Like fashion, beauty trends are cyclical. One minute, it’s all about bold, smokey eyes paired with subtle lip makeup; the next, the soft girl aesthetic is the trend du jour. For a while now, mainstream beauty trends focused on glowy skin and flushed cheeks, making blush a must-have product for every beauty enthusiast. And we’re all about it (after all, who doesn’t love a lit-from-within glow?). But as of recently, the spotlight has shifted. While glowing skin is still gorgeous—and always will be—these days, many beauty trends are all about putting your pout center stage.
Whether you prefer a bold statement lip or like to keep it sheer and glossy, there’s a lip makeup trend that’s perfect for you. Here, we’re breaking down 10 of the biggest lip trends to try right now, plus offering our advice on how to achieve these coveted looks. Read on for the details.
Grunge ‘90s Lipstick
It may be the 2020s, but ‘90s grunge style is still trending in a big way—and not just in terms
of fashion. This season, expect to see lots of '90s-inspired makeup looks (think: bold matte
lips, sultry nudes, and lip liner for days). To achieve your own ‘90s lipstick look, we
recommend reaching for Lip Lingerie XXL Matte Liquid Lipstick. The matte-finish liquid
lipstick provides a full-bodied, smooth matte look that won’t budge, transfer, or fade for up
to 16 hours. It also boasts a precise applicator that makes it super easy to follow the natural
shape of your lip line. (For more definition and boldness, pair it with Suede Matte Lip Liner.)
As for which color to use, that’s up to you—there are 31 shades to choose from, including
It’s Hotter, a deep berry hue; Low Cut, a warm, grungy pinkish-brown; and Warm Up, a
classic dusty mauve. Try them on using our virtual try-on tool and pick whichever shade
speaks to your inner ‘90s babe.
Vampy Lips
This trend is sort of like the gothic cousin of the classic ‘90s grungy lip. It involves using pigment-packed, dark colors—like blood reds, deep purples, and blacks—to inject your look with a bit of punky attitude. When it comes to vampy lips, any dark, saturated lip color will do the job. If you like matte lipsticks, try Lip Lingerie XXL Matte Liquid Lipstick in Naughty Noir, a bold, unapologetic inky black hue. If you prefer a glossier finish, we love the Shine Loud High Shine Lip Color in Shake Things Up—it’s the perfect moody purple.
Nude Glossy Lips
NYX Professional Makeup is America’s #1 lip gloss brand*, so you best believe that we’re including a few gloss-centric trends on this list. First up: glossy nude lips. Classic and timeless, a shiny nude lip is perfect for daytime or nighttime. And with our extensive range of glosses in every finish imaginable, it’s also customizable to your liking.
Rock a classic nude lip with Butter Gloss in the shade Sugar Glass. If you prefer a little bit more color but still want to keep it on the subtler side, reach for This Is Juice Lip Gloss. It’s available in eight sheer shades that provide a hint of color (plus a ton of juicy shine).
*L’Oreal calculation based in part on data reported by NielsenIQ through its Scantrack Service for the Lip Gloss segment for the 52-week period ending February 26, 2022, for the US xAOC market according to L’Oreal’s custom product hierarchy. Copyright © 2022, Nielsen Consumer LLC.
Gym Lips
“Gym Lips” is a trend born from—what else?—TikTok. It’s so named because the look is low-key (enough so that you can wear it to the gym). Gym lips, which we like to consider part of the “soft girl” aesthetic, involve overlining your pout with a nude lip liner, then filling in the rest of your lips with a hydrating lip treatment, such as Bare With Me Cannabis Lip Conditioner, for an understated, yet undeniably luscious look.
Gradient Lips
Gradient, two-toned, ombré—whatever you call it, this lipstick trend is great when you want to make your pout the star of the show. The trend involves using two lip colors (usually one darker and one lighter) and blending them together to create a head-turning look. And, good news, gradient lips are pretty easy to achieve.
