We Swiped, Blotted, and Wore the Best Fall Lipsticks of 2024

Discover your new go-to lip color with these vampy shades starting at just $5

In This Article

In This Article

It’s about that time that we shelve our shorts and reach for jeans, shrug on cozy cardigans, and swap glossy lip oils for rich, fall lipsticks. But you may be asking what separates an autumnal shade from a summer hue.

“Fall shades are usually defined by their earthiness, meaning they have a brown or muted undertone as opposed to the clean, bright shades you see in summer. This makes these shades very grounded and wearable, even when they’re dramatic or dark. Think terracotta browns, muted reds, and plums.” —Diane Kendal, celebrity makeup artist

We’ve tested more than 70 different lipstick formulas and brands in the past year, so we dug back into our beauty closets to see which winners we’d recommend reaching for this fall — from a tube Taylor Swift has used to a $5 liquid lipstick. Though we already know how good these formulas look and feel, we went the extra step by consulting with celebrity makeup artists to see which hues are worth rocking during sweater weather.

These are the fall lipsticks that will make your makeup routine turn a new leaf.

Gone are the days of juicy summer glosses — instead, it’s the matte formula’s time to shine. This liquid lipstick from Maybelline offers concentrated color with just a few swipes, which we achieved quickly (and cleanly) thanks to its pointed applicator foot that painted the contours of our lips effortlessly. Plus, you’d be hard-pressed to find a shade better suited for chilly weather than a classic red.

This rich hue dried down quickly and stayed fairly transfer-proof throughout the day, making it a great choice for people who want matte lipstick with long wear time. Our one qualm? It’s not the most hydrating formula for those with dry lips. However, at just $5 (on sale), we wouldn’t hesitate to recommend this liquid lip to anyone who wants a fall lipstick refresh on a budget.

“Exhilarator,” 51 percent off at Amazon

Formula: Liquid | Finish: Matte | Benefits: Highly pigmented, 16 hours of wear | Shades: 30 | Long-wearing: Yes

When we tested the Makeup by Mario SuperSatin lipstick across three generations, we were impressed by how well its creamy, timeless formula fared on every tester — ages 23 to 74 — without noteworthy bleeding or feathering after hours of wear. The collection includes 18 shades, laden with rich wine hues, everyday neutrals, and spiced reds, and its moisturizing formula felt so comfortable on our lips we forgot it was there at all.

With satin being one of the easiest lipstick finishes to find, it’s not hard to replicate the look of this lip with a cheaper option (we’ve recommended the L’Oréal Paris Colour Riche Satin Lipstick in the past for its creamy consistency and budget-friendly price). However, we think this lipstick is worth the small investment for its pigment-packed color, lightweight feel, and staying power.

“Forest Hills”

Formula: Bullet | Finish: Satin | Benefits: Lightweight, comfortable wear, doesn’t feather | Shades: 18 | Long-wearing: Somewhat

Liquid lipsticks are a great option for people who want precise lines and easy application — add on extra perks like a no-smear, transfer-proof, long-wearing formula, and you get this lippie from Revlon. We were so impressed by this matte lipstick’s staying power that we gave it a PEOPLE Beauty Award for the best liquid lipstick of 2024 (though it’s worth pointing out that it may be too drying on chapped lips).

We love this deep plum shade because of its fall-appropriate hue, which won’t dull throughout the day even after winds whipping your hair across your lips and sips of pumpkin spice lattes out of festive to-go cups. Plus, it’s on sale for just $10 — so you might as well check out mulled wine, caramel brown, and other fall shades, too.

“Hype Girl”

Formula: Liquid | Finish: Matte | Benefits: Long-wearing, low price | Shades: 16 | Long-wearing: Yes

You officially have Swiftie status if you know that Pat McGrath’s MatteTrance Lipstick in the shade “Elson” is one of the “Fortnight” singer’s go-to reds. You probably also know that means it’s often unavailable, making “Vendetta,” its vampy sister, the best (and most fall-friendly) choice right now.

