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The best lipsticks for older women can do what no filler, filter, or “antiaging” trick ever could: instantly wake up your entire face. A single swipe can brighten your complexion, sharpen your lip line, and send the very clear message that you showed up today.
Since lips naturally lose volume and moisture as you age, the trick is choosing formulas and finishes that play nicely with fine lines instead of settling into them. That means hydrating ingredients, flattering medium-range shades, and textures—like satin, cream, or balm—that add softness and shape.
To make your search easier (and way less expensive), Glamour spoke to makeup pros about the shades, textures, and finishes that truly flatter a maturing mouth. Then our editors tested a wide range of reader-loved tubes to find the formulas that actually deliver. “Mature women who have developed fine lines around the [mouth] want to avoid thin, super-glossy lipstick because it can spread and travel into fine lines around your lips, which creates feathering,” says celebrity makeup artist Andi Ellerby. She recommends satin finishes and a little gloss in the center of lips to reflect light and imitate volume.
Below, the best lipsticks for older women that hydrate, smooth, stay put, and look gorgeous all day.
The best lipsticks for older women, at a glance
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How we tested
We began with expert input from makeup expert Andi Ellerby. Then we evaluated several best-selling lipsticks and popular brands, looked at their ingredients and textures, and tested several for efficacy in blurring fine lines and lip wrinkles. Since lips can get drier as you age, we also looked at how hydrating they were and which stayed put all day without leaving a parched pout. The standouts had hydrating ingredients like shea butter and vitamin E. Not to mention, they offered a variety of colors for older shoppers.
Best Overall: Laura Geller New York Italian Marble Sheer Lipstick
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- Pros: Natural finish; blurs