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The 11 Best Lipsticks for Older Women

Fine lines? Thin lips? Parched pout? We found the lipstick that will work best for you!

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Lipstick is a powerful tool in a woman’s beauty arsenal — just ask the roughly 123 million women in the US who used lipstick and lip gloss in 2022. Applying a swipe from your favorite tube will not only bring a bright pop of color to your lips, but it’s a fun and easy way to boost your confidence and give you an “I can do anything” feeling to match. And you may have a favorite color of formula you have relied on for year. But as we age, our lips lose volume and moisture while gaining fine lines that impact our lips. And that once-flattering color may be now dulling your complexion or the formula may be bleeding into creases. That said, it helps to know just what is the best lipstick for older women.

So we’ve rounded up our favorite lipsticks that will not only last for a long time and offer the right color for your skin tone they’ll hydrate, plump and fill in lines to give you your most attractive pucker yet.

Choosing the best lipstick shade for your skin color

The general rule of thumb when it comes to hunting for the perfect hue is to find one that matches the undertones of your complexion. This will help keep you from looking washed out, ruddy or sallow. (Click through to discover how to determine your skin undertone and learn more about what colors work best.)

For example, If you have cooler undertones, lipsticks with purple, blue and silver bases will best complement your skin.

If you have warmer undertones, hot lipstick bases, such as fiery reds and oranges, work well with your skim.

If you have neutral undertones, you can wear nearly any shade of lipstick.

Over 50? Choose a softer hue in a deeper tone

When it comes to more mature skin, celebrity makeup artist Alex LaMarsh who has prettied the lips of stars like Sarah Jessica Parker and Kim Kardashian and worked on makeup brand campaigns featuring older women, advises opting for softer hues and shades that match your natural lip or blush color, but in a deeper tone and avoiding pastels, as they can make older skin look washed out.

That being said, we say wear whatever shade makes you feel the most confident. If your skin is said to look better in oranges, but you’re in love with a bright pink — go for it!

The best lipstick formulas for older women

Creases around your mouth? Look for long-lasting formulas that don’t smear easily. One the smudges easily will more likely bleed into and enhance the fine lines around your mouth. LaMarsh says you should avoid lip oils or formulas that have a super glossy finish, as they can bleed into those fine lines.

Dry lips? Aim for a balm or oil, or a hydrating lipstick to ensure lips stay hydrated.

Thin lips? Opt for glossy formulas as the shine reflects light onto lips to help them appear fuller.

“Additionally, consider products labeled ‘no feathering’ or ‘solid serum glosses,'” adds LaMarsh.

Related: Read This Before You Toss Out That Broken Makeup! Genius Alcohol Hack Can Fix It Fast

The top 11 lipsticks for older women

The lipstick ingredients to look for if you’re over 50

For the most nourishing formulas, natural and organic lipsticks may be your best bet. Karen Behnkem, the founder of Juice Beauty, spoke with Dermstore about the pros of being picky with your makeup. For starters, our bodies absorb 60 percent of the products we put on topically, and organic ingredients contain less toxins than conventional ones. It has also been found that certain ingredients like chemicals, parabens, phthalates, lead and fragrance, have the potential to create health problems down the road. Changing out something as simple as lipstick is a good way to minimize that risk.

LaMarsh says to look for ingredients like antioxidants, vitamin E, jojoba oil, sunflower oil and grapeseed oil.

The 11 best lipsticks for older women

Now that you know what you’re looking for, it’s time to shop! Just scroll down to see Woman’s World’s top picks for the best lipstick colors and brands around.

Best for no feathering

Buy from IT Cosmetics, $26

Why we like it

  • No feathering
  • Hydrating
  • Collagen-infused

The IT Cosmetics Pillow Lips Solid Serum Gloss is not only one of our favorites, but also a favorite of LaMarsh’s. She recommended this product as a top pick, and it’s easy to see why. The solid serum formula prevents feathering by keeping your lip color in place. It is also infused with nourishing ingredients like hyaluronic acid and collagen.

Honest Beauty Hydrating Liquid Lipstick with Hyaluronic Acid + Avocado Oil in Passion

Best Matte Liquid Lipstick
Honest Beauty Lipstick in a dark rose shade named Passion.
Honest Beauty

Buy from Honest, $14.99

Why we like it:

  • Long-lasting
  • Vegan
  • Matte

Honest Beauty’s Hydrating Liquid Lipstick with Hyaluronic Acid + Avocado Oil has a long list of ingredients that it is formulated without. Cruelty-free, vegan and clean, the line is full of hydrating ingredients that still give you that matte finish that stays put for 6 to 8 hours, lasting you through your busy days.

RMS Beauty Wild With Desire Lipstick

Best Clean Lipstick
lipstick
Sephora

Buy From RMS Beauty, $30

Why we like it:

  • Clean
  • Antioxidants
  • Moisturizing

For a lipstick that’s pure and clean, you can’t go wrong with RMS Beauty’s Wild With Desire in your purse. Its soft, creamy formula is packed with antioxidants, which are essential for fighting free radicals that cause your skin to age. The soft creamy texture will make your lips feel moisturized, but also leaves them with a gorgeous, opaque hue.

