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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 drugstore finds from L’Oréal Paris, keep scrolling to learn about (and shop) the lipsticks stars and their glam gurus swear by.
Best MLBB Color: Merit Signature Lip Lightweight Lipstick in Maison
Pros:
- Hyaluronic acid hydrates lips
- Lightweight, vegan and cruelty-free
Cons:
- Not as opaque as some other matte options
Described as a berry-mauve, Maison is a universally flattering bitten-lip hue that’s a daily go-to for Jenna Lyons. The RHONY star said, “This is my favorite lipstick,” she raved. “[It] actually looks like the color of my lips, which I love. It just gives me a little bit of coverage.”
Not the only New York “Housewife” who adores Merit, Jessel Taank told Page Six Style she was gifting sets of the “incredible” lipsticks for the holidays. Cameron Diaz also shared with the Strategist that the lip colors are one of the only makeup products she uses. The “Charlie’s Angels” star said she has a few shades, noting that she appreciates the clean formula.
The brand’s lip oils are also worn by “The White Lotus” scene-stealer Aimee Lou Wood and Martha Stewart, which give a hint of color or a glossy topper for the lipsticks.
Finish: Velvet matte | Shipping: Free ground shipping at Merit on orders over $40.00
Best Red Alternative: Nars Original Lipstick in Morocco
Pros:
- Smudge-resistant formula made with rosehip seed oil and hyaluronic acid for moisture
- Velvet finish and lightweight feel
Cons:
- Some reviews said they wished it had more staying power
While there are countless discussions on Taylor Swift’s signature red lip, (including Nars Dragon Girl,) her makeup artist Lorrie Turk shared on Instagram that Swift wears Nars Original Lipstick in the warm cinnamon shade Morocco “all the time” and has “worn it for years.”
Popular for its long-wearing, richly pigmented shades, Nars lip colors are also a go-to for Debi Mazar, Ali Wong, Kelly Rowland and brand ambassador Ciara, who said of the shade Unauthorized, “When a beauty moment calls for a classic red lip, Nars has always been my go-to.”
Finish: Matte | Shipping: Free ground shipping at Nars
Best ’90s Comeback: Clinique Almost Lipstick in Black Honey
Pros:
- Universally flattering shade, layerable for more drama
- Emollient-rich formula swipes on without a mirror
Cons:
- Doesn’t last as long as lip stains
The Black Honey shade debuted in 1971 as a pot balm but became the ’90s it-girl staple seen on everyone from Drew Barrymore to Julia Roberts. Brat Pack icon Molly Ringwald wore it in the classic teen-angst movie “The Breakfast Club,” and named it a favorite product in her 2010 memoir.
In 2021, brand face Emilia Clarke posted an Instagram video in which she was shocked by the sheer, natural flush, saying “My mind boggles as to why my lips didn’t turn charcoal but this dewy, blush of dreams instead,” referring to it’s near-black look in the tube. “Ingenious bit of magic in your makeup bag,” she added.
And, earlier this year, Reese Witherspoon’s makeup artist layered the viral shade for the actress’ “You’re Cordially Invited” New York premiere.
Seven tubes of Black Honey Almost Lipstick are sold every minute, and it’s the number one lip color in the United States, according to the brand. For a 54-year-old lip color, that’s staying power.
Finish: Semi-glossy | Shipping: Free shipping with Amazon Prime
Best Sheer: Chanel Rouge Coco Baume in 928 Pink Delight
Pros:
- Hydrating
- Provides a subtle sheer finish
Cons:
- More expensive than most options on this list
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.
Finish: Sheer and shiny | Shipping: Free FedEx standard shipping at Chanel
Best Brown: MAC MACximal Satin Lipstick in Paramount
Pros:
- Full-coverage formula that lasts up to eight hours
- Can also be used on cheeks, per the brand
Cons:
- Features the brand’s signature vanilla scent, so not the best option for those who prefer fragrance-free products
No need to be green with envy over Rachel Green’s signature lip. Jennifer Aniston revealed she reached for this pink-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.”
MAC lipsticks also have the devotion of several Page Six Style editors, who cite hues from nude to bold as their favorites.
Finish: Satin | Shipping: Free standard shipping on orders over $35 and free returns at MAC
Best Red: MAC Matte Lipstick in Ruby Woo
Pros:
- Classic blue-based red
- Long-lasting matte formula
Cons:
- The statement-making hue might not fit everyone’s preferences
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 Peopleof 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.
Page Six Style’s review: “MAC’s Ruby Woo is a classic for a reason: It looks fabulous on pretty much everyone,” says Page Six Style Editor Elana Fishman, who wears the hot hue on the regular. “I first tried it a few years ago while testing out several of Taylor Swift’s favorite red lipsticks, and fell completely in love.”
