(Makeup)
How Lip Combos Became The Most Important Part Of Your Makeup Look
Move over smoky eye.
There’s a good chance your favorite beauty brand just launched a lip product. With less than six months left in the year, there’s enough evidence to say that 2024 will be one of lips. Not only have skin care labels like Summer Fridays and EADEM ventured into the category with nourishing and exfoliating balms, but makeup lines like Glossier and Ami Colé have broken new ground adding lip liners to their assortments for the first time. The sudden increase in product formulas and attention paid to this area of the face has revived the makeup community’s creative passion for elaborate lip looks. On TikTok, “lip combo” has become a nearly ubiquitous term to describe the enduring trend. Popularized by content creators like Uche Natori, the concept of the perfect selection of lip products has taken on new life with this buzzy name.
Inspired by popular ‘90s aesthetics, the lip combo typically hinges on a darker, defining lip liner and at least two additional formulas that accentuate and contour the lips to achieve a more dynamic look. New York City-based makeup artist Mollie Gloss notes that before today’s trending aesthetic that mixes shine-free and glossy finishes, matte was the preferred result. Think the Kylie Cosmetics Lip Kit era which consisted of matching liner and liquid lipstick. “I was seeing very bold lips and purple lips and gray lips with no definition, and I was like ahh!” says Gloss. Now, makeup enthusiasts are leaning into the recipe-esque nature of the lip combo creating glistening mixtures that earn their own names such as “Cherry Cola” and “Bratz Doll.”
“I used to be such an eye girlie,” says Gloss. “Lips are kind of a newer, fun thing I’ve been doing.” Gloss’ unexpected transition from eye-focus to lip-focus in her editorial work reflects what’s happening in the industry at large. As brands seem to scramble to tap into the suddenly ballooning trend, it begs the question of what struck the match. “One word — Covid. Another word — masks,” explains Romero Jennings, director of makeup at MAC Cosmetics. Immediately following states lifting mask mandates in 2022, people began expressing themselves by experimenting with shades after a couple years of lips not being on display. “The mouth has so much expression,” he says. “When you talk, people look. If you're wearing a product that is glossy or shiny or red, then you're really captivating and capturing someone.”
On the other hand, Gloss sees the contoured lip trend as part of a natural cycle that bounces from one makeup extreme to another. “[The lip combo] is kind of a reaction to a reaction,” says Gloss. “I saw the Euphoria aesthetic happen and we were all about eye glitter and it was really, really fun. Then we had the reaction to that with the clean girl aesthetic, [which was] very minimal and very simple. I see this new wave [of lip combos] as ‘90s Kate Moss grunge. I think we're coming back to club music and kind of a more raw, rock ‘n’ roll aesthetic.”
The lip looks making a comeback specifically nod to those worn by Black and brown women during the ‘90s. “Mid and deeper-skinned runway models would have to do their own makeup back then,” says Jennings. “There weren’t many companies that had products for them. You [still] wanted the face to [look dynamic on the runway and in photos] … you could do that by contouring [the lips].” Jennings reflects on the popularity of MAC’s Chestnut lip liner amongst deeper-skinned women who were previously forced to use black eyeliner to achieve lip definition before the brand’s first NYC store opened in 1991. “This contoured lip really came from the girls uptown and the girls in Brooklyn.”
According to the pros, achieving the perfect lip combo today is partially play and partially color theory. “Best practices for all skin colors is choosing a [lip liner] color darker than your skin tone,” explains Jennings. “Light or medium skin can use Spice or Cork [from MAC]. You could even use Stripped Down or Stone. Deeper skin could use Chestnut or something like Nightmoth.” Gloss suggests identifying colors already in your skin to help decide between warm, neutral, or cooler tones. “It’s kind of like a cheat code,” she says. “Some people think they have pinky undertones but don’t. They just have redness and rosacea. That’s something to take into account.” If you’re selecting cool-toned lip colors due to perceived redness in your skin and they don’t seem to fit, Gloss suggests experimenting with warmer colors to help determine your true undertones.
When it comes to generally applying a lip combo, start by lining your lips with a sharpened liner. Overline to add volume or fill the sides of your lips to accentuate a pouty look. Then, follow with a cream or matte product focused in the center. Lightly press your lips together or use your finger or a brush to blend the lipstick into the liner. Finish off the look with lip gloss focused on the center for deepened color and added dimension.
Starting simple can help lay the groundwork for more product play and increasingly intricate looks. As brands answer the call for more innovative lip formulas and longer wear time, the lip combo becomes as foolproof as a smoky eye.
Below, the pros and this very writer offer up their lip combo suggestions (in the order of product use) to help get you started.
