The Best Plum Lipsticks

It's a staple lip in the fall and winter months, and a statement maker when juxtaposed alongside your warm-weather wardrobe. No matter how you wear it, plum lipstick’s universally flattering color is undoubtedly behind its enduring popularity, which has recently hit an all-time high. The best plum lipstick for you will depend on the tone and finish that you prefer, ranging from dramatic deep purples to classic Burgundies to ‘90s-supermodel-esque deep browns. To further break down your options, consider where your preference falls when it comes to the finish of your lipstick. Maybe you gravitate towards creamy formulas that are generally more comfortable to wear, or you want a crisp matte lipstick that eliminates the need for touchups throughout the day.

Once you've selected your ideal shade, there are a few tips to keep in mind when doing the rest of your makeup. Because plum is such a bold color, you can make it the focal point of your look by keeping your skin clean, brushing up your brows, and adding a touch of black mascara. If you really want to highlight your lip, consider slicking back your hair in a sleek low or high bun.

Add the season’s hottest lip shade to your makeup kit stat by picking up any of the best plum lipsticks, ahead.

1. Best Creamy Plum Lipstick Under $10

Rimmel London’s collection of Lasting Finish lipsticks is one of my favorite drugstore formulas for its surprisingly long-lasting color that feels creamy and moisturizing on my lips. ‘Bordeaux’ is a plum/red-wine shade with brown undertones, and it can be built up for more drama, or dabbed onto your lips lightly for just a hint of color. Even if you reapply the lipstick throughout the day, you don't have to worry about it drying out your lips because it's formulated with moisturizing ingredients like castor seed oil, meadowfoam seed oil, and vitamin E. At just under $5 on Amazon, you can’t beat the price, either.

2. Best Prestige Creamy Plum Lipstick

If you prefer a classic cream formula, here’s another great option from prestige beauty brand Butter London. Moisturizing lipsticks naturally have more of a plumping effect than their matte counterparts, but Butter London's Plush Rush Lipstick takes things a step further by combining moisturizing ingredients (like olive oil, glycerin, and vitamin E) with a plumping complex that includes peptides. The shade ‘Provocative’ is a universally flattering plum color with a comfortable satin finish, and like the lipstick above, is easy to build up (or tone down) to your desired level of intensity.

3. Best Liquid Plum Lipstick Under $10

Maybelline’s Super Stay Matte Ink Liquid Lipstick is one of the most popular liquid lipsticks on the market — on Amazon alone, it has over 35,000 five-star ratings and reviews. The super-saturated color completely dries down in minutes, and it stays put for up to 16 hours, even through many meals and sips of coffee/water/wine/what have you. It comes in several vampy shades, ranging from dark purple to rich oxblood to ‘Believer’ (pictured), a true plum color with a bright-pink undertone. Also unique to this lipstick is the arrow-shaped applicator that gives you more control when it comes to precisely following the outer lines of your lips.

4. Best Prestige Liquid Plum Lipstick

For those who don't shy away from bold colors, there's Anastasia Beverly Hills Liquid Lipstick in ‘Trust Issues.’ The super-saturated color combines purple and brown tones, resulting in the deepest plum shade on this list (especially due to its intense, powdery matte finish). A single swipe of this cult-favorite lipstick is all you need for full-coverage color, no layering required. Fair warning, you'll definitely want to make sure your lips have been exfoliated and lightly moisturized before you put this on, otherwise the lipstick will cling to any dry patches.

5. Best Liquid Plum Lipstick With Shimmer

Stila's Stay All Day Liquid Lipstick is one of the OGs when it comes to liquid matte lipsticks, and even with a seemingly endless list of similar launches from other brands, this long-wearing formula still holds up. You'll find a pinky-plum color from the collection in ‘Sirena’, which has a traditional matte finish, but if you're feeling fancy, try ‘Davita’ (pictured), a unique, oxblood-plum shade with a shimmering metallic finish. The formula is infused with nourishing vitamin E and avocado oil to prevent it from leaving your lips feeling dried out — even after 12 hours of wear.

6. Best Plum Lip Crayon

Haus Laboratories Le Monster Matte Lip Crayon — from Lady Gaga’s beauty brand — combines the best of both worlds in that it looks and goes on like a lip liner, but it’s actually a creamy matte lipstick. ‘Destroyer’ is a bright plum color that looks gorgeous on all skin tones, but if you want something more red and less pink, try ‘Pusher’, another stunning, plum-like shade. Use the pointed tip to outline your lips, then use the flat side of the crayon to fill them in.

7. Best Plum Lip Tint

Whether you prefer a washed-out tint of color or you're easing your way into bolder lipstick looks, Peripera’s cult-favorite Ink Velvet lip tint in ‘Classy Plum Rose’ is the perfect choice. Just a touch of the product's whipped, velvety texture is all you need to coat your lips with a long-lasting stain that looks slightly blurred and natural. Because of the lip tint's weightless formula, you can also it as a cream blush.