Finish: Matte | Shipping: Free standard shipping on orders over $35 and free returns at MAC
Best Royal-Approved: Bobbi Brown Luxe Lipstick in Sandwash Pink
Pros:
- Infused with skincare ingredients like hyaluronic acid and coconut oil
Cons:
- Some reviewers noted the formula can be drying
Kate Middleton did her own makeup at her wedding to Prince William, incorporating a slew of Bobbi Brown products. And while it’s rare to get confirmation on her exact beauty favorites, the brand confirmed she wore this soft pink hue for the big day.
Finish: Matte | Shipping: Free two-day shipping at Nordstrom
Best Luxury: Tom Ford Lip Color in Sable Smoke
Pros:
- Luxe, creamy finish
- Many stars and reviewers have dubbed it a universally flattering nude
Cons:
- Over $50
A number of celebrity makeup artists believe this pricey product is 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.
Finish: Matte | Shipping: Standard shipping at Sephora for $6.95
Best Makeup Artist-Approved: Pat McGrath Labs MatteTrance Lipstick
Pros:
- Velvety finish
- Long-lasting
Cons:
- Over $30
When it comes to lipstick, plenty of stars agree: “Mother” (as McGrath is 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.
Page Six Style’s review: “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 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.”
Finish: Matte | Shipping: Free two-day shipping at Nordstrom
Best Stain: Sephora Collection Cream Lip Stain Liquid Lipstick
Pros:
- Budget-friendly
- Transfer-proof and long-lasting
Cons:
- Highly pigmented
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.”
It’s also rumored to be in Taylor Swift’s arsenal, as her longtime makeup artist, Lorrie Turk, once included the shade in her Shop My Shelf.
Finish: Matte | Shipping: Standard shipping at Sephora for $6.95
Best Liquid Lipstick: Pat McGrath Labs LiquiLust Legendary Wear Matte Lipstick
Pros:
- Comes in four shades
- Velvety weightless finish
Cons:
- Over $30
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.
Finish: Matte | Shipping: Standard shipping for $6.95
Best Drugstore: L’Oréal Paris Infallible Matte Resistance Liquid Lipstick
Pros:
- Budget-friendly
- Hydrating formula
- Comes in 22 shades
Cons:
- Some Amazon reviewers found it required a primer to keep the pigment more long-lasting
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.”
Finish: Matte | Shipping: Free shipping on Amazon Prime
Best Transfer-Proof: Urban Decay Vice Lip Bond Liquid Lipstick in Pleased
Pros:
- Super long-lasting finish
Cons:
- Can be drying
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.”
Finish: Glossy | Shipping: Standard shipping for $6.95
Best Vegan: Hourglass Unlocked Satin Crème Lipstick in Red 0
Pros:
- 100% vegan formula
- Creamy, long-wearing finish
Cons:
- Over $30
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.
Finish: Satin | Shipping: Free two-day shipping at Nordstrom
FAQ
What is the most famous lipstick?
While plenty of pout products are all lip service, several shades have broken through the noise over the years. Case in point? Dior’s 999 red hue may have made a rumored debut at Christian Dior’s first-ever runway show, but it remains popular to this day.
Other red-hot reds include MAC’s more blue-based Ruby Woo — a hit with everyone from Taylor Swift to Gwen Stefani to Rihanna. (But if it’s an iconic pink you’re after, perhaps none is as bestselling as Charlotte Tilbury’s Pillow Talk, a nude hue seen on the likes of Britney Spears and Meghan Markle.)
And few makeup artists mastered the brown lipstick trend of the ’90s quite like Bobbi Brown, whose first lipstick collection included her famed Brown by Bobbi Brown hue. The same era gave rise to Clinique’s Black Honey, a plummy “your lips but better” formula that remains a cult favorite.
What lipstick did Kate Middleton wear on her wedding day?
The Duchess of Sussex reportedly did her own makeup for her and Prince William’s 2011 nuptials, opting for a simple swipe of Bobbi Brown’s Sandwash Pink.
She’s not the only one thinking pink on her wedding day; Sofia Richie and Nicola Peltz opted for similar shades courtesy of Chanel’s Rouge Coco Baume and Rouge Coco Flash, respectively, while Amal Clooney reached for Charlotte Tilbury’s berry-tinged Walk of No Shame.
Why Trust Page Six Style Shopping
This article was written by Hannah Southwick, Commerce Writer/Reporter for Page Six Style. Hannah spies deals on actually affordable celebrity-worn styles, puts Hollywood’s favorite labels to the test and finds the beauty products that keep stars red carpet-ready. She consults stylists and industry pros — including celebs themselves — for firsthand product recommendations, trend predictions and more. In addition to writing for Page Six since 2020, her work has been featured in USA Today and Parade.