You know when you see someone's makeup and immediately want to know what lip products they're wearing? Sometimes it's literally just the perfect lip liner and lipstick combination that makes their whole makeup look so good.
And once you find a lip combo that works for your coloring, it's one of those things you'll end up wearing all the time.
Whether you love a glossy nude lip, a darker '90s-inspired liner, or a pretty pink lipstick, I've rounded up 15 lip combos worth trying. I'm sharing the exact products and shades for each one, plus which skin tones and hair colors they tend to look best on.
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15 Gorgeous Lip Combos to Try
1. Brown Liner and Pink Gloss
This is probably one of my favorite lip combo trends. The darker brown liner with a lighter pink gloss gives your lips that gorgeous ombré look, and it's especially good if you love a little '90s-inspired makeup.
Best for: Medium to deep skin tones with warm or neutral undertones. Especially pretty with dark brown or black hair.
Get the look:
Lip liner: MAC Lip Pencil in Chestnut
Lip gloss: Maybelline Lifter Gloss in Silk
Blend the brown liner toward the center of your lips before adding the gloss. You want the two shades to blend together instead of having an obvious dark outline.
2. The Perfect Everyday Pinky Nude
If you want a lip combo that looks good with pretty much any makeup look, this is an easy one to start with. It's a soft pinky nude that gives your lips a little more definition without being too noticeable.
Best for: Fair to light-medium skin with cool or neutral undertones. Especially pretty with blonde or light brunette hair.
Get the look:
Lip liner: Charlotte Tilbury Lip Cheat in Pillow Talk Original
Lipstick: Charlotte Tilbury Matte Revolution in Pillow Talk Original
These two were made to go together, so it's an easy combination if you don't want to experiment with mixing different shades.
3. Glossy Chocolate Brown Lips
If you're into darker lip colors, a glossy chocolate brown is such a good look. You get all the drama of a darker lipstick, but the glossy finish makes it feel a little more wearable.
Best for: Medium-deep to deep skin tones, especially with warm or neutral undertones and dark hair.
Get the look:
Lip liner: MAC Lip Pencil in Chestnut
Lip gloss: Fenty Beauty Gloss Bomb in Hot Chocolit
Fill in more of your lips with the liner before adding the gloss if you want a richer brown color.
4. Cool-Toned Mauve Lips
If nude lipsticks always seem to pull orange on you, a cooler mauve might be exactly what you're looking for. This one has that muted rosy color that's perfect when you want something softer than a bright pink.
Best for: Fair to medium skin with cool or neutral undertones. Especially pretty with ash-brown hair, cool blonde hair, or dark brunette hair.
Get the look:
Lip liner: MAC Lip Pencil in Soar
Lipstick: MAC MACximal Silky Matte Lipstick in Mehr
The rosy mauve liner works with the muted pink lipstick to give your lips a little extra definition without creating too much contrast.
5. Warm Caramel Nude Lips
This is the kind of lip combo that looks amazing with bronzer, gold jewelry, and a little sun-kissed glow. It's a warm nude with just enough brown to keep it from looking too pale.
Best for: Medium to tan skin with warm, golden, or olive undertones. Especially pretty with dark brunette hair.
Get the look:
Lip liner: MAC Lip Pencil in Cork
Lip gloss: Maybelline Lifter Gloss in Topaz
The warm brown liner gives your lips some definition, while the golden nude gloss adds shine.
6. Soft Baby Pink Lips
A baby pink lip with rosy cheeks is such a cute makeup look, especially if you prefer softer colors. The key is using a liner that gives the lighter lipstick a little definition so it doesn't look too pale.
Best for: Fair to light skin with cool or neutral undertones. Especially pretty with blonde or light brown hair.
Get the look:
Lip liner: NYX Slim Lip Pencil in Mauve
Lipstick: MAC MACximal Sleek Satin Lipstick in Crème Cup
Apply the liner lightly and blend it inward before adding the pink lipstick. This pairing will have a little contrast, so keeping the liner soft makes a big difference.
7. The Rosy Brown Nude Lip
If you have dark hair and feel like lighter nude lipsticks wash you out, try something with a little more brown in it. This is a really good everyday option that still looks natural.
Best for: Light-medium to medium skin with neutral undertones. Especially flattering with dark brown hair.
Get the look:
Lip liner: MAC Lip Pencil in Whirl
Lipstick: MAC MACximal Silky Matte Lipstick in Velvet Teddy
The rosy brown liner adds some depth to the beige nude lipstick without making the whole look too dark.
8. Sheer Black Cherry Lips
I love a dark cherry lip, especially when it's a little sheer instead of a super bold matte lipstick. It's one of those lip looks that makes even really simple makeup feel a little more interesting.
Best for: Fair skin with cool undertones and dark hair, or medium to deep skin tones that look gorgeous in darker berry shades.
Get the look:
Lip liner: MAC Lip Pencil in Burgundy
Lip color: Clinique Almost Lipstick in Black Honey
Use a light hand with the liner and blend it into your lips before applying Black Honey. You can build up the color if you want a darker finish.
9. The '90s Supermodel Nude
If you love that classic '90s makeup look with a darker liner and lighter nude lipstick, this is the one to try. It has a little more contrast than your typical everyday nude lip, which is what makes it so good.
