Season's Best Picks
Something about winter makes us rethink our entire makeup bag. The lipsticks that worked in July feel oddly out of place come December. Blame it on the lighting, the cold, or your changing complexion—you need different shades now. Soft neutrals create effortless elegance, while bold, deep colors bring unexpected glamour. Here are formulas that protect your lips while delivering lasting color.
1. Charlotte Tilbury Matte Revolution In Pillow Talk
Inspired by celebrity pouts and reportedly worn by stars like Jennifer Aniston on red carpets, Pillow Talk became Charlotte Tilbury's best-selling shade for good reason. This cool-toned light pink enhances your natural lip color with a soft, muted hue.
2. Merit Signature Lip In Baby
The sheer neutral pink lippy delivers buildable coverage and a non-drying feel that earned it a 2024 Allure Best of Beauty award specifically for comfort in cold weather conditions. Infused with hyaluronic acid and sesame seed extract, the formula provides all-day hydration.
3. Huda Beauty Power Bullet Matte In Honeymoon
Part of Huda Beauty's Icons Collection, Honeymoon draws from summer essentials but surprisingly adapts exceptionally well to winter trends and aesthetics. The velvet matte formula includes nourishing bis-peg-12 dimethicone beeswax for moisture retention, ensuring your lips stay comfortable without drying out.
4. U Beauty The Plasma Lip Compound In Fawn
This lipstick increases lip volume after just 60 days of use, while maintaining high ratings on Sephora for winter suitability and non-drying comfort throughout wear. Fawn presents as a warm tawny beige with neutral undertones that evokes sophisticated winter neutrals.
5. Yves Saint Laurent Loveshine Lip Oil Stick In 203 Blushed Mallow
With an impressive 60% oil base combined with fig pulp sourced from YSL's Ourika Community Garden in Morocco, another product supports sustainable practices while delivering exceptional performance. Blushed Mallow is a light mauve pink carrying cool undertones.
6. MAC Blankety
Blankety has maintained its popularity for winter minimalism across decades of changing beauty trends. It is an enduring favorite according to MakeupAlley reviews. The iconic '90s shade gained legendary status partly through celebrity fans like Angelina Jolie.
Alexander Krivitskiy on Unsplash
7. Chanel Rouge Coco Baume Satin In 914 Natural Charm
Formulated with luxurious shea butter and olive-derived oleoactive ingredients, this balm hydrates lips for a full eight hours—perfect insurance against winter's relentless dryness. The shade was inspired by Gabrielle Chanel's personal garden at La Pausa.
Alexander Krivitskiy on Unsplash
8. Kevyn Aucoin Velvet Lip Paint In Enchanting
From Kevyn Aucoin's legacy line that evokes those iconic '90s supermodel vibes, Enchanting brings nostalgic glamour into modern winter makeup routines effortlessly. This pale pink color with cool undertones proves ideal for achieving that soft winter minimalism aesthetic that's trending.
9. Makeup By Mario Supersatin Lipstick In Flatiron
Named after New York City's iconic Flatiron district as part of Mario's city-inspired lipstick line, this shade captures urban sophistication in a single swipe. Flatiron presents as a beige with neutral tones, well-polished for winter's understated, refined style.
10. Stila Stay All Day Liquid In Caramello
This cult favorite has earned iconic status in beauty routines worldwide thanks to its reliable 12-hour wear that lives up to its name. Caramello presents as a light caramel color with warm tones, offering subtle sophistication that's great for casual winter days.
Feeling adventurous? These deeper tones are where winter gets really interesting.
1. MAC Maximal Silky Matte In Iconic Photo
Iconic Photo is a burned cocoa brown that brings bold, sophisticated depth to winter makeup looks without overwhelming your overall aesthetic. Reformulated from MAC's classic shades, this lipstick evokes nostalgic '90s vibes while incorporating modern formula improvements for contemporary performance standards.
2. Vieve Modern Matte In Ninetease
Inspired by the ongoing '90s revival movement and already established as a celebrity-favorite shade, Ninetease captures vintage glamour with a twist. This deep brown is currently trending for those seeking winter boldness that makes a statement without venturing into overly dramatic territory.
3. Jones Road The Classic Lip In Cognac
Created by makeup legend Bobbi Brown as part of her clean beauty line, this multi-purpose item reflects decades of professional expertise channeled into a minimalist formulation. Cognac presents as a raisin brown that's adventurous enough to give your winter look a distinctive edge.
Alexander Krivitskiy on Pexels
4. Hourglass Unlocked Satin Crème In Larch
Larch is a deep warm brown that's bold enough for winter trials and experimental looks that push beyond traditional seasonal color boundaries. Mango butter and avocado oil work synergistically to retain critical moisture, protecting lips against winter's dehydrating effects.
5. MAC Sin
This deep plum delivers vampy drama that's absolutely perfect for winter's moody, gothic-inspired aesthetic. It embraces darker, more mysterious color stories. Long-lasting enough to earn cult-favorite status according to MakeupAlley users, Sin has maintained devoted fans over multiple decades.
6. Tom Ford Lip Color In Black Orchid
Did you know this one was inspired directly by Tom Ford's legendary Black Orchid perfume? The lipstick translates the fragrance's mysterious, seductive essence into wearable color for your lips. Black Orchid is a rich black-plum that exudes luxury.
7. MAC Caviar
Caviar brings unapologetic boldness to contemporary winter beauty routines. This luminous black gives rise to bold statements perfect for spooky trials and avant-garde looks that reject conventional beauty standards in favor of artistic expression. It is formulated with avocado oil.
8. NARS Powermatte In Vain
Featuring NARS' dynamic pigment complex, this lipstick represents boundary-pushing color technology that delivers dimensional depth in a single application. Vain is a deep red that brings intense, experimental energy to winter looks for those unafraid of making powerful color statements.
9. Chanel Rouge Allure Velvet In Rouge Vie
Here comes a deep crimson formulated with hydrating shea butter. It ensures winter comfort without the tightness or flaking that often accompanies deeply pigmented red shades in cold weather. Chanel's own website praises its long-lasting performance.
10. Yolaine Paris Mousse De Rouge In Deep Berry Shade
Described by its painter-inspired brand as being "like chocolate mousse but red," this unique formula offers a playful yet sophisticated approach to winter color. Deep Berry is a rich berry tone that's bold enough for winter experimentation.
