There are a few products I consider perfect for the winter season: a thick facial moisturizer to fight dry skin, indulgent body oils that leave me smelling great and feeling soft, seductive oud perfumes that make me feel like that mysterious woman who commands attention. At the top of that list? Lipstick that ties everything together. Even more specifically, brown lipstick.
“Brown has been having a moment across all disciplines—fashion, beauty, interior design,” says makeup artist and Fenty Beauty Global Artistry Ambassador, Naïma Bremer. “We’ve always looked at the color as a core nude shade for all, no matter how or where you wear it.” Celebrity Makeup Artist, Christian Briceno, agrees, saying that it’s a fresh take on a classic.
“Brown lipstick is trending because of that updated ‘90s ‘supermodel brown’,” Briceno says. “It can be sculpted, glossy, or suede, and treated like a neutral, not a novelty color.” The shade is particularly well-suited for the fall and winter months, especially if you prefer a deeper tone for your lips. However, it’s incredibly versatile year-round. “Brown lipstick has evolved into a flexible nude,” Briceno says. “The perfect chocolate shade enhances your complexion and highlights your eyes, creating an effortlessly radiant look.”
Bremer agrees, and between the two artists, the verdict is clear: brown lipstick isn’t going anywhere any time soon. “Brown lipstick is really having a moment because it’s so easy to incorporate,” Bremer says. “Whether highly pigmented and matte or sheer and shimmering, it enhances natural skin tones and works great with other colors or monochromatically.”
Yes, a holiday red turns heads, but I can personally attest that a good brown lipstick can be just as chic and attention-grabbing. However, it’s all about finding the right shade for your needs. Enter: the Marie Claire beauty team.
Our team of editors has tested nearly every lipstick on the market, and I’ve curated a list of some of our favorite brown shades. The shade category can feel slightly intimidating to shop in, but there’s a wide range of colors and formulas that suit almost everyone; you just need to know where to look.
From the luxury matte liquid formula that stays on the lips all day to the balm-like bullet ideal for minimalist beauty lovers, keep reading for the best brown lipsticks you can add to your cart right now.
The Best Brown Lipsticks
- Best Brown Lipstick Overall: Chanel Rouge Allure Liquid Velvet Ultrawear Intense Matte Liquid Lip Colour in Énigmatique
- Best Lightweight Brown Lipstick: Merit Signature Lip in Equestrian
- Best ‘90s-Inspired Brown Lipstick: TLB x Jenee Naylor Limited Edition Lip Kit
- Best Neutral Brown Lipstick: Anastasia Beverly Hills Matte Velvet Lipstick in Hazelnut
- Best Brown Lip Stain: Violette_FR Lip Nectar in Rose de Moab
When it comes to brown lipsticks, this is my holy grail. I wear this Chanel liquid lipstick for special occasions because it strikes the perfect balance between matte and velvet finishes, never transfers, and doesn't dry out my lips.
Texture: Velvet
Finish: Matte
What I Love: Non-transfer formula; Feels smooth on the lips
What I Don't: Have to let dry between layers for full opacity
Review for MC: "This lipstick feels as good as it looks and is my fall obsession. I'm a big fan of the red shade, but Énigmatique, a beige-brown, hasn’t left my makeup bag this season, and I think it’ll continue to be a staple, especially as we head into the colder months. It's pricey, but trust me when I say this formula lasts and is more than worth it." — Ariel Baker, Beauty Writer
If you love that blotted, my-lips-but-better effect from your lipsticks, Merit’s Equestrian is for you. It’s a lightweight formula that feels more like a matte, tinted lip balm than a lipstick. That said, it doesn’t dry out the lips and actually offers a wonderful wash of pigment, perfect for easy, everyday wear.
