Latte makeup has flung bronze, brown and nude shades to the forefront of the makeup agenda.
The warm, 90s-inspired earth tones are everywhere in the cosmetic space right now as we transition away from the summery fruit-based Strawberry, Tomato and Cherry Girl aesthetics into more suitably cosy looks that add depth to our sun-deprived skin.
This is no doubt in part due to the revival of all things Nineties and Noughties that have taken over both worlds of fashion and beauty.
In these decades, brown lip liner was less a trend and more of a necessity for people of colour who were unable to find a ‘nude’ shade to suit their skin tone.
While colour ranges have come a long way since then, the lip liner resurgence follows suit of lip gloss, blue eyeshadow and fragranced body mists, bringing a sense of nostalgia and dominating our FYP. Whether to create contrast, ombre or plumping lip creations, videos related to this specific liner colourway have amassed over 204.5M views on TikTok.
Brown lip liner has solidified itself as a makeup bag essential but it’s important to first appreciate the history of the darker liner, lighter lippy look that has been around for decades, made ubiquitous by the women of the Chola subculture in Mexican-American communities.
How do you apply brown lipliner?
VIEVE founder Jamie Genevieve shares her tips for application. She explains that you can take the traditional route and “trace a matte lip liner before applying your favourite lipstick to naturally accentuate your pout”. Yet she stresses that “for stronger definition and longer wear, apply all over your lips as a base before lipstick or go one step further and draw the liner just over the outer edge of your natural lip line for maximum volume.”
You can also use this product type to “create the illusion of fuller-looking lips”, she reveals. This is achieved “by applying Modern Lip Definer after your lipstick”. Genevieve breaks it down. “Start with a hydrating base colour using VIEVE Modern Matte Lipstick or Satin Slip Lipstick, depending on your preferred lip finish. Make sure your lip liner is sharp using the VIEVE Sharpener and push out your lip line. Overline and focus on the centre of your lips for a more natural look.”
Once you have traced your pout, she advises you to “look in your front view camera on your phone after application, as this flips what you see in the mirror. You’ll then be able to tell if one side looks fuller than the other and vice versa.”
How do you choose a lip liner shade?
Genevieve stresses that there are no rules: “Whatever makes you feel your best is perfect!”. But to find your perfect shade, she recommends matching to your skin tone. “If you have a paler complexion, try paler shades for a natural look or go deeper for a statement lip. For deeper skin tones, try a darker shade close to your complexion for a subtle look or go lighter for a pop of colour.”
Shop the best brown lip liners below
MAC Lip Pencil in Mahogany
If you’re looking for high pigment, MAC has always been the brand to know, and this is true of the lip liner too. From Spice (a shade beloved by Kylie Jenner) to the iconic red of Ruby Woo, it’s worth stocking up on this liner in a few different hues.
The Mahogony, a reddish-brown, is a fan favourite for good reason. It’s a deep hue that glides on and stays in place. The formula is remarkably long-lasting, but when it does fade, it does so evenly. Look also to Oak, a more subtle beige brown.
Buy now £20.00, MAC
VIEVE Modern Lip Definer 1.2g
Created by makeup artist Jamie Genevieve, the VIEVE products are pro-level but remain foolproof to use. The founder favours a bold lip, and this is the tool you need to create it.
Dubbed the Lip Definer, it was formulated to outline your pout in whatever way you see fit with a creamy, blendable texture. Bark is the cool brown shade you need in your collection with its pigmented shade that is highly wearable.
Buy now £19.00, Cult Beauty
Bobbi Brown Lip Pencil in Nude
The Bobbi Brown Lip Pencil glides over the lips with no dragging to create definition that lasts but in a subtle, natural way. The product is less about creating a statement style and more about enhancing your natural shape with a non-drying formula that will be a workhorse in your collection.
Ballet Pink is the most popular hue, but don’t sleep on the classic Nude, a deep pink-brown year-round shade.
Buy now £25.00, lookfantastic
NYX Professional Makeup Suede Matte Lip Liner
When you consider the affordable price tag, you will be seriously impressed with just how hard-wearing the NYX Professional Makeup Suede Matte Lip Liner truly is. It’s easy to apply, has a great colour payoff and comes in 72 different shades, including the striking Cold Brew hue. Our only gripe? It is very matte so can be quite drying, ensure to layer up the lip balm between uses.
Buy now £4.00, Boots
Pat McGrath Labs PermaGel Ultra Lip Pencil
Pat McGrath is an iconic makeup artist, and her eponymous range appreciates the same cult status. These are luxury products through and through, which you’ll notice immediately from the slick black exterior before you’ve ever had a swipe of the pencil.
Crayon-like is probably the most appropriate way to describe this liner, with its creamy gel texture. The payoff is immediate, transfer-resistant and has some of the longest wear on the market – it just doesn’t budge or feather. As far as brown shades go, Structure has won our pick for the way it pops on all skin tones.
Buy now £27.00, Pat McGrath Labs
Charlotte Tilbury Lip Cheat
Foxy Brown in name, foxy in nature. This seductive shade is rivalling its legendary Pillow Talk counterpart in terms of wearability. It’s surprisingly flattering and is on hand to create the signature Charlotte Tilbury plumped pout as you can colour outside of the lines without bleeding, smudging or feathering. The colourway takes inspiration from the 90s with its warm hue.
Buy now £20.00, Charlotte Tilbury
Victoria Beckham Beauty Lip Definer
Victoria Beckham created her collection of Lip Definers to go hand in hand with her Posh lipsticks. The colours are designed to complement each other whether you go matchy-matchy or opt for contrasting lines.
The lip pencils are numbered from No.01 to No.06, getting increasingly darker as you reach the higher end. This was to make the process of finding the optimal nude simple and effective in line with your skin tone, but we find the caramel hue of No.05 far more versatile. The product is one of the easiest to create ultra-precise lines.
Buy now £24.00, Victoria Beckham Beauty
Anastasia Beverly Hills Lip Liner
The velvety-matte texture of this lip liner from Anastasia Beverly Hills provides the best of both worlds. While the finish is matte, the product prevents that drying feeling with its wax formulation. While this is certainly appreciated, it’s another feature that makes this stand out from the crowd.
The pencil has a square-shaped design to give you a better hold for sketching and drawing, allowing better precision. It’s practical too for on-the-go as it won’t roll off the table. Cool Brown is the autumnal shade to know.
Buy now £18.00, Cult Beauty
MAKEUP BY MARIO Ultra Suede Sculpting Lip Pencil
This is a lip liner made for blending. Mario Dedivanovic, the expert makeup artist behind this label, is making the classic tool work harder for you with a dual-ended construction that has the pencil on one end, and a brush on the other so you can adapt the lines to your liking.
The coverage is full and matte, but it has the added benefits of emollients so it’s kind to parched pouts, all without sacrificing lasting power. In fact, lip-lock technology prioritises its long wear. When it comes to brown, there’s one of the most expansive arrays of this specific hue but our personal favourite is the light caramel Almond hue.
Buy now £26.01, Sephora
Makeup For Ever Artist Color Pencil
Hailey Bieber went viral last year for her Brownie Lips tutorial and while the Scott Barnes in Naomi shade that the beauty mogul uses is hard to come by, this colour from Make Up For Ever is considered a worthy dupe.
Making a convincing case for your makeup bag, it’s a multitasking pencil that can be applied on lips, as a liner, as eyeshadow and even blush. This is all down to the flexibility of the wax-based formula that glides onto the skin and can be blended out.
Buy now £21.00, Sephora