First, use a lip liner like our iconic Slim Lip Pencil to line the outer edges of your lips. Then, grab lipstick in a slightly lighter shade that complements the liner and apply it to the center of your lips. Some color pairings we love are magenta liner and orange lipstick, eggplant liner and violet lipstick, and burgundy liner and cherry-red lipstick. Once you’ve applied both your lip liner and lipstick, use your fingers or a brush to blend the colors together to create an eye-catching ombré effect.
Popsicle Lips
You know that gorgeous way your lips look after you eat a popsicle or chow down on a couple of cherries? This trend seeks to replicate that. While similar to gradient lips, popsicle lips focus the color at the center of your pout. From there, the color is gradually buffed outward, making it look as though your lips are stained from the aforementioned frozen treat.
To achieve this look, we suggest using our Soft Matte Lip Cream in a fruity shade (think pinks, berries, or orangey-reds). Apply a dot of color at the center of your mouth on both the top and bottom lip. Then, use your fingers or a makeup sponge to buff the color outward, toward the edges of your lips, until the color is evenly diffused. For a more dramatic “just-ate-a-popsicle” effect, try lining your lips with concealer before blending—it’ll help create a blurred, diffused look.
Winged Lips
As you may know, winged eyeliner can help visually lift the outer corners of your eyes. Turns out, the same concept can be applied to your pout. Lip wings—a trend that involves overlining your lips and flicking the outer corners upward—can help your lips appear both fuller and more upturned (like you’re suppressing a sly smile). It’s a super fun way to spice up your go-to lip look.
As for how to rock a lip wing, it’s pretty straightforward, though perfecting it may take a bit of trial and error. First, over-line your lips with a long-wearing, waterproof lip liner, such as Line Loud Vegan Longwear Lip Liner. Then, draw a small flick from the outer corner of your mouth toward your temples (it’ll look weird at this point, but trust the process). Once you’re satisfied, join the line to your upper and bottom lips to complete the wing. You can then complete your look with a lipstick, like our Suede Matte Lipstick, or by simply swiping on your favorite lip gloss. Just take care not to overdo the wing: The idea is to give your lips a slight lift, not impersonate a comic book villain.
High-Shine Vinyl Lips
This trend is all about giving your lips some luscious, look-at-me shine. And luckily for you, we have the perfect lip product for the job: Shine Loud High Shine Lip Color. The ultra-pigmented, high-shine lip color comes in 30 bold shades that provide up to 16 hours of transfer-proof wear. To use it, first fill in your lips with the saturated base coat in the color of your choice. Let the base dry, then flip the tube over and apply the glassy, non-sticky top coat. Make sure to stash the dual-ended lippie in your bag—you can reapply the top coat as needed to ensure you’re rocking maximum vinyl shine.
Statement Lips
The term “statement lips” is often used to describe any bold lip color. But this lip trend takes the idea a step further, pairing bright, saturated lip makeup with otherwise bare (or bare-looking) skin. Make your pout the star of the show by keeping your face makeup to a minimum and turning the dial all the way up with an unapologetically bold lipstick. Which color and finish you choose for this look is totally your call. You can go matte with Lip Lingerie XXL Matte Liquid Lipstick (try the shade Caliente), or give your lips a glossy finish by layering Butter Gloss in Blueberry Tart over bare lips for a pop of unexpected color.
Elevated Red Lips
You may be thinking, “red lipstick isn’t a trend,” and honestly, you’d be totally right. It’s a timeless classic that flatters virtually everyone (provided, of course, you choose the right red for your skin tone and undertone). But you can upgrade the iconic look by combining trends. Try a red popsicle lipstick look by lining your pout with our Slim Lip Pencil in Hot Red and blending it out, or sweep This Is Milky Gloss Milkshakes in Cherry Milkshake onto bare lips for a juicy, glassy red lip look.
PRODUCTS USED
Lip Lingerie XXL Matte Liquid Lipstick
16H Full-Bodied Matte Liquid Lipstick
SHINE LOUD HIGH SHINE LIP COLOR
High-shine, long-lasting lip gloss
Slim Lip Pencil
Natural-looking long-wear lip liner
This is Milky Gloss Milkshakes
12H Hydration Scented Vegan Lip Gloss
