Edgy or elegant? Daring or desirable? Rebellious or refreshing?
When you wear black lipstick, you decide.
It’s professional to wear rose pink hair. Bright eyeshadow is as casual as it is dressy. With all these bold choices becoming the fabric of the beauty industry, it makes you wonder, will there be a time for black lip color?
One of the most dramatic new trends in the beauty industry, black lipstick is finally gaining the recognition it deserves.
Traditionally, black lipstick was trendy during the punk and goth phases in our teenage years or reserved for the cosplay and fantasy culture, but black lipstick is so in style right now it’s even made by Gucci and sold on Sax Fifth Avenue
Most beauty industry gurus and fashion critics give credit to Rihanna for being the trailblazer of the black lipstick trend. For years she’s been seen rocking black lipstick at high-profile events and premiers. Back in 2015, she was featured in Vogue for documenting her Hawaiian vacation wearing firey red waves and black lipstick by the beach.
Since Rihanna, we’ve seen a number of celebrities wear and pull off the black lipstick trend:
- Kylie Jenner’s black lipstick launch in 2016
- Hailey Bieber’s black lipstick appearance at the 2018 BRIT Awards
- Katy Perry’s black lipstick launch and appearance at the 2016 Met Gala
- Lily James’ black lipstick in summer 2022 Versace campaign
- Lizzo’s black lipstick look at the 2022 MTV VMAs
It’s no surprise this trend is taking off and will likely stay around for a while; in a culture which celebrates self-expression, confidence, and individuality, many people are finding the confidence to wear black lipstick. While some still try to argue it’s a ‘witchy look’ and ‘perfect for Halloween,’ others say this bold color can be worn all through the year and for every occasion.
Best Black Lipstick (2024 Picks)
When you’re choosing a black lipstick you’ll want the best lipstick brand and a product which offers minimal maintenance and is recommended for being smudge-free. You don’t want people to mistake your fashionable makeup choice for forgetting to use a napkin after a post-breakup binge on a box of chocolate!
Consider the following
- What finish you want
- Application method
- Intensity and shade of color
We’ve gathered the top 6 best black lipsticks in a variety of finishes available online, plus a bonus designer black lipstick if you’re looking to splurge!
M.A.C Satin Lipstick
From the best-selling beauty brand, M.A.C Satin Lipstick in Media is a deep, intense shade of burgundy, so dark it can pass for black lipstick. This high-quality, creamy lip color offers full coverage with a soft, satin finish.
NYX Butter Gloss
You’re in for a treat of irresistibly soft lips with NYX Butter Gloss in Blackberry Pie, yum! This black lipgloss is ultra-moisturizing and delivers a radiant shine. Its non-sticky and sweet-scented formula make it perfect for all-day wear. The product says it offers sheer-medium coverage and is best worn over lipstick, but the reviews say it is very opaque for a standard alone black lip gloss.
Kat Von D Everlasting Liquid Lipstick
Made by a professional tattoo artist, you can guarantee this is a long-lasting black lipstick. Kat Von D Everlasting Lipstick in Witches is a liquid black lipstick. The formula glides on like lipgloss for precise application with a shine-free matte finish.
MAEPEOR High Shine Lip Gloss
Pucker up for the ultimate plumping black lip gloss. MAEPEOR High Shine Lip Gloss in True Black combines the boldness of black with luminous shine. Its moisturizing liquid formula glides on for a non-sticky, shimmery set of smoochers. This black liquid lipstick pairs perfectly with glam eye makeup for a night out!
LA Splash Lip Couture
Active girls love this! Wear black lipstick all day for every activity. LA Splash Lip Couture in Venom is a waterproof liquid matte black lipstick. Its high pigmentation delivers jet-black color for long-lasting, smudge-proof, splash-proof dark lips.
NYX Liquid Suede Cream Lipstick
Soften up your dark lips with NYX Liquid Suede Cream Lipstick in Alien black. This creamy matte lipstick offers a smooth brush-on application. It’s infused with nourishing avocado oil and Vitamin E for hydrating lips and providing long-lasting color.
Gucci Lasting Satin Lipstick – Best Designer Black Lipstick
For runway-ready dark lips, you need a black lipstick made by a luxury designer fashion brand! Gucci Lasting Satin Lipstick in Crystal Black is a creamy, lightweight lipstick comfortable for all-day wear. Satin finishes provide a slightly more glossy look than matte and provide moisture to prevent accentuating fine lines on the lips. This vegan black lipstick is sulphate and paraben free to retain your lip’s natural moisture.
| Black Lipstick | M.A.C Satin Lipstick | NYX Butter Gloss | Kat Von D Everlasting Liquid Lipstick | MAEPEOR High Shine Lip Gloss | LA Splash Lip Couture | NYX Liquid Suede | Gucci Lasting Satin Lipstick |
| Finish | Satin | Liquid
Sheen |
Liquid Matte | Liquid Gloss | Liquid Matte | Liquid Cream/
Matte |
Satin |
| Color | Media | Blackberry Pie | Witches | True Black | Venom | Alien | Crystal Black |
Black Lipstick Looks
Are you wondering which black lipstick looks you can flaunt? We have the three most common black lipstick trends plus a variety of ideas; you’re bound to find one!