Though it’s not as long-wearing as other lipsticks we tried, this formula did withstand most of our eating, drinking, and chatting throughout the day — save for a bit of transfer here and there (after all, we’ve all seen those red kiss marks on Travis Kelce’s cheeks). You can get a rich color from just one swipe, but if you want to start out sheer, this formula is also quite buildable. “Remember, you don’ -

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t have to apply lipstick directly from the bullet,” says Kendal. “You can always tap some into your lips with your finger for a wearable stain.”

“Vendetta”

Formula: Bullet | Finish: Matte | Benefits: Lightweight,  | Shades: 34 | Long-wearing: Somewhat

Achieve a “just kissed” effect by tapping your lipstick from the top to the bottom of your lips instead of swiping. “This will create a blurred, stained finish to modernize your lip look.” —Elyse Reneau, Executive Director of Global Beauty at Too Faced Cosmetics

Three makeup artists, Kendal, Reneau, and Katie Jane Hughes, plus PEOPLE directors weighed in on what shades to wear this fall.

Make your lipstick last longer with a few pro tricks. “Don't over-moisturize your lips with balm before lipstick application. Instead, apply your lip moisturizers the night before (before bed). Do a thin layer of lipstick color, powder over it with translucent powder, and add a final layer of lipstick over the powder.” — KJH

When you’re looking for new colors, consider texture before anything else, says Erica Taylor, L’Oréal Paris League of Experts makeup artist.

The main lipstick finishes you’ll find are satin, glossy, and matte, and satin tends to be the most hydrating, while matte is the most drying (though this isn’t always the case). 

“I definitely go for more hydrating formulas as the weather starts to chill, but nothing too shiny because of wind and the potential for stickiness,” Hughes says. 

The ingredients will also make all the difference as to whether or not your tube of choice will be hydrating, as some mattes, like the Pat McGrath MatteTrance Lipstick, apply like butter (the sweet spot for a fall lip).

However, Kendal advises us to prepare our skin beforehand to keep our painted lips from drying out. “It’s important to take extra care to exfoliate and prep the lips with a comforting balm or lip mask,” she says.

The right shade for you, season-abiding or not, is completely subjective depending on your personal preferences. However, there are color schemes you can follow if you want to fit the festive palette of fall.

“A good fall lip color is usually a bit richer and pigmented, but still wearable,” says Reneau. “I tend to favor berry shades, moodier reds, or deeper pinks.” While you can find a slew of spiced colors in the collections of any of the picks above, our experts found themselves drawn to an array of earth-inspired colors. 

According to Taylor, a good rule of thumb is to go a little darker than your natural lip color. “I look for one to two shades deeper than my natural tone for an effortless lip,” she says. So, if a plum shade feels too out-of-the-box for you, then a my-skin-but-deeper shade could be just what you need this fall.

To find the very best lipsticks for fall, we consulted three makeup artists for their advice and recommendations. Then, we dug into the stats from four of our lipstick tests (totaling over 70 liquid and bullet lipsticks), to produce the most comprehensive list of fall-ready lippies based on the following attributes:

Alyssa Brascia is a staff shopping writer at PEOPLE specializing in fashion and beauty. She has more than two years of experience in the digital media industry, specifically in commerce, and is a self-taught makeup artist. Though she has a vanity full of vampy, fall-suited lipsticks, Brascia bolstered her knowledge of fall shades and formulas by interviewing two celebrity makeup artists and one makeup executive to refresh a previous story on the same topic. There, she gathered information from yet another leading makeup artist and incorporated two personal recommendations from PEOPLE editorial directors.

We created the PEOPLE Tested seal of approval to help you find the very best products for your life. We use our unique methodology to test products in three labs across the country and with our network of home testers to determine their effectiveness, durability, ease of use, and so much more. Based on the results, we rate and recommend products so you can find the right one for your needs.

But we don’t stop there: We also regularly re-review the categories in which we’ve awarded the PEOPLE Tested seal of approval — because the best product of today might not be the best of tomorrow. And by the way, companies can never buy our recommendation: Their products must earn it, fair and square.

In short, PEOPLE Tested provides recommendations you can trust — every day, every purchase.

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