I’ve always played it safe with my makeup, no risky business for this makeup enthusiast. So throughout the year, I’ve turned my back on the many blush and eyeshadow trends. But when it comes to lip trends, count me in. From the occasional red explosions to the sultry glossy lips, 2023’s trends weren’t just about making a statement, they were about shouting it from the rooftops.
We saw a resurrection of the ’90s with a dark lip liner making a comeback, and let’s not forget the fall’s IT girl trend, cherry cola lips. And in a plot twist that nobody saw coming, the good ol’ lip balm took over. So here are all the trends that caught our eye (read lips), and tips on how to achieve them:
Cherry Cola Lips
View this post on Instagram
Listening to Lana Del Rey on loop and sipping on cherry-flavoured cola is what this lip trend calls for. The trend brings together the dark brown lip liner of the 90s and this intense cherry red shade. Top it off with some gloss and you have yourself some sultry, bold lips that look stunning paired with soft fox eyes and pulled-back hair.
So if you want to hop onto the cherry cola lips bandwagon, here are our product recommendations. Use the Huda Beauty Lip Contour 2.0 in the shade Very Berry to outline the lips and fill the corners in. Blend the lip liner in with your fingers. Use the pigmented side of the Revlon ColorStay Overtime Lipcolor in Non-Stop Cherry and top it off with the clear gloss on the other end.
Lip Oil
View this post on Instagram
Thanks to Selena Gomez, lip oils have been all the rage this year. From being constantly sold out abroad to immediately going out of stock when launched in India, the hype was real. So for those like me who find lip tints too drying and lip glosses too heavy, lip oils are the way to go. Their hydrating texture and long-lasting tint are sure to make it your favourite lip product for the daily.
If you’re unable to get your hands on the Rare Beauty by Selena Gomez Soft Pinch Tinted Lip Oil, here are some other lip oils we love. The Typsy Beauty Shade Shifter Lip & Cheek Oil is a clear lip oil that adapts to the pH of your lips and leaves a very pretty pink tint. The Makeup Revolution Crystal Aura Lip Oil and the Clarins Lip Comfort Oil are also huge hits within the beauty team at ELLE India.
’90s Lip Liner
View this post on Instagram
The ’90s is making an electric comeback with the resurgence of the frosted lids eyeshadow and thin eyebrows. So now, it’s time for us to outline our lips like we did back then, giving everyone around us déjà vu.
Use a dark lip pencil like Spice by M.A.C Cosmetics to overline the lips slightly and fill them in with a light lip colour (or none at all). Top it off with a layer of an ultra-shiny gloss at the centre of the lips to add dimension. Our pick for this is the Maybelline New York Lifter Gloss in the shade Pearl.
Glitter Lips
View this post on Instagram
This glitter lip trend has come right in time for Christmas! Influencers are applying the Rouge Dior Forever Liquid Sequin and pursing their lips together to get that ultra-glittery finish. We know that buying a Dior lipstick just to hop onto a trend that may fade out as soon as we take down our Christmas decorations is not very feasible, so here are some other glittery options you can try.
Instead of lipstick, consider topping your lips with a shimmering lip gloss for a similar effect. The Anastasia Beverly Hills Lip Gloss in Sparkle Amber, Makeup Revolution Shimmer Bomb Lip Gloss in Sparkle Pink and the e.l.f. Cosmetics Lip Lacquer in Bubbles are our recommendations.
However, if you’re looking for that glittery matte finish, we have a hack for you. Apply your lipstick per usual and dab a glittery eyeshadow on top. Not only will your lips look on trend, but they will also last on you all day long.
Lip Balms
View this post on Instagram
Blame Rhode by Hailey Bieber for making something as simple as lip balm take over everyone’s feeds and wishlists. As much as this year has been about bold makeup, it has also been about prioritising skincare. Moreover, Rhode’s Peptide Lip Treatments in vanilla, watermelon and salted caramel sound so appetizing that one can’t help but want to lick it off their lips.
Laneige, the pioneer of lip balms, has always had fun flavours like berry and grapefruit and recently launched its gummy bear variant in India. So if you want to follow this trend, you have options!
Red Lips
View this post on Instagram
If you ever want to know what’s in and what’s not, just take a look at the makeup fashioned on the red carpets. This year, from Jessica Chastain and Lady Gaga to Michelle Williams to Rihanna, we saw a lot of red on the lips. And speaking of Rihanna, Fenty Beauty’s Icon Velvet Matte Liquid Lipstick in The MVP had everyone in a chokehold this year.
But because Fenty Beauty hasn’t made its way to India yet, here are a few other stunning reds–NARS Powermatte Lipstick in Dragon Girl, M.A.C Retro Matte Lipstick in Ruby Woo and Maybelline New York Color Sensational Creamy Matte Lipstick in Red Liberation.
Strawberry Makeup
View this post on Instagram
My favourite makeup trend of 2023 has to be the blush-overloaded Strawberry Girl makeup trend. Natural, dewy skin, brushed-out eyebrows, bronzed eyes and blush on the cheeks just sit right with me. But the lip trend that came along with the strawberry girl takes the cake (yummy). Using the same red and pink blush concoction on the lips makes for a stunning, monochrome look.
Also read: Wondering What Strawberry Girl Makeup Is? Lean In, We’ve The Details