Liquid Black Lipstick
When we talk about liquid black lipstick, there can indeed be liquid black lipstick in a lot of different finishes. That ‘liquid’ black look is slightly different from glossy, as it doesn’t have that same shimmer to the shine. You want to choose a lip product that has a glass-like finish, like cream or sheen. If you can get a harder-to-score metallic black lipstick, you can achieve the lustrous liquidy effect.
- Unique black lipstick look
- Covers up the dryness of lips
- High shine
- Requires frequent touchups
Zohna Tip
Apply a clear coat of sheen or glossy lipstick to your regular black lipstick to achieve the liquid black lipstick look.
Matte Black Lipstick
Black lipstick in matte is a dramatic way to wear dark lips. To give you an idea, think of black matte lipstick is like a dull pencil black eyeliner as opposed to a shiny liquid black eyeliner. In fact, long-time black lipstick lover Kylie Jenner used to use black eyeliner for black matte lipstick before making her own in a factory. Its elegant appeal makes black matte lipstick perfect for day and night.
- Long-lasting coverage
- Minimal touch-ups
- High pigmented lipstick
- Most common black lipstick look
Gloss Black Lipstick
Glossy black lips are the most audacious way to highlight this bold color choice. You can apply black lipgloss to dark red, violet, or blue lips or gloss over plain black color. Black lip gloss is translucent, meaning to achieve true gloss black lipstick, you will want to add a gloss over a thick coat of lipstick.
- Require frequent touch-ups
- Stunning for photoshoots
- High shine
- Versatile color options
Ombre Black Lipstick
Are you not ready for full black lips? Black lipstick can be an acquired love for some, and others just can’t get comfortable with a blackout set of lips. Ombre black lipstick is a gorgeous way to blend darker lip shades into black.
To achieve ombre lips, you’ll need black lipstick, a dark shade of your second color choice, and a medium shade of your second color choice.
- Line lips with black lipstick or black lip liner
- Fill in your lips with the darker shade of your second color choice
- Glaze the center of your lips with the medium shade of your recons color choice
Black Lipstick Metallic Eyes
Pair black lipstick with metallic eye shadow for a fashionably glamorous look. Applying gold or silver metallic eye shadow and eyeliner draws the attention away from solely your lips without being over dramatic.
Black Lipstick with White Eyeshadow
Soften your bold lips by pairing black lipstick with white eyeshadow. Light or creamy-colored eyes are the perfect way to contrast dark lips if you don’t want to wear black lipstick without feeling like Marilyn Manson.
Black Lipstick with Clean Girl Makeup
Clean girl makeup is a trend all about looking natural with an emphasis on dewy, glowing skin. Black lipstick creates a dramatic contrast against natural-looking skin.
Black Lipstick with Winged Eyeliner
Winged eyeliner is a classic way to wear liquid eyeliner to draw attention to your eyes. It compliments black lipstick by sharing the focus between your lips and eyes without looking overly dramatic.
Black Lipstick Tanned Skin
If you’re blessed with warm, tanned or dark skin, black lipstick is a color you will have no trouble pulling off. Dark lips naturally complement dark features and skin tones. The shade is so versatile on dark skin tones. It goes as well with casual clothing as it does for a night out!
Black Lipstick Pale Skin
Historically associated with the Gothic look which favors pale skin, black lipstick pops on lighter skin tones. You can break away from the steampunk edge by wearing black lips with light hair color or clothing.
Glamorous Black Lipstick Look
Black lipstick can surprisingly look very posh when paired with a glam makeup and elegant accessories. Go for big hoops or dangling chandelier earrings and a glamorous makeup palette to make your black lipstick look fancy.
Girly Black Lipstick Look
Black lipstick doesn’t always have to be rebellious. Contrast black lip color with a high-top ponytail or an up-do and light, feminine clothing for an edgy girly girl appearance.
Glitter Black Lipstick
Shine bright like a diamond with this starry black lipstick look. Glitter black lipstick is best achieved by applying a coat of glitter lip gloss over plain black lipstick. Wear it with a little black dress and silver accessories for a night out.
