Why Purple Lipstick Deserves a Spot in Your Routine — Plus, 15 to Shop

March 07, 2023

By: Jessica Harrington | Makeup.com by L'Oréal

Purple Lipstick Is Universally Flattering

There’s a wide range of hues within the purple color family — lavender, lilac, fuchsia, eggplant, violet, plum and more — so one of them is guaranteed to work with your skin tone or suit your personality.

Consider light, cool purples like lavender and lilac for fair skin. “Typically, the cool tones complement the cooler tones of fair complexions,” says makeup artist Ashleigh Ciucci.

For medium and olive skin tones, try violets and plums. “Their warmth helps to cancel out the shallowness of olive skin and will brighten the complexion of the medium tones.”

If you have a darker skin tone, Ciucci says you can pull off those deep, almost “oil-slick” shades of purple. “These deeper and richer shades hold up against dark skin and don't look garish or junior,” she says. “They look sleek and chic.”

You Can Adjust Intensity

You get to decide just how strong you want to go when it comes to purple lipstick. Using the same tube of product, you can blot it down so that it looks like a stain, swipe on a single coat for medium coverage or lay it on thick for full-on saturated color, says Greenberg. There’s a lot of wiggle room, depending on how you apply it.

You Get to Pick Your Texture and Finish

Beyond color, there’s a wide assortment of finishes to choose from: creamy, matte, metallic, shimmery, glossy. The right one can make the bold color feel less intimidating. “If you’re timid, go for a more sheer or creamy texture,” says Ciucci. These tend to be more wearable and pack less of a pigment punch.

If you want a bolder look, choose a matte or metallic finish. Feeling somewhere in the middle? You can’t go wrong with a satin finish.

You Can Get Away With Minimal Makeup on the Rest of Your Face

A pop of purple is a quick way to liven up a no-makeup makeup look. For the rest of your complexion, you can stick to minimal makeup — a light tinted moisturizer, a swipe of black mascara and you’re good to go.

The Best Purple Lipstick

Urban Decay Vice Lipstick in Acai

This satin finish lipstick has a just-bitten berry hue that flatters every complexion. We love it dabbed on lightly to give lips a stained effect. Plus, the formula contains nourishing aloe vera and avocado oil to keep your lips soft and hydrated all day.

L’Oréal Paris Colour Riche Intense Volume Matte Lipstick in Le Plum Dominant

A matte finish makes purple lipstick all the more dramatic, and we love this ultra-pigmented option from L’Oréal Paris. Le Plum Dominant is a warm burgundy shade that falls between red and purple, making it slightly less intimidating than, say, a bright violet lippie. It’s the perfect way to level up your dark red lip.

Maybelline New York Vinyl Ink Longwear Liquid Lipcolor in Royal

This rich wine shade toes the line between purple and red, making it a perfect choice for those who can’t resist a dark lip. The formula is also super innovative — it stays pigmented and glossy for up to 16 hours, never fading or losing its shine. Simply shake up the tube and swipe it on with the slanted applicator.

NYX Professional Makeup Shine Loud High Shine Lip Color in Shake Things Up

Channel ’90s vibes with this moody, true purple. On one end of the product, you’ll find a richly pigmented liquid lipstick; on the other, you’ll find a clear, glossy top coat that locks in your lip color for up to 16 hours.

Giorgio Armani Beauty Lip Maestro Liquid Lipstick in Plum Pink

You’ll be in love from the first swipe of this soft, velvety liquid lipstick by Giorgio Armani Beauty. It delivers major color that won’t fade, feather or settle into the lines of your lips. This color is a great starter purple since it’s a lighter, pink-toned shade.

YSL Beauty Rouge Pur Couture Satin Lipstick in Fuchsia Pink

Get excited for spring with this electric fuchsia shade of the YSL Beauty Rouge Pur Couture Satin Lipstick. From the color to the satin finish, this lippie reminds us of ’80s beauty — in the best possible way. Formulated with natural extracts, it keeps your lips hydrated as you wear it.

Lancôme L'Absolu Rouge Drama Matte Lipstick in Rêve Toujours

A true, cool-toned purple, reach for this lipstick from Lancôme when you want to try a fun new going out look. The vibrant pigmentation makes this lipstick an ideal choice for beauty risk takers who don’t shy away from color. It also gets bonus points for the gorgeous black and gold tube it comes in.

Valentino Beauty Rosso Valentino Refillable Lipstick in Pink Fantasy

We adore the romantic mauve-pink of the Valentino Beauty Rosso Valentino Refillable Lipstick in Pink Fantasy. The impressive color payoff means you only need one or two strokes of this lipstick for an impactful look. Plus, the brand’s signature V-shaped lipstick bullet allows for extremely precise application.

Pat McGrath Labs MatteTrance Lipstick in Deep Orchid

For a long-lasting, comfortable matte lipstick, opt for the Pat McGrath Labs MatteTrance Lipstick in Deep Orchid. You’ll be amazed by the creamy, cushiony matte texture of the formula, which is infused with conditioning oils.

Lime Crime Plushies Soft Liquid Lipstick in Lavender Honey

We like the natural, non-opaque formula of the Lim Crimes Plushies Soft Liquid Lipstick for everyday wear. The soft-focus effect serves to enhance your natural lip color rather than cover it up. Lavender Honey is a pretty pink shade with purple undertones.

Glossier Generation G Lipstick in Jam

The Glossier Generation G lipstick is one of the brand’s cult-favorite products for the natural-looking, perfectly blotted look it provides. The smooth, buildable formula gives your lips that no-makeup-makeup diffused flush of color. Check out Jam, a deep berry shade.

Saie Lip Blur in Pop

Similar to Generation G, the Lip Blur enhances your lips with soft, buildable color for a more subtle look than some of the super-pigmented matte lippies on this list. Infused with hyaluronic acid, berry fruit wax, olive oil and jojoba esters, it hydrates and plumps your lips while you wear it.

Rare Beauty Lip Soufflé Matte Lip Cream in Daring

We’re all about pastel makeup during the spring, which is why we’ll be adding the Daring colorway of the Rare Beauty Lip Soufflé Matte Lip Cream to our rotation. The muted lavender shade is absolutely dreamy. But the best thing about this lip cream is the whipped, light-as-air texture.

Deck of Scarlet Threeway Solid Lip Oil in Lilac Lover

Feeling bored of baby pinks? Experiment with something new like an ethereal lavender shade. This lip oil is creamy, hydrating and infused with pearl-like pigments that give your lips a moisturized, high-shine finish.

Additional Reporting: Jordan Julian, Photo: Shutterstock