Best for: Medium to deep skin tones for a softer contrast, or fair to medium skin if you love a more dramatic brown liner.
Get the look:
Lip liner: MAC Lip Pencil in Chestnut
Lipstick: MAC MACximal Silky Matte Lipstick in Velvet Teddy
This is an actual MAC-recommended pairing, and it's perfect for recreating that '90s nude lip. Keep the darker liner visible around the edges and blend the lipstick into the center.
10. Warm Peachy Nude Lips
If you love peach blush and warm-toned makeup, this lip combo goes perfectly with that whole look. It's a peachy beige nude that feels a little fresher than a traditional brown nude.
Best for: Fair to medium skin with warm or peachy undertones. Especially flattering with auburn, strawberry blonde, or warm brunette hair.
Get the look:
Lip liner: MAC Lip Pencil in Spice
Lipstick: MAC MACximal Silky Matte Lipstick in Kinda Sexy
Both shades lean warm, so they work well together for a soft peachy nude finish.
11. The Pink Nude Lip for Deep Skin
A lighter pink gloss with a rich brown liner is such a gorgeous combination on deeper skin tones. The brown adds enough definition to keep the pink from looking too pale, and the glossy finish makes everything blend together.
Best for: Deep skin tones with warm or neutral undertones. Especially pretty with dark brown or black hair.
Get the look:
Lip liner: Make Up For Ever Artist Color Pencil in Dimensional Dark Brown
Lip gloss: Maybelline Lifter Gloss in Silk
Fill in the outer corners of your lips with the liner before adding the gloss. You'll get a softer pink center with more depth around the edges.
12. The Pretty Berry Rose Lip
If you want something a little deeper than a nude but don't want to wear a super bold lipstick, a berry rose is such a good middle ground.
Best for: Medium to medium-deep skin with neutral or warm undertones. Also pretty on fair skin if you like a little more color.
Get the look:
Lip liner: Charlotte Tilbury Lip Cheat in Pillow Talk Medium
Lipstick: Charlotte Tilbury Matte Revolution in Pillow Talk Medium
This is a matching liner and lipstick combination, so the shades work together without needing much blending. It's a warmer, deeper version of the original Pillow Talk.
13. The Cool Girl Taupe Lip
If you love a slightly edgier makeup look, a cool taupe lip is definitely worth trying. It's not quite brown and not quite pink, and it has that muted '90s look that's been everywhere.
Best for: Fair to light-medium skin with cool or neutral undertones. Especially pretty with dark brunette or ash-brown hair.
Get the look:
Lip liner: MAC Lip Pencil in Stone
Lipstick: MAC MACximal Sleek Satin Lipstick in Blankety
Stone is a grayish taupe, while Blankety is a lighter pink-beige nude. The contrast is part of the look, so blend the liner toward the center instead of leaving a sharp outline.
14. The Glossy Cherry Red Lip Combo
A glossy red lip is such a good way to make even the simplest makeup look more dressed up. And if you don't love the look of a super bold, matte red lipstick, this combination gives you that pretty cherry red color with a shinier, slightly softer finish.
Best for: Fair to deep skin tones with cool or neutral undertones. Especially gorgeous with dark brown or black hair, although the contrast looks amazing on blondes too.
Get the look:
Lip liner: MAC Lip Pencil in Cherry
Lipstick: MAC MACximal Silky Matte Lipstick in Ruby Woo
Lip gloss: Fenty Beauty Gloss Bomb in Glass Slipper
Line your lips with Cherry, fill them in with Ruby Woo, and finish with a little clear gloss. The liner and lipstick are both blue-based reds, so they work really well together, and the gloss gives you that shiny cherry red finish without changing the color.
15. The Barely-There Nude Lip
For those days when you don't want to look like you're wearing much lipstick at all, a sheer nude is perfect. It gives your lips just enough color to look a little more put together without being obvious.
Best for: Fair to medium skin with neutral or warm undertones. Especially pretty with blonde or brunette hair.
Get the look:
Lip liner: Clinique Quickliner for Lips in Nude Honey
Lip color: Clinique Almost Lipstick in Nude Honey
The matching liner gives your lips a little definition, and the sheer lipstick adds just enough color and shine. This is a really easy one to wear every day.
How to Find the Best Lip Combo for Your Coloring
One thing to keep in mind is that the same lipstick can look completely different on two people. Your skin tone, undertones, and natural lip color all make a difference.
If you have cool undertones, mauves, rosy pinks, berries, and cooler taupe shades are a good place to start.
For warm undertones, peachy nudes, caramel browns, and warmer pinks tend to look really flattering.
If you have fair skin, a liner that's just a little darker than your natural lip color is an easy way to get some definition without too much contrast.
For medium or olive skin, rosy browns, caramel nudes, and warm pinks are all worth trying.
And if you have deep skin, richer brown, chocolate, and plum liners can look amazing, especially when you're pairing them with lighter lipstick or gloss.
Your natural lip pigmentation matters too, so don't be surprised if a shade looks different on you than it does in someone else's makeup tutorial.
Finding a lip combo you love is such an easy way to switch up your makeup without buying a million new products.
Whether you're into glossy brown lips, soft pink nudes, or something a little darker, hopefully you found a few new combinations to try.
And once you find that perfect liner and lipstick pairing, you'll probably end up wearing it on repeat!