Texture: Velvet
Finish: Satin
What I Love: Looks blotted on the lips for a more laid-back, unintentional effect
What I Don't: Have to swipe a few times for full opacity on more pigmented lip colors
Review for MC: “This brown lipstick is perfect for someone who wants more of a ‘my lips but better’ effect, especially if you have deeper pigment in your lips. The formula leaves behind a blurred, blotted effect that is also wonderful for anyone who has lines in their lips that they want to obfuscate.” — Ariel Baker, Beauty Writer
Leave it to one of my favorite brands to make one of the best ‘90s brown lipsticks on the market. The Lip Bar teamed up with mega-influencer Janee Naylor to create a limited-edition lip kit featuring a gloss, liner, and, of course, a matte brown liquid lipstick. The shade “90s Fine” is a perfect pale brown that can create an ombré effect for deeper skin tones or act as an all-over nude for lighter ones.
Texture: Liquid
Finish: Matte
What I Love: Unusual warm khaki-brown that can be a true concealer lip for medium-deep skin tones; Long-lasting, budge-proof formula
What I Don't: Limited edition; Wish the lipstick was offered as a standalone product
Review for MC: ”I remember audibly gasping when I first swatched this lipstick because the color was so perfect. It’s the epitome of a concealer lip for me, which is something I still find to be extremely rare, given my neutral undertone and golden overtone. It boasts The Lip Bar’s long-lasting matte liquid lipstick formula, which is also lightweight on the lips and stays on for hours. My one and only wish is that it wasn’t limited edition. This is a shade that so many cosmetic lines are lacking.” — Ariel Baker, Beauty Writer
Anastasia Beverly Hills deserves its flowers for consistently perfecting its brown-based shades. The brand launched an extension of its matte velvet lipsticks to include Hazelnut, a perfect beige-brown with a neutral undertone. It’s another one of those shades that is perfect for adding dimension to a darker lip combination, or worn alone as a true, slightly grungy nude.
Texture: Velvet
Finish: Matte
What I Love: True neutral-brown lip color; Layers well with other formulas in my collection
What I Don't: Colors like these should be swatched in person, as they may pull a little yellow on certain undertones
Review for MC: ”This has become one of the few truly neutral brown lipstick shades in my makeup collection, and if I could yell from the mountaintops for everyone to buy it, I would. Not only does it boast Anastasia Beverly Hills’ comfortable matte lip formula, but this is a brown lipstick color that was executed perfectly. If you’re looking for a particularly nuanced shade of brown that can add dimension to a look or just work really well with neutral undertones, pick this up immediately.” — Ariel Baker, Beauty Writer
Prefer your brown lipstick to have a more stain-like effect? Pick up this one from Violette_FR. The formula is a hybrid between a traditional lip gloss and a lip stain, and it leaves behind a gorgeous veil of color the longer it sits. The formula also builds on itself beautifully, allowing you to customize the finish that you want.
Texture: Liquid
Finish: Satin
What I Love: Compact but elegant packaging; Buildable color; Long-lasting
What I Don’t: It takes a few layers for the lightest shade to show up on deeper skin tones
Customer Review: “If you prefer lip stains for daily wear, it’s likely that your everyday makeup look truly feels like nothing on the skin. That is exactly the effect you will get from this brown lipstick in the shade Rose de Moab from Violette FR. On first application, it leaves behind a slightly glossy sheen, but as it dries, you’re left with a beautiful wash of color on the lips that looks like your lips, but better.” — Ariel Baker, Beauty Writer
M.A.C.’s Powderkiss liquid lipstick in Chestnut is a fresh spin on a classic shade. The Chestnut lip pencil has been a staple in my makeup bag for well over a decade, so when the brand launched the same shade in its Powder Kiss Lip, I knew it would be the brown lipstick of my dreams. This lipstick blurs the lips without skimping on pigment, allowing me to wear it both as a lipstick and as a liner, as I do with the original iteration of the shade.