Ilia Balmy Tint Hydrating Lip Balm

Best Moisturizing Lipstick
Ilia Balmy Tint Hydrating Lip Balm in Heartbeat.
Ilia

Buy from Ilia, $28

Why we like it

  • Hydrating
  • Pigmented
  • Buttery

Since lips lack oil glands, they become drier with age, which leads to more cracks. Ilia’s Balmy Tint Hydrating Lip Balm is a sheer, buildable color that is smooth, buttery and locks in moisture. While thick lipsticks bleed into and accentuate those imperfections, the slick formula of a balm will skim over cracks while also hydrating lips. This balm from Ilia is the perfect addition to your lip collection and a top choice as a best lipstick for older women.

Rinna Beauty Icon Collection Lipstick

Best Lipstick for Fine Lines
Rinna Beauty lipstick in Heart Throb.
Rinna Beauty

Buy from Rinna Beauty, $24

Why we like it

  • 10 shades
  • Creamy
  • Moisturizing

The Rinna Beauty Icon Collection Lipstick is made with shea butter, jojoba oil, avocado oil, castor oil, meadowfoam seed oil, a vegan lanolin substitute and vitamin E — the perfect vegan combination for a creamy, moisturizing lipstick that won’t sink into fine lines or cracked lips. Choose from 10 shades that range from a bright citrusy orange to a deep purple-red aubergine.

Ilia’s Multi-Stick

Best Lipstick Duo
Ilia multi-stick lip and cheek product.
Ilia

Buy from Ilia, $36

Why we like it:

  • Multi-use
  • Gluten-free
  • Clean

Ilia’s Multi-Stick is one of those products that can really do it all. Not only is it a gorgeous lip shade, it can be also used on your cheeks as a blush. Want to simplify your routine even further? Use it as an eyeshadow for an ultra-romantic look. It’s made without gluten, and is full of clean ingredients that are hydrating and moisturizing while providing protection from the skin.

Benecos Natural Lipstick

Best Organic Lipstick
Amazon

Buy from Amazon, $16.20

Why we like it

  • Organic
  • Pigmented
  • Preventative

Deep shades of berry will never go out of style, and for good reason: It’s a sophisticated twist on a classic red hue that works for nearly any season or occasion. Benecos’ Natural Lipstick in Watermelon is a cranberry hue with plum undertones that looks lovely on any skin tone, and you’ll be pleased to find that there’s not a single toxic ingredient on its formula list. Organic castor seed and avocado oil serve to add moisture, while babassu oil and vitamins C and E act as preventative protection. 

Supergoop! Lipshade 100% Mineral SPF 30 Hydrating Lipstick

Best Lipstick With SPF
Supergoop! Mineral SPF lipstick. Best lipstick with SPF.
Sephora/Supergoop!

Buy from Sephora, $24

Why we like it:

  • Protects against sun
  • Pigmented
  • Moisturizing

Forget the pasty white lip balms you used to use to keep your pout protected from the sun: mango, shea and murumuru butters work together to provide sun protection for your lips in Supergoop! Lipshade 100% Mineral SPF 30 Hydrating Lipstick. This healing blend of butters improves the elasticity of your lips and banishes dryness.

Honeybee Gardens Truly Natural Lipstick

Best Hydrating Lipstick
lipstick
Amazon

Buy from Walmart, $15.99

Why we like it:

  • Hydrating
  • Organic
  • Rejuvenating

Honeybee Gardens Truly Natural Liipstick is another product that’s filled to the brim with organic oils, including sesame oil, sunflower seed oil and castor seed oil. Certified organic cocoa butter rounds out the ingredient list to soothe, rejuvenate and hydrate your lips. We particularly love the Bermuda and South Beach hues, which are punchy, tropical shades that will bring a bit of sun-kissed warmth to skin during the colder months.

L’Oréal Age Perfect Luminous Hydrating Lipstick + Nourishing Serum

Best Drugstore Lipstick
lipstick
L’Oréal

Buy from Amazon, $8.64

Why we like it:

  • Affordable
  • Anti-aging
  • 10 shades

There’s a reason celebs such as Helen Mirren and Jane Fonda are opting to play up their pouts on the red carpet with lipsticks from a brand that costs less than $20 — it’s that good! Unlike your run-of-the-mill drugstore brand, L’Oréal Age Perfect Luminous Hydrating Lipstick + Nourishing Serum is specially-formulated with anti-aging ingredients at its center, including pro vitamin B5, that can help you achieve a smoother, more supple pout over time. Choose from 10 star-worthy shades. 

Fitglow Beauty Lip Color Serum

Best Collagen Lipstick
figlow lipstick
Amazon

Buy from Amazon, $42

Why we like it:

  • Collagen
  • Glossy
  • Metallic

Fitglow Beauty Lip Color Serum does more than just provie gorgeous color. Its glossy gel is infused with natural vegetable microcollagen that helps fill out fine lines on your lips as it boosts hydration and plumpness in your lips. The stunning metallic colors, meanwhile, make for a fun way to take care of your pucker.

To learn more about the lipsticks that will work best for you click through these stories:

The Best Berry Lipstick for Your Skin Tone

The Best Coral Lipstick for Every Skin Tone

The Best Red Lipsticks for Every Skin Tone

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