Other heavy hitters in the world of moisturizing ingredients are emollients like shea butter and cocoa butter, which both work to soften dry cracks and blur the appearance of fine lines. These ingredients are also responsible for giving your lipstick formulas that easy-gliding application. In terms of what to avoid, Los Angeles-based makeup artist Erin B. Guth recommends steering clear of matte lipstick formulas, as they’re drier in consistency and may highlight fine lines.
Aside from seeking out more nourishing ingredients for your maturing lips, your application technique plays a role. To enhance the look of your lips, start with a clear lip balm to prime and prep the area. “Primers are a great way to ensure that the products stay in place, and can prevent feathering which can draw attention to fine lines,” Guth says. After lip primer, she recommends using a lip pencil one to two shades darker than your natural lip color to slightly overdraw and give the illusion of bigger lips (try the Charlotte Tilbury Lip Cheat Lip Liner for this step). Fill in your lips with your lipstick of choice, pop a bit of a lighter shade to the middle of the lips to highlight, and voilà! Instantly plump-looking lips.
Ahead, we spoke to our makeup artist friends to find out the best lipsticks for older women.
All products featured on Allure are independently selected by our editors. However, when you buy something through our retail links, we may earn an affiliate commission.
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Best Overall: Pat McGrath Labs Satin Allure Lipstick
Why It’s Worth It: This won a 2023 Best of Beauty Award, and for good reason: It checks all the boxes, offering buildable coverage with a creamy texture while a blend of plant-based collagen and passionfruit oil moisturizes dry lips. But it also earned points for the thoughtful range of lipstick colors, which includes cool and warm shades to accommodate every skin tone.
Editor Tip: Scope out the brand’s website to see how each shade looks on light, medium, and deep skin tones.
Key Ingredients: Plant-based collagen, passionfruit oil | Finish: Satin | # of Shades: 12
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Best for Lip Lines: Chanel Rouge Coco Ultra Hydrating Lip Colour
Why It’s Worth It: This moisturizing lipstick, which comes recommended by Guth, has a lustrous finish that won’t accentuate any dryness. Not that you’ll have to worry about that, since this is packed with a trio of plant-based waxes (mimosa, jojoba, and sunflower) to guarantee your lips stay hydrated and comfortable from application to removal.
Editor Tip: To tackle fine lines around the mouth, the formula uses silicone to blur.
Key Ingredients: Jojoba butter, mimosa butter, sunflower wax | Finish: Satin | # of Shades: 24
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Best Drugstore: L’Oréal Paris Age Perfect Luminous Hydrating Lipstick
The rich, drugstore formula is a crossover between a lip balm and a lipstick, featuring what the brand calls a nourishing serum in its center. That means every swipe includes not just color, but also panthenol (also known as provitamin B5) to ensure seamless application and zero flaking.
Editor Tip: It hydrates for up to nine hours, per the brand, but the actual color isn’t long-wearing.
Key Ingredients: Provitamin B5, jojoba seed oil | Finish: Satin | # of Shades: 9
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Best Lip Balm: Clinique Almost Lipstick
Why It’s Worth It: Clinique’s version of a tinted lip balm, which first debuted in 1971, has become a Gen-Z hit not just for its viral TikTok fame (which has led to multiple sell-outs), but also for its formula, which pairs sheer coverage with emollients like castor seed oil, candelilla wax, and vitamin E. It lives on in two shades, the iconic, 2023 Best of Beauty Award-winning Black Honey and Pink Honey.
Editor Tip: One tube of Black Honey sells every four minutes worldwide.
Key Ingredients: Castor seed oil, candelilla wax, tocopherol | Finish: Satin | # of Shades: 2
