Collage: Jemeria Davison; Source images: Courtesy of Allure editors and brandsSave this storySave this story
Let’s get one thing out of the way: You do not need to retire your pink gloss for the year just because the calendar says it’s fall. Makeup has no season—if bright coral is part of your year-round signature lip combo and it makes you happy in November, please proceed. That said, there’s something about the first crisp day of the year that makes our editors instinctively reach for the moodier shades that have been hiding at the bottom of our makeup bags for months on end.
And this season, lips are getting plenty of attention. The buzziest fall 2026 makeup trends include everything from berry tints to bold lipstick worn against an otherwise minimal face—proof that a great lip can be the whole look. Makeup artists are seeing these darker colors but with a softer take this season. “Wine, blackberry, burgundy, rosewood, brown-red, and deeper browns are all there, but the application feels softer,” says Christian Briceno, a New York City-based makeup artist. “Instead of automatically making those colors completely opaque, I’m seeing more stains, blurred edges, satin finishes, and transparent layers where some of the natural lip can still come through.”
Our Favorite Fall Lip Combos
- Perfect Plum: Chanel Lip Liner in Berry, $37 + Eadem Le Chouchou in Bissap Glaze, $24
- Chocolate Cherry: M.ph liner in Sizzle, $25 + Violette_Fr Bisou Balm in Chocolat, $30
- Toasty Nude: Victoria Beckham Lip Liner in Shade 02, $35 + Refy Blur Liner Crayon in Opal, $24 + Rhode Peptide Lip Tint in Sweet Apple, $20
- Glossy Brownie: Rhode Peptide Lip Shape in Balance, $24 + Anfisa Skin Ân-Gloss Ceramide Lip Tint in Angel Food, $45
- Moody Mauve: Bobbi Brown Lip Tint Liner in Rosewood, $28 and Nyx Professional Makeup Smushy Matte Lip Balm in Snuggle Szn, $9
- Very Berry: Makeup For Ever Lip Pencil in Boundless Berry, $26 + Summer Fridays Butter Balm in Vanilla Beige, $24
Frequently Asked QuestionsLargeChevron
- What are the best lip colors for fall?
- What are some trending lip combos?
- How do I pick a lip combo?
- Meet the experts
- How we test and review products
- Our staff and testers
Of course, half the fun is figuring out what to pair together. A brown liner can add dimension to a berry stain, a pink liner can completely change the look of a nude lip gloss, and the list goes on. “One of the strongest combinations is a softly diffused brown or rosewood liner with a sheer tinted balm,” says Tim Quinn, a Palm Beach, Florida-based makeup artist. “I am also seeing monochromatic rosewood, deep berry or oxblood tapped onto the lips with a finger, and velvet color finished with just a touch of gloss in the center.” The bottom line: It’s all about creating a look that you love, no matter the season. Ahead, Allure editors share the lip combinations we’ll be wearing on repeat this fall—consider them inspiration, not rules.
Perfect Plum: Chanel Lip Liner in Berry + Eadem Le Chouchou in Bissap Glaze
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Chanel
Le Crayon Lèvres in Berry
Chanel
Ulta Beauty
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Eadem
Le Chouchou in Bissap Glaze
Amazon
Sephora
“It's well-known by now that I can't live without my Eadem Le Chouchou lip balms. These Best of Beauty-winning formulas strike the perfect balance between lip care and lip color, providing both softening and exfoliating benefits and a punch of color. Bissap Glaze, a warm berry, has always been my go-to but I really like Fig Sauce, a cool mauve, for a more low-key look, and I'm eyeing Boba Bounce, a richer brown, to experiment with. (I'm not well versed in brown lippies, but I'll try anything once!)” The Chanel lip liner is newer to my rotation but I love how creamy and buildable it is, depending on how much pressure I apply. It also comes in the perfect berry to complement Bissap Glaze, while also adding some dimension to my lips.” —Sarah Han, commerce editor
Allure commerce editor Sarah Han applying the Chanel Lip Liner in Berry + Eadem Le Chouchou in Bissap Glaze Combo
Sarah Han
Han before applying the Chanel Lip Liner in Berry + Eadem Le Chouchou in Bissap Glaze Combo
Sarah Han
Han after applying the Chanel Lip Liner in Berry + Eadem Le Chouchou in Bissap Glaze Combo
Sarah Han
Toasty Nude: Victoria Beckham Lip Liner in Shade 02 + Refy Blur Liner Crayon in Opal + Rhode Peptide Lip Tint in Sweet Apple
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Victoria Beckham
Lip Liner
Nordstrom
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Refy
Blur Liner Crayon
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Sephora
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Rhode