Texture: Mousse
Finish: Matte
What I Love: Deep, warm brown shade that pairs beautifully with the corresponding pencil; Extremely comfortable on the lips
What I Don’t: Doesn’t last as long as a typical liquid lipstick would
Customer Review: “This liquid lipstick is one of my all-time favorite formulas from MAC. Not only is the shade Chestnut the perfect brown, but the formula itself doesn’t dry out my lips like traditional matte liquid lipsticks, and it has this beautiful blurring technology that makes my lips look like pillowy clouds.” — Ariel Baker, Beauty Writer
In my opinion, Gucci's beauty line is woefully underrated, and the brown lipsticks in particular are phenomenal. The shade Suzanne Sunset is a gorgeous, warm-toned terracotta-brown that adds the most beautiful wash of color to the lips and cheeks. It’s a wonderful bang for your buck, and the packaging is so luxurious (as is to be expected with Gucci).
Texture: Velvet
Finish: Matte
What I Love: Super luxurious packaging; Glides onto the lips with no tugging
What I Don’t: Most expensive option on this list
Customer Review: “Truly worth every penny. It lasts all day with no touch-ups, including eating and drinking, yet is easy to remove. It lasted through a pasta dinner and a grilled cheese lunch. It’s actually unbelievable.” — Sephora
With every launch, Make Up For Ever continues to prove why it reigns as one of my favorite brands. Earlier this year, it launched the Artist Color Crayons in a wide range of shades for use on the eyes, lips, and cheeks. The color Spicy Caramel became an immediate favorite, and I’ve been using it as a nude brown lipstick ever since.
Texture: Balm
Finish: Luminous
What I Love: Nuanced color range with options for neutral undertones; Multipurpose formula
What I Don’t: Packaging can be a little fickle, and the product sometimes breaks off inside of it
Customer Review: “This is my favorite makeup product that I’ve bought all year. It blends well but has good longevity. For the amount of product, you get the price is actually very fair!” — Sephora
How to Wear Brown Lipstick
“How” you wear brown lipstick is completely up to you, but there are some ways to make the shade fit seamlessly into your routine. “I love a bold, matte chocolate color that really defines and accentuates the natural lip shape,” Bremer says. “If you use a liquid lipstick, in particular, you can use that shade to line your lips with the same color pigment for a bold statement.”
For a lighter option and to ease into the trend, opt for a lip gloss, which is also a great way to incorporate the color into your beauty routine. The light tint of a brown shade gives a warm wash of color to your natural lip tone and is super wearable.
How to Find the Best Brown Lipstick
- Know Your Undertones
It took me years to figure out what I am about to tell you: Not all brown lipsticks are created equally. “When matching any color to your skin tone, take into consideration your undertones,” Bremer says. “If you have cool undertones, look for blue-based browns, and if your skin has warmer undertones, look for more orange or red-based browns.” As a rule of thumb, keep these in mind:
Fair skin tones: Look beautiful with a cool-brown shade.
Olive skin tones: Opt for caramel or peachy-brown shades.
Deep skin tones: Lean in to espresso-brown shades.
- Consider Your Lip Shape
You should also consider your lip shape and how best to balance your features. Briceno says the following:
On thinner lips, slightly overline with a liner that's deeper than the natural lip color, then keep the center of the lip lighter or glossier. That builds volume rather than just drawing a dramatic, dark outline.
On full lips, a rich chocolate hue or a subtle ombré with a deeper edge and warmer center can look beautiful.
All this said, at the end of the day, when it comes to finding the brown lipstick for your skin tone, this list is the starting point of your journey, not the end. “What I love about brown the most is that you can also swap any color around for any skin tone,” Bremer says. “A brown lipstick for fair skin can also be a light nude lipstick for deep skin tones when paired with the right lip liner. A dark, deep brown will also look good on fair skin, but it will have a more dramatic, vampy effect. The world is really your oyster when it comes to this shade.”
Why Trust Marie Claire
For more than 30 years, Marie Claire has been an internationally recognized destination for news, fashion and beauty trends, investigative packages, and more. When it comes to the products Marie Claire recommends, we take your faith in us seriously. Every product that we feature comes personally recommended by a Marie Claire writer or editor, or by an expert we’ve spoken to firsthand.
Meet the Experts
Naïma Bremer is a makeup artist and the Global Artistry Ambassador for the Caribbean for Fenty Beauty.
Christian Briceno is a professional makeup artist based in New York City.
