You're probably a big fan of beauty. Which means you probably recall the first product you ever fell in love with. And that product was probably a lipstick. We're not trying to make assumptions — though it feels fairly safe to guess that someone reading the Lips category of the 2023 Allure Best of Beauty Awards might be a fan — only to acknowledge a fact that every red-blooded beauty-lover already knows: No cosmetic inspires more passion, optimism, or ardor than lipstick. It's why nine out of ten kindergartners will snoop through a parent's makeup bag and excavate a worn-down tube with the same awestruck expression as Indiana Jones. It's why our search for "the perfect nude" has resulted in countless tubes rolling around in our handbag like loose change — too valuable to toss, but not precious enough to use.
And it's why the task of testing hundreds (and hundreds) of lip colors, pencils, glosses, tints, crayons, and balms never gets old for Allure editors. Even though our search involves kissing plenty of frogs ("too drying," "too slick," "too goopy," "too frosty,"), nothing can duplicate the heart-racing thrill of finding The One (or, in this case, The Fifteen). Here, the most supremely flattering lip colors and formulas to fall in love with this year.
Scroll below to see all the best lip products of the year, then see our full list of 2023 Best of Beauty winners, or check out the year's top picks in the Skin Care, Eye Makeup, Base Makeup, and Splurges categories.
Jump to your favorite category or keep reading to see every lip gloss, balm, and liner:
Lipstick, Matte: Gen See Pick Me Up Lip Matte Lipstick
Gen See Pick Me Up Lip Matte Lipstick
$22
at Gen SeeWhy it won: The pure pigments and weightless dry oils in Gen See Pick Me Up Lip Matte Lipstick effectively float across lips, rendering a powdery finish with an airy feel. Wear-wise, you don't have to worry about this one budging — our testers found that its "nondrying saturation" has serious staying power.
Liquid Lipstick, Matte: MAC Locked Kiss Ink Liquid Lipcolour
Why it won: Pumped full of fruit oils and shea butter, MAC Locked Kiss Ink Liquid Lipcolour lays down a flexible matte veil that conforms to lips like a second skin, lasting hours and hours (and still more hours).
Lipstick, Sheer: Clinique Almost Lipstick in Black Honey
Why it won: Clinique Almost Lipstick in Black Honey is worth all the buzz. And boy, is there buzz. This Gen X favorite (the shade debuted in 1971) is now beloved by Gen Z (and every gen on the Allure staff) for its sheer, raisin-tinted sheen. After recent TikTok-fueled sellouts, it's back in stock — with one tube selling every four minutes, worldwide.
Lipstick, Sheer: Hourglass Phantom Volumizing Glossy Balm
Hourglass Phantom Volumizing Glossy Balm
$36
at AmazonWhy it won: If you're looking for less sheen and more color, we're equally besotted with Hourglass Phantom Volumizing Glossy Balm. The slim stiletto stick delivers potent pigment with high gleam — without the tacky texture.
Lipstick, Cream: Sunrider International Kandesn Lip Color
Sunrider International Kandesn Lip Color
$30
at SunriderWhy it won: Sunrider International Kandesn Lip Colors turned our "I don't usually wear lipstick" senior visual editor Lauren Brown into a daily user. Creamy in texture, velvety in finish, and saturated in moisture, this lipstick unicorn feels like it belongs in a category of its own.
Lipstick, Satin: Pat McGrath Labs SatinAllure Lipstick
Why it won: To be honest, Pat McGrath Labs SatinAllure Lipstick had us at Pat McGrath (and allure). But we'll also take the potent color, moisturizing plant-based collagen, and extravagant dewiness. Bonus: The chic case with its sculpted bow makes touch-ups a treat.
Liquid Lipstick, Glossy: Makeup by Mario MoistureGlow Plumping Lip Color
Makeup by Mario MoistureGlow Plumping Lip Color
$24
at SephoraWhy it won: The encapsulated water molecules in Makeup by Mario MoistureGlow Plumping Lip Color deposit a fresh wash of color and shine, without turning lips into a Venus hair trap. "It creates a gloss-like effect without being sticky," says senior editor Jesa Marie Calaor. "I have about seven glosses rolling around in my bag at any time and this is the one I reach for first."
Lip Crayon: Ere Perez Coco Crayon
Why it won: Packed to its tapered tip with omega-rich coconut oil, Ere Perez Coco Crayon is that rarest of saturated mattes: It blurs and softens fine lines instead of emphasizing them. It also brings the promise of copious compliments with every wear — trust us.
Lip Gloss, Clear: Fenty Beauty Gloss Bomb Ice Cooling Lip Luminizer
Why it won: Like a mini mojito, Fenty Beauty Gloss Bomb Ice Cooling Lip Luminizer quenches mouths with a clear glaze of moisture and a refreshing infusion of mint. "It's cooling but not spicy," says senior editor Jesa Marie Calaor, "and high-shine without being sticky."
Lip Gloss, Color: Buxom Cosmetics Plump Shot Collagen-Infused Lip Serum
Buxom Cosmetics Plump Shot Collagen-Infused Lip Serum
$28
at AmazonWhy it won: When you want color with your shine, the see-through, sheer-tinted pigments in Buxom Cosmetics Plump Shot Collagen-Infused Lip Serum make lips appear fuller, softer, and sexier. The long-lasting tint is an added bonus.
