As Coco Chanel once said, “If you’re sad, add more lipstick and attack.” Sad or not, lipstick has always been a powerful weapon in the beauty arsenal. It has the ability to boost morale, imitate a movie star, and even start a war. From a flashy glossy lip to outlandish colours, it’s time to indulge your lips with several lipstick trends that have made waves in recent years, with some old favourites making a comeback and some brand-new ones surprising us.

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The pandemic also opened the way for lip balms and balm-textured lipsticks, which offered a touch of colour without the weight or full pigmentation of classic lipstick. The trend continues, with many people favouring balm-like lipsticks currently. Brands such as Dior, Bobbi Brown, Benefit Cosmetics, and others are catering to this need by offering hydrating lip balms with nourishing ingredients that leave lips smooth, with a natural sheen and colour. Overall, we’re just pleased to satisfy our adolescent selves, who used to adore lip balms and now enjoy these grown-up counterparts!

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Everyone who adored this 90s fad has reason to rejoice. Glossy lips have made a comeback, and what a comeback! Gone are the days of tacky, sticky ones that clung to your hair in less than three seconds. Gorgeous glosses in lovely hues and even clear are appealing, and alternatives for transfer-proof lip glosses are now on the market. Lip plumping gloss is another popular product. Glosses give lips that sought-after healthy, pouty look, and with dewy skin becoming trendy, it’s no wonder that these containers of magic providing excellent shine and volume have become vanity staples.

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Lip liners have back in full swing when it comes to lined lips. However, they are no longer seen on lips that are severely overlined and considerably darker than your lipstick! Rather, these are now the focal point of well-defined lips that are mixed with lipstick to achieve fuller Kim-esque pouts. Lipliners have also gone multipurpose, being used to fill in lips, as a replacement for lipstick, or even beneath lipsticks for a longer lasting effect. Lip pencils also play a key role in contemporary trends such as ‘Gym Lips,’ which involve over-lining your lips with a shade closer to your natural lip colour and then adding a moisturising lip treatment such as a lip oil or high-shine balm to get that naturally plumped effect.

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If you’ve ever wondered what a green, deep blue or grey lipstick might look like on your lips, now is the time to try it. When it comes to quirky and unusual lip colours, the last few years have seen some serious experimenting. People are letting down their guard and wearing lip colours like grey, green, orange, blue, and even black! Nothing is off-limits now. While this trend has not yet gained widespread popularity, offbeat colours have undoubtedly found a place in the lipstick industry.

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Over the last few years, liquid matte lipsticks have largely reigned supreme and been one of the fastest growing categories in lipstick cosmetics, particularly those that are long-lasting and transfer-proof. With the world returning to work in the offices and yet having to wear masks often, these are ideal since they don’t transfer to masks and then end up on our noses! When it comes to liquid lipsticks, the defining factor has now become ‘comfort matte,’ because no one wants to deal with cracked, dry, and uncomfortable lips any longer. Numerous brand launches in this category have occured, including Estée Lauder, Lakme, Huda Beauty, Colorbar, and others.

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Lip tints and stains, like colour balms that provide a burst of colour without the full coverage of lipsticks, have recently been popular. Because they are transfer-proof, they also work for an everyday look. Lip stains and tints are often multi-purpose, since they may be used on the lips, eyes, and cheeks. These come in creamy, stick, or liquid finishes that blend well into the face, giving cheeks a flushed look or lips a just-kissed look without an overpowering degree of colour. So, if you like a natural, non-cakey lip finish, these are the ones to try.

Hero Image: Courtesy Shutterstock; Featured Image: Courtesy Instagram/deepikapadukone

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