Peptide Lip Tint
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Sephora
“There are few things I love in this world more than a really great lip combo. Yes, that might sound dramatic, but when it all clicks, it truly makes me feel more confident in my look and gives my day a little boost. The Victoria Beckham Lip Definer shade 02 is a stunning nude, and its slightly stiffer formula is exactly what I look for in step one of my lip combo. It stays in place and lasts for hours, even when eating and drinking. The Refy Blur Liner Crayon is creamier, so I use it to blend the Lip Definer into the rest of my lips. These two are stunning on their own and can be topped with any gloss to achieve different looks, but to really bring in the fall vibes, I have been loving Sweet Apple from Rhode. If you haven’t tried their Peptide Lip Tints yet, this may be your sign. They are creamy, non-sticky, and moisturizing, and I love them because I can toss them on with no makeup on (or, in this case, as the cherry on top of a full face to bring some shimmer into the look). This shade brings a warm fall vibe, and as the lip wears, you see more of those pink tones from the liners peeking through.” —Katie Gunderman, associate social media manager
Allure associate social media manager Katie Gunderman applying the Victoria Beckham Lip Liner + Refy Blur Liner Crayon + Rhode Peptide Lip Tint Combo
Katie Gunderman
Gunderman before applying the Victoria Beckham Lip Liner + Refy Blur Liner Crayon + Rhode Peptide Lip Tint Combo
Katie Gunderman
Gunderman after applying the Victoria Beckham Lip Liner + Refy Blur Liner Crayon + Rhode Peptide Lip Tint Combo
Katie Gunderman
Chocolate Cherry: M.ph liner in Sizzle + Violette_Fr Bisou Balm in Chocolat
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m.ph by Mary Phillips
Liner in Sizzle
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Violette_FR
Bisou Balm in Chocolat
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Sephora
"I count down the minutes until fall hits, and it's time to whip out my moody brown lipsticks. Violette_FR's Bisou Balm Sheer Matte Lipstick in shade Chocolat is easily my color of the season that I pair with m.ph's The Overliner Lip Liner Pencil in Sizzle. I tend to be a bit heavy-handed with my products, so I've been leaning towards more sheer, buildable shades, and these deliver. Violette_FR's newest shade is so creamy, smooth, and light that I can easily blend it out with a few swipes of my fingertip, and it melts seamlessly into my liner." —Kassidy Silva, social media director
Allure director of social media Kassidy Silva applying the M.ph liner in Sizzle + Violette_Fr Bisou Balm in Chocolat Combo
Kassidy Silva
Silva before applying the M.ph liner in Sizzle + Violette_Fr Bisou Balm in Chocolat Combo
Kassidy Silva
Silva after applying the M.ph liner in Sizzle + Violette_Fr Bisou Balm in Chocolat Combo
Kassidy Silva
Very Berry: Makeup For Ever Lip Pencil in Boundless Berry + Summer Fridays Butter Balm in Vanilla Beige
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Make Up For Ever
Lip Pencil in Boundless Berry
Sephora
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Summer Fridays
Butter Balm in Vanilla Beige
Amazon
Sephora
“There are few beauty categories I refuse to replace, my lip combo being one of them. Make Up For Ever's Artist Color Pencil in Boundless Berry is everything you'd want in a lip liner: It's oh-so-pigmented, glides on with ease, and is effortlessly flattering. It's one of my go-to berries for fall because it's just a few shades deeper than my natural lip without looking too overdone. Paired with the Summer Fridays Lip Butter Balm in Vanilla Beige, a true semi-sheer beige that keeps my dry lips comfortable all year long, the two creare the perfect just-bitten wash of color that's rich, polished, and romantic–all of the things that remind me of the season.” —Madison San Miguel, commerce editor
Allure commerce editor Madison San Miguel applying the MakeUp For Ever Lip Pencil in Boundless Berry + Summer Fridays Butter Balm in Vanilla Beige
Madison San Miguel
San Miguel after applying the MakeUp For Ever Lip Pencil in Boundless Berry + Summer Fridays Butter Balm in Vanilla Beige
Madison San Miguel
Glossy Brownie: Rhode Peptide Lip Shape in Balance + Anfisa Skin Ân-Gloss Ceramide Lip Tint in Angel Food
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Rhode
Peptide Lip Shape Contouring Lip Shaper
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Sephora
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Anfisa
Ân-Gloss Ceramide Lip Tint in Angel Food
Dermstore
Revolve