Lip Oil: Clarins Lip Comfort Oil
Why it won: Clarins Lip Comfort Oil comes in an array of eight dewy shades that smack of the orchard (cherry, apricot, plum) and smooths lip texture with a delicate blend of plant-based (rose, jojoba, and hazelnut) conditioners. It's so good we awarded it for the second year in a row.
Lip Balm, Untinted: Glow Recipe Plum Plump Hyaluronic Gloss Balm
Why it won: Balm-level rich and gloss-level smooth, Glow Recipe Plum Plump Hyaluronic Gloss Balm transforms parched lips with hyaluronic acid (to plump) and vitamin C (to polish).
Lip Balm, Tinted: Summer Fridays Lip Butter Balm
Summer Fridays Lip Butter Balm
$24
at SephoraWhy it won: For that elusive your-lips-but-better effect, Summer Fridays Lip Butter Balm combines supple moisture with seven wear-anywhere tints.
St. Ives Juicy Watermelon Lip Scrub
St. Ives Juicy Watermelon Lip Scrub
$5
at TargetWhy it won: Every bit as mouthwatering as the name suggests, St. Ives Juicy Watermelon Lip Scrub buffs away dullness with sugar crystals for a just-bitten flush. Although it's tempting to taste the formula post-slough (please don't), just tissue off any excess and follow with your lip color of choice.
LYS Beauty Speak Love Smooth Glide Lip Liner Pencil
Why it won: With its pitch-perfect point (not too creamy, not too stiff), LYS Beauty Speak Love Smooth Glide Lip Liner Pencil glides on and defines without a hitch, revealing a luscious Cupid's bow we never knew we had.
Like what you see from Allure's Best of Beauty Awards?
Ever wondered what gives your favorite celebrity their perfect pout?
These days, it seems like every A-lister under the sun has a beauty brand — but they’re not always swiping on their own products from day to day.
In fact, a number of stars have either spoken about their favorite lipsticks or showed them off in social media posts; sometimes, it’s their makeup artists who let us in on which shades they’re sporting.
From cosmetics-industry classics like Charlotte Tilbury Pillow Talk and MAC Ruby Woo to clean lip colors from Kosas and RMS, keep scrolling to learn about (and shop) the lipsticks stars and their glam gurus swear by.
This iconic nude-pink hue is loved by both pop royalty and real royalty: Britney Spears wore it on her wedding day in 2022, while Meghan Markle swiped it on for her Time cover shoot in 2021. The Duchess of Sussex is also a fan of the taupe-nude Very Victoria ($35) shade, which is named after her friend Victoria Beckham.
Tilbury even earned an MBE (Member of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire) from the Queen in 2018, giving her brand the ultimate royal seal of approval.
Hailey Bieber’s also a huge Pillow Talk fan — as is TikTok superstar Alix Earle, who applied the matching Lip Cheat Lip Liner ($24) as part of her viral lip routine.
Chanel
What do Sofia Richie’s wedding and the “Barbie” movie press tour have in common (besides producing some of the most viral moments of 2023, that is)? Both featured this soft pink Chanel shade.
Margot Robbie wore it at her Mattel flick’s London premiere, while Richie entrusted the same makeup artist, Pati Dubroff, to apply it for her nuptials with Elliot Grainge.
“Pati, you’re a genius for this,” she said in a TikTok of the shade, which she was “applying all night” during her wedding reception.
MAC
No need to be green with envy over Rachel Green’s signature lip. Jennifer Aniston revealed she reached for this reddish-brown MAC shade during her time playing the famed “Friends” character.
“It was a browny brick,” she recalled to Glamour in 2017. “I remember that was my go-to color when I was doing ‘Friends.'”
Ulta Beauty
Taylor Swift’s signature scarlet pout often comes courtesy of this oldie but goodie. “It’s a staple. I was the last person to discover it,” the “Anti-Hero” hitmaker told People of the bestselling blue-based red in 2015.
Rihanna, Gwen Stefani, Tracee Ellis Ross, Janet Jackson and Angelina Jolie also adore the ultra-matte, highly pigmented product, which packs serious staying power.
Sephora
A number of celebrity makeup artists believe this pricey product’s the best nude lippie money can buy — including Adam Burrell, who works with Jennifer Hudson and Jessica Simpson and told E! News it’s his “absolute favorite universal nude” thanks to its “pure pigment and luxurious texture.”
Kim Kardashian’s longtime glam guru, Mario Dedivanovic, once praised the warm-toned peach shade on his star client’s now-defunct app, saying it “looks good on everyone” and confirming he’s used it on Kardashian.
Ulta Beauty
When it comes to lipstick, plenty of stars agree: “Mother” (as McGrath’s affectionately nicknamed in the industry) knows best. The celebrity makeup artist‘s matte formulas are a hit with celebrities like Adele — who wore the beige-nude Christy shade on British Vogue’s cover — as well as Kacey Musgraves and Emma Stone.
