is, when your lips are lined well and filled in with a stunning brown shade, it’s not hard to take on the world.
The Return of the Lip Liner
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Talking about lined lips, lip liners and pencils have returned with a bang. But they no longer feature in starkly, overlined lips with shades much darker than your lipstick! Rather, these now take centre stage in well-defined lips and blended with lipstick to create those fuller Kylie-esque pouts. Lipliners have also gone the multipurpose way and are also being used to fill in lips and used as a replacement for lipstick, or even under lipsticks for a longer lasting effect. Lip pencils also play an important part in new trends like ‘Gym Lips’ – overlining your lips with a shade close to the natural tone of your lips and then applying a moisturising lip treatment like a gloss or high-shine balm to give it that naturally plumped effect.
Lip Tints & Stains
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Just like colour balms offering pops of colour without the full coverage of lipsticks, lip tints and stains too have become current hot faves. Being transfer-proof, these perform well under masks too. Lip stains and tints are also often multi-use, sitting comfortably on the lips, eyes and cheeks. These come in creamy, stick or liquid finishes that settle nicely into the skin, giving cheeks a flushed effect or lending lips a just-kissed look without an OTT dose of colour. So, if you’re someone who likes that natural, non-cakey lip look, these are the ones to try.
Offbeat Colours
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If you’ve always wondered what a deep blue or grey would look like on your lips, now’s the time to embark on lippie adventures. The last few years have seen some real experimentation when it comes to unusual and unconventional lip shades. More and more people have let their guard down and worn lip shades like grey, green, orange, blue, and even black! Nothing is off the table anymore. While this trend hasn’t found mass popularity yet, offbeat colours have most definitely found their niche in the lipstick market.