“My day-to-day makeup is usually pretty minimal, so I like to keep my lip combo simple to match. I’m not even a big lip liner person for everyday, but Rhode’s Peptide Lip Shape changed that for me. I love all of the shades, but my most-used (especially in the fall) is Balance. It’s the perfect 90s-esque brown that delivers dimension but still looks natural, and if I ever feel like it’s a little too intense for me, it easily smudges out for a more diffused look. I pair my Lip Shape with several tinted lip balms, but the one I keep coming back to is the Anfisa Skin ÂN-GLOSS Ceramide Lip Tint in Angel Food. Not only does it keep my very dry lips very cushioned and very happy, but it also delivers just the right amount of sheer pink shimmer to give a bit of color and life back to my pout. And yes, it tastes exactly like angel food cake. I love the brown and subtle pink for fall—it matches with everything and feels like the perfect autumnal color palette.” —Catharine Malzahn, contributor
Allure contributor Catharine Malzahn before applying the Rhode Peptide Lip Shape in Balance + Anfisa Skin Ân-Gloss Ceramide Lip Tint in Angel Food
Catharine Malzahn
Malzahn after applying the Rhode Peptide Lip Shape in Balance + Anfisa Skin Ân-Gloss Ceramide Lip Tint in Angel Food
Catharine Malzahn
Moody Mauve: Bobbi Brown Lip Tint Liner in Rosewood 54 and Nyx Professional Makeup Smushy Matte Lip Balm in Snuggle Szn
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Bobbi Brown
Lip Tint Liner & Sheer Lip Stain in Rosewood 54
Ulta Beauty
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Nyx Professional Makeup
Smushy Matte Lip Balm in Snuggle Szn
Amazon
Ulta Beauty
“My shaky hands don’t exactly love to see a lip liner coming, but Bobbi Brown's Lip Stain Tint in Rosewood makes defining my lips surprisingly foolproof. The perfectly pointy felt-tip applicator has a tiny ball tip that glides over my lips without skipping, and the marker-like application feels much more forgiving when you don’t have the steadiest hand. Mauvy nude is about as dark as I’ll ever go, and Rosewood takes my usual lip look up a notch. I paired it with the NYX Smushy Matte Lip Balm in Snuggle Szn, which is actually a year-round color for me. It’s a balm, but it’s matte—yet somehow not drying… a beautiful oxymoron in every way. The two shades are almost a perfect match, but Rosewood runs a shade or two deeper, giving the edges a little more definition and making the whole combo feel crisper and just moody enough for fall.” —Christa Joanna Lee, contributing commerce writer
Allure contributing commerce writer Christa Joanna Lee applying the Bobbi Brown Lip Tint Liner & Sheer Lip Stain in Rosewood 54 + Nyx Professional Makeup Smushy Matte Lip Balm in Snuggle Szn
Christa Joanna Lee
Lee before applying the Bobbi Brown Lip Tint Liner & Sheer Lip Stain in Rosewood 54 + Nyx Professional Makeup Smushy Matte Lip Balm in Snuggle Szn
Christa Joanna Lee
Lee after applying the Bobbi Brown Lip Tint Liner & Sheer Lip Stain in Rosewood 54 + Nyx Professional Makeup Smushy Matte Lip Balm in Snuggle Szn
Christa Joanna Lee
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the best lip colors for fall?
Remember, there are no “best” lip colors at all—it’s all about what draws you in. That being said, if you need some ideas to get you going, you’ve got options. When fall comes around, it may feel like you’re required to bring out the darker, vampy shades, but that’s not a must-follow rule.
Case in point: One of Briceno’s go-to fall shades, rosewood, is a dusty rose color. “Rosewood is one of my favorites because you have both rose and brown,” he says.
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Charlotte Tilbury
Lip Cheat in Foxy Brown
Nordstrom
Ulta Beauty
Sephora
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Charlotte Tilbury
Matte Revolution in Super Fabulous
Nordstrom
Ulta Beauty
Sephora
You can also reach for a brown-red, which “has warmth and depth without becoming a straight brown,” he adds. Classic fall shades in the red family like burgundy and cranberry take you in a “moodier direction,” he says.
If you like a quieter, more subtle lip color, “I like cocoa or a deeper beige-rose,” says Briceno. On the other end of the spectrum, “For more drama, I’ll move toward wine, plum, or blackberry,” he says.
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Westman Atelier
Lip Shape in Lou Lou
Nordstrom
Sephora
Credo Beauty
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Westman Atelier
HydroBalm in Glögg
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Sephora
Credo Beauty
What are some trending lip combos?
Each year, fall makeup trends change and evolve, but some things never change (as in, we’re always going to want to reach for those warmer, richer shades this time of year).
