My Favorite Dark Lipsticks

My all-time favorite trend at the moment is dark lipstick. I’ve loved red lipstick for quite a while, but it’s only recently that I’ve started getting into the darker colors. I’ve started to build up a collection of a variety of different shades, which is fun because it allows me to coordinate my lipstick with both my outfit and my mood.

I also generally tend to find favorite formulas and stick with them, so you’ll notice that all of these lipsticks come from three different brands: MAC, NARS, and Kat Von D. From my experience, all three of these brands generally deliver good pigmentation and a long-lasting formula (if applied correctly), so I can buy new colors on a whim and not worry about whether or not I’m getting a high-quality product.

Reds and Berries

1. NARS Lipstick in Funny Face: This is the pinkest lipstick on this post – the color actually toes the line between being considered a “bright lipstick” and being considered a “dark lipstick.” I love going for this color when my whole outfit is neutral because it adds a great pop of color without being overwhelmingly bright.

2. Kat Von D Liquid Lipstick in Sante Sangre: Liquid lipsticks are quickly becoming my obsession, and the formulation of the Kat Von D ones is my personal favorite. This is a bright, true red (that leans just slightly orange-ish depending on your skin tone).

3. MAC Lipstick in Russian Red: This is a cult favorite for a great reason. It’s a unique red – it’s a bit darker than most red lipsticks without getting overly brown or overly purple. It also has some minor blue undertones (aka makes your teeth look whiter), and it has a fantastic matte finish.

4. MAC Lipstick in Rebel: I honestly think this swatch makes the color look like more of a true berry color than it actually is. On me, it’s much more purple.

Burgundies and Beyond

5. NARS Lipstick in Scarlet Empress: This could also be considered a “berry” color, because it is a bit sheer, but with a second coat it’s quite obviously in the burgundy family. It’s got a lot of purple in it as well – it wasn’t quite what I expected when I bought it because it looks so much darker in the tube, but I’ve definitely grown to love it.

6. NARS Audacious Lipstick in Bette: This is my holy grail lipstick. If you buy one tube from this post, buy this one. It is the prettiest burgundy color, and is such a fantastically creamy formula. As trade-offs always occur between moisture level and longwearing capabilities, this color requires a bit more application than I’d like, but it’s so worth it.

7. MAC Lipstick in Media: This color was actually my first real foray into dark lipstick. I got it sometime freshman year, and wore it on a 90’s themed date night – and thus, my love affair with dark lipstick began. This color falls somewhere between a dark purple and a brown.

8. MAC Lipstick in Antique Velvet: This is a solid true brown. It’s completely matte and really cool-looking, although if you try to just swipe it on and walk out the door, it’ll fade off the moment you take a bite of food. Apply, dab it off, then add another coat and you’re golden. Also, this color makes me feel like Kylie – I don’t know if that’s a good thing or not, but it’s a thing.

9. Kat Von D Liquid Lipstick in Witches: No dark lipstick collection would be complete without a true black. I wear this color sparingly – it’s a bit intimidating and can occasionally give off a goth vibe that doesn’t suit me at all, but it’s really fun to wear with an otherwise super-girly outfit as an unexpected punch. This particular shade of black is highly pigmented and stays on so well.

If you have any new dark lipstick shades I should try, please let me know in the comments! I’m always looking to expand my lipstick collection (as unhealthy as that may be for my bank account).