And while McGrath used the soft pink Femmebot shade on Taylor Swift in her “Bejeweled” music video, the pop star’s also partial to the blue-red Elson to achieve her go-to red lip. (The eye-catching crimson hue is currently sold out, but McGrath’s team tells us the brick-red Rouge 8 makes for a close match until it gets restocked.)
“Taylor Swift inspired me to try the Elson shade, and I fell head over heels in love — it truly is the perfect red, and the formula is incredibly pigmented and pretty long-lasting,” says Page Six Style Elana FIshman, who gives the classic hue a rave review.
“The best thing, though, might be the texture,” she adds. “While some mattes leave my lips feeling (and looking) parched, this one goes on like velvet and is so comfortable, I tend to forget I’m wearing it — until I look in the mirror or someone compliments the color, that is.”
Sephora
Jenna Lyons may have one of the most enviable wardrobes out there — but that doesn’t mean her go-to lipstick will bust your budget. The “RHONY” star and former J.Crew executive’s signature crimson lip comes courtesy of this under-$20 Sephora staple.
“I get asked about my red lipstick all the time,” Lyons told reporters at an event in 2023. “Now you don’t have to DM me and ask me what it is. This stuff does not come off, not at all.”
Kosas
This beloved clean beauty brand is popular with TikTok influencers and Hollywood stars alike. Gwyneth Paltrow revealed on her Goop podcast that she loves the ripe berry Royal hue, saying, “It’s a beautiful red and whenever I wear red that’s the one that I wear.”
Mindy Kaling, meanwhile, prefers the Darkroom shade. “I love this because it’s red, but you can wear it to a meeting without looking too vampy like you want to date the person you’re meeting with,” the “Mindy Project” star joked on IGTV in 2019, according to Who What Wear.
Other fans of the Kosas formula — made with fine line-smoothing mango seed butter in addition to nourishing shea butter, cocoa seed butter and jojoba oil — include Naomi Watts and Olivia Wilde.
Revolve
Just call this velvety lipstick part of a supermodel’s “Love Story.” Jasmine Tookes wore this Taylor Swift-loved formula for her wedding, as she told InStyle, in the shade Divine Nude.
While Kendall Jenner became a global ambassador for L’Oréal in 2023, she’s been a fan for much longer; she told Harper’s Bazaar her first memory of the brand was “playing around with my mom’s makeup and seeing L’Oréal Paris lipsticks in her makeup bag.”
These days, her favorite offering from the brand is this liquid lipstick, which she told the outlet is “so easy to wear, never smudges, and feels super hydrating.”
Sephora
Looking for a lip look that’ll last? This liquid formula comes in 12 different smudge- and transfer-proof shades, making it ideal for red carpets and date nights alike.
Perhaps that’s why it’s popular with the likes of Lizzo and Natasha Lyonne, who both wear the warm apricot nude Pleased. Lizzo’s makeup artist, Alexx Mayo, showed off his client’s glossy lip on Instagram, while Lyonne rocked the same hue at the 2023 Golden Globes.
Meanwhile, “Euphoria” breakout star Chloe Cherry, who’s the face of the Vice Lip Bond campaign, told Page Six Style in 2022 that she’s partial to the bubblegum pink shade Cuffed Up for everyday and the fiery Unbreakable when she wants “a red lip look.”
Miranda Kerr often wears this bold, richly pigmented pick on the red carpet. “I like RMS Red because it’s from a natural brand that uses just organic ingredients. [RMS Red] is so bright and almost an orange-red, which I like,” the top model told InStyle of the “transformative” product.
She’s not the only fan; Kourtney Kardashian swiped it on in the shade Magic Hour for “’90s vibes” in a Vogue “Beauty Secrets” video, while both Emma Watson and Gisele Bündchen have been spotted rocking it in other hues.
Ulta Beauty
Ah, the celebrity beauty brand that started it all. Kylie Jenner couldn’t keep her Lip Kits in stock when she launched them back in 2015, and they’ve been popular ever since — not just with the Kardashian-Jenners, but also with the family’s famous peers.
Named after Kylie’s grandmother, the true red Mary Jo K shade might be the most popular of the lot; Christina Aguilera, Chrissy Teigen, Olivia Munn and Hailey Bieber have all worn the hot hue.
“I rarely wear lipstick but I love this Sisley color,” Sarah Jessica Parker told Who Australia in 2019 of this product, which the brand describes as “a tinted balm, colored like a lipstick and shiny like a gloss.” Aubrey Plaza’s rocked it on the red carpet as well.
In a 2018 Vogue “Beauty Secrets” video, Hailey Bieber completed her “California glow” with the matte version of the product in the shade Ballet.
Hourglass campaign star Julianne Moore likes matching her famous red hair to a scarlet lip, telling Marie Claire she’s partial to this 100% vegan formula because “it’s long-wearing and it’s really pretty.”
Other famous Hourglass lipstick fans include Rosie Huntington-Whiteley, Kourtney Kardashian, Margot Robbie and “Real Housewives of New York City” alum Sonja Morgan.
For more information, please visit China electric motorcycle moped, China electric power assist bicycles, OEM light moped.