The Best Fall Lipstick Colors (and How to Wear a Dark Lip)

There's a moment every year—usually the first morning you reach for a sweater—when your summer peach gloss suddenly feels wrong. Fall wants something richer. The good news is that "fall lipstick" doesn't have to mean a dramatic black-cherry pout (unless you want it to). This season's best fall lip colors run from soft mauves and browns all the way to deep wine and plum, and there's a version for every skin tone and comfort level. Here's what to wear, and how to wear it.

The quick answer: The best fall lipstick colors are wine and berry, deep plum, brick red, classic red, mauve, and brown. Cool undertones shine in berry, wine, and plum. Warm undertones glow in brick and brown. Mauve flatters almost everyone, making it the easiest way to try a fall lip.

Why we reach for deeper lips in fall

Part of it is pure mood: the palette outside shifts to burgundy leaves, rust, and dark wood, and our makeup follows. Part of it is practical. Shorter days mean softer, cooler light, and skin often loses its summer warmth, so deeper, cooler, and more muted lip colors look balanced rather than heavy. A rich lip also does a lot of work on its own—with a berry lip, you can skip almost everything else.

The six fall lipstick colors worth having

1. Wine and berry

The quintessential fall lip. Wine and berry shades have a purple or blue base, which makes them especially flattering on cool and neutral undertones and makes teeth look brighter.

• Malbec lipstick — a semi-matte, wine-inspired berry that works for both daytime and evenings out.
• Malbec gloss — the same wine hue in a rich, shiny gloss.

2. Deep plum

For the bolder end of berry. A deep plum reads polished and a little dramatic—perfect for evenings and holiday parties.

• Currant News — our boldest, deepest lipstick: a dark plum for when you want the lip to be the whole look.
• Cabernet gloss — our darkest gloss, with subtle flecks of sparkle.

3. Brick and rust red

A red with a warm, earthy base—think autumn leaves. Brick reds are especially flattering on warm and olive undertones and feel less "formal" than a bright red.

• African Nights lipstick — a sultry brick red that's become a year-round favorite.
• African Nights gloss — the same shade in a softer, glossier finish.

4. Classic red

A true red never goes out of season, but it feels particularly right with fall coats and knits. (Wondering what makes a red "clean"? We cover the pigments in what makes a red lipstick clean.)

• Empire Red — a classic crimson red.

5. Mauve

If dark lips feel like too much, mauve is your fall color. It's muted, grown-up, and works on nearly every skin tone. It's the most forgiving of the fall lip colors.

• Deeply in Mauve gloss — one light coat works as an everyday neutral; layer it for a statement.
• Smoke — a pigmented matte lavender-grey for the more adventurous. It's unexpected, and very fall.

6. Brown and mocha

The '90s brown lip has firmly come back, now in softer, more wearable versions. Browns are gorgeous on deeper skin tones and warm undertones, and a sheer brown is an easy fall swap for your summer nude.

• Melted Mocha gloss — a wearable chocolate shade that goes on strong or sheers out.
• Hazelnut Cream — a soft, rosy-brown lipstick for a low-key fall nude.

Fall lip colors at a glance

Not sure which family suits you best? Our guide to choosing lipstick for your skin tone walks you through finding your undertone.

How to wear dark lipstick (without the stress)

Dark lips have a reputation for being high-maintenance. They don't have to be.

1. Start with smooth lips. Dark colors highlight every flake. Apply balm first, give it a few minutes to sink in, then blot off the excess.
2. Define the edges. Dark shades show imprecision more than light ones. Use a lip brush, or apply straight from the bullet in small strokes, starting at the center and working outward.
3. Blot and layer. Apply one coat, blot with a tissue, then apply a second. This builds lasting color without heaviness. (More in our tips to make lip color last.)
4. Keep it clean with concealer. A tiny bit of concealer around the lip line sharpens the shape and fixes any wobbles.
5. Try the "stained" version. Not ready for full opacity? Dab the color on with your fingertip and blend the edges. You get a just-bitten, diffused effect that's much more forgiving.
6. Mind your teeth. A quick check in the mirror (or the old finger-in-the-mouth trick) saves you from lipstick on your teeth.
7. Let the lip lead. With a deep shade, keep the rest of your makeup simple—a bit of mascara and brows is plenty.

Don't forget fall lip care

Cooler air, indoor heating, and wind make fall the start of chapped-lip season (here's why lips get chapped). Matte and deep shades look best on smooth, hydrated lips, so a little prep pays off:

• Keep a balm in your coat pocket and apply it often, especially before bed. Our four-ingredient Organic Unscented Lip Balm is easy to layer under lipstick.
• Drink water and use a humidifier if your heating is on.
• Don't lick your lips in the cold—it makes chapping worse.

Where noyah comes in

Our fall lineup is built for exactly this season: wine, plum, brick, red, mauve, and brown in both lipstick and gloss, so you can go full-pigment or keep it sheer. Every lipstick is semi-matte, colored with mineral pigments rather than synthetic dyes or carmine, and made from a short list of plant oils, butters, and waxes (here's what's actually in it). They come in bamboo tubes that cut plastic waste by about 60%.

Building a fall wardrobe for your lips? Pick any three lipsticks with our Bundle 3 & Save for $48—we'd start with Malbec, African Nights, and Currant News.

Frequently asked questions

What lipstick colors are best for fall? Wine, berry, deep plum, brick red, classic red, mauve, and brown are the classic fall lipstick colors. Deeper and more muted shades complement the season's softer light and cozier wardrobes.

What lipstick color is trending for fall? Rich berry and wine shades remain the fall staple, alongside wearable browns and muted mauves. For a softer take, sheer glosses in deep shades give fall color without full opacity.

Can you wear dark lipstick if you have fair skin? Yes. Fair skin can look striking in deep berry and wine shades. If full opacity feels like a lot, dab the color on with your fingertip for a softer stained effect, or choose a sheer dark gloss.

What's the difference between berry and wine lipstick? Berry shades are typically brighter and more pink- or purple-toned, like raspberry or blackberry. Wine shades are deeper and richer, closer to the color of red wine. Both are cool-leaning, which is why they flatter cool and neutral undertones.

How do I keep dark lipstick from bleeding or fading? Start with smooth, moisturized lips, define the edges with a brush or concealer, and apply in two thin coats with a blot in between. Semi-matte formulas tend to stay put better than high-shine ones.

Shop the post: Malbec · Currant News · African Nights · Cabernet gloss · Melted Mocha gloss · Bundle 3 & Save