Lipstick Finishes
When you’re choosing a black lipstick, you’ll want to consider the type of finish. A lipstick finish is the name of the texture and formula of a lipstick. The five most common lipstick finishes are
- Matte
- Satin
- Sheer
- Cream
- Gloss
The table below provides an overview of each lipstick finish and their features.
| Matte | Satin | Sheer | Cream | Gloss |
| Opaque coverage | Opaque coverage | Translucent coverage | Translucent coverage | Transparent coverage |
| Velvety texture | Smooth texture | Buttery texture | Creamy texture | Liquid texture |
| High-pigment color | Visible color | Natural-looking color | Natural-looking visible color | Low-pigment color |
| Long-lasting | Long-lasting | Glides on smoothly | Hydrating for dry lips | Visible shimmer |
| Shine-free | Minimal shine | Medium shine | Medium shine | High shine |
How to Apply Black Lipstick
If you’ve never worn black lipstick, there are a few tricks to prepare and apply the color for high-pigmented, long-lasting black lipstick. For the best results, it’s important to prep your lips and apply more than one coat. We promise it will look much better than the black crayon that came with your Halloween makeup set!
Step 1
Prepare your lips by exfoliating your lips using a lip scrub product or DIY lip scrub. You can make DIY lip scrub using a mix of one teaspoon of honey and two teaspoons of sugar. Allow the scrub to sit for 5 minutes before washing off. Pat lips dry and follow by brushing with a lip brush or clean toothbrush.
Step 2
Hydrate your lips with a moisturizing clear color lip balm. Allow the balm to absorb into your lips for 10 minutes, then wipe the balm off with a tissue.
Step 3 (Optional)
Line lips with a black lip liner. Work your way in to fill in both lips.
Step 4
Take your black lipstick or black liquid lipstick and fill in your lips.
Step 5
Wait for the first coat to dry if using liquid lipstick. Blot the first coat with a tissue. Apply a second coat all over your lips.
Step 6
Finish by using a clear or tinted topcoat to seal in the color.
Perfect your black lip color by priming black lipstick with NYX Retractable Lip Liner in Black Lips. This high-pigmented lip pencil offers a creamy, smooth application in a convenient twist-up mechanical design.
Black Lipstick: FAQ
How to Make Black Lipstick With Crayons
Have you heard about the DIY make your own lipstick with crayons trend? Well, sure enough, you can make black lipstick with crayons too!
Since crayons are made for kids (who are often looking for a snack), crayons are non-toxic and food grade and perfectly safe to be worn on your lips. They’re made from paraffin wax and powder pigment which gives them their color.
DIY black lipstick with crayons is a great way to experiment with black lipstick if you’re on a budget.
What you need:
- 2 black crayons
- 1/2 teaspoon of coconut oil
- 1/2 teaspoon of olive oil
- Microwave-safe bowl
- Clean spoon or popsicle stick
- Tiny tube-like container or cosmetic jar
How to make black lipstick with crayons:
- Unwrap the black crayons from the paper
- Cut the crayons into small pieces and place them in a microwave-safe bowl
- Add the olive oil and coconut oil to the bowl
- Put in the microwave for 45 seconds or until the crayons have melted completely
- Stir with a popsicle stick or spoon until the crayon and oil have mixed completely
- Allow mixture to cool
- Pour the mixture into your tiny tube-like container or cosmetic tub
- Refrigerate for 30-40 minutes until the mixture is hard
- Allow your lipstick to sit at room temperature for 10 minutes before it is ready to use
How to Wear Black Lipstick
Black lipstick can be worn with any makeup and any fashion style. Because it’s such a bold choice, there are no rules when it comes to black lipstick looks.
Remember, most people associate black lipstick with Halloween, horror, steampunk or gothic fashion. To break that stigma, we need to keep rocking black lipstick with more fashion styles more often!
If you want to wear black lipstick without looking gothic
- Wear light-colored eyeshadow
- Choose a lighter hair color or add highlights if your hair is dark
- Go for light-colored clothing
- Paint your nails pink, pale yellow, or a pastel color
What Does Black Lipstick Symbolize
The symbolism behind black lipstick has a rich history, dating back to Egypt in 4000 AD. Men and women both wore dark makeup as a show of strength. In the 1950s, actresses wore black lipstick in horror films, and in the 1970s, black lips became a sign of social rebellion.
Today, we see black lipstick following its Egyptian influence, meaning that when you wear black lips, you are confident and not afraid to make a statement!
Black Lipstick: Making Its Way Into Modern Fashion
After years of being a taboo lip color or a shade we see at Halloween, black lipstick is making its way into modern fashion and gaining the recognition it deserves.