However, application and how you pair them together is what stands out this fall. (Spoiler alert: There’s a lot of brown lip liner ahead.) Many of the trending combos right now complement each other and make the lips look more naturally sculpted. “A deeper brown liner with a softer rosewood or nude center still looks very current, but I like the transition diffused,” says Briceno, who’s noticing that diffused look more often lately than a “perfect dark ring around the mouth.”
Another option: “I also like a brown or burgundy liner with a berry, wine, or black-cherry center,” he says. “Sometimes I’ll concentrate a little more color through the middle of the mouth and let it soften toward the edges. You don’t always need the same amount of pigment everywhere.”
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Lancôme
Lip Idôle Lip Shaper in Morning Espresso
Nordstrom
Ulta Beauty
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Hung Vanngo
Beauty Glossy Lip Hue in From The Heart
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Sephora
Rather than a monochromatic red lip for fall, “a deeper brown or wine pencil can shift the red,” says Briceno. “It can make a classic color feel a little less expected.”
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MAC
Lip Pencil in Chestnut
Ulta Beauty
Sephora
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Hung Vanngo
Beauty Creamy Matte Lipstick in New York Red
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Sephora
How do I pick a lip combo?
Picking a lip combo may feel daunting at first, especially when it comes to wearing lip liner for the first time. Here’s an easy guide: “Start with your natural lip color,” says Briceno. “If your lips are naturally pink, mauve, brown, or deeply pigmented, that color will mix with whatever you put on top.” It’s best to look at your lip color when you’re first picking out your product, because “a hand swatch can give you an idea, but it cannot tell you exactly what the color will look like on your mouth,” he adds.
With olive complexions, Briceno tries to avoid shades with a lot of gray or beige “because they can sometimes make the skin look dull.” Instead, he likes to add rose or red to deliver warmth. “On deeper complexions, I pay attention to whether the color has enough pigment to register on the mouth,” he says. “A nude can still be soft without disappearing.” When it comes to cool undertones, they “tend to come alive with blue reds, cranberry, plum, mauve and cooler rosewoods,” says Quinn. “Warm undertones often look beautiful in brick, terracotta, cinnamon, caramel and warm nude shades. Neutral undertones can usually move between the two, particularly with balanced reds and rosewoods.” Both experts agree that your skin’s undertone can be a helpful guide, but it doesn’t have to be a rigid rule.
If you want to keep things as simple and straightforward as possible, choose a liner that “defines the natural lip color,” says Quinn. Then, “soften it inward with a brush or fingertip, and then add the lipstick, balm or gloss,” he adds. A pro tip: “Step into daylight before deciding,” he says, as your makeup can look completely different once you’re in natural lighting.
One thing worth thinking about: In the fall, your lips could feel drier as the air cools down. Regardless of which color palette you choose for your lip combo, consider looking for lipsticks, lip oils, and lip balms that hydrate. Ingredients like hyaluronic acid, jojoba oil, and shea butter are common ones you’ll see in lip products, and those will keep your pout protected no matter the weather.
Meet the experts
- Christian Briceno, a makeup artist in New York City
- Tim Quinn, a makeup artist and cofounder of Halo42 Skincare in Palm Beach, Florida
How we test and review products
When Allure tests a product, our editors look at it from every angle in an effort to best serve you. We review ingredients, scrutinize brand claims, and, when necessary, examine peer-reviewed scientific and medical studies. In addition to testing each and every product that's included in each and every review, we rely on experts who shape their fields, including dermatology, cosmetic chemistry, and medicine, to help us vet the ingredients and formulas.
For our list of the best fall lip combos, we considered each product's performance across five primary categories: product ingredients and efficacy, packaging, fragrance (or lack thereof), texture, and product wear. Every product was determined to have excelled in each category by our editorial team, which is composed of in-house writers and editors as well as contributors—along with special consideration from board-certified dermatologists. To learn more information on our reporting and testing processes, read our complete reviews process and methodology page.
Our staff and testers
A beauty product is a personal purchase. You might be searching for a face cream to address persistent dryness or a new nail product to add to your Sunday self-care routine; you may simply be browsing around for the latest launches to hit the hair market. No matter what you seek or your individual needs and concerns, Allure wants to ensure that you love anything we recommend in our stories. We believe that having a diverse team of writers and editors—in addition to the wide range of outside testers and industry experts we regularly call upon—is essential to reaching that goal.
After all, can we really say a skin-care product is the "best" for people over 50 if the only testers we've solicited opinions from folks who have yet to hit 30? Can we honestly deem a high-end diffuser worthy of your hard-earned cash if it's never been tested on curls? We're proud that our staff spans a wide range of ages, skin tones, hair textures, genders, and backgrounds, which means that we are able to fairly assess any beauty product that comes into the beauty closet.
