Finish: matte | Key ingredients: jojoba oil and vitamin e | Brown shades: 4 | Sharpenable: yes
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you find the right brown lip liner shade?
Choosing the right brown lip liner comes down to your skin tone and the overall effect you’re trying to achieve. “If my client wants a contoured lip with a nude lipstick or gloss, I will take a shade of brown about two shades darker than her skin tone,” says Williams. “This will give a softer appearance when blended into the nude lipstick or gloss.” For bolder looks, she takes it up a notch: “I will use a shade three to four shades darker than her skin tone, which will give a sharp contrast.” Just as important, she says, is making sure the undertone of the liner complements the rest of the makeup: “I always make sure the shade is cohesive with the warmness or coolness of the look (eyeshadow, blush, bronzer).”
What’s the best way to apply brown lip liner, and do you have any tips for people with double lip lines?
“The best way to apply brown lip liner is to start following the natural shape of your lips with light pressure,” says Williams. “Once you’ve gotten the initial line, you can darken it and then decide based on your preference if you’d like to slightly overline to make the lips appear fuller. If so, I recommend doing so at the cupid’s bow.” For those with double lip lines, she adds, “I suggest following the top lip line rather than the line beneath, because lining the one beneath will result in the lips appearing smaller than what they are.”
Can you make your lip liner smudge-proof or minimize transfer and smudging?
“If you want your lip liner to be smudge-proof, you can purchase liners that [are marketed as] long-lasting or water-resistant because they’re designed to stay put with minimal touch-ups,” says Williams. She also suggests a simple prep step: “You may also use a matte lip liner or powder your lips with translucent powder before applying liner to minimize transfer.” And if you’re looking to get the most out of your makeup? “You can use a brown waterproof eyeliner as lip liner,” she adds. “There are no rules to makeup!”
Meet the experts
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 brown lip liners, we considered each product’s performance across four primary categories: product ingredients and efficacy, packaging, 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 makeup artists. To learn more information on our reporting and testing processes, read our complete reviews process and methodology page.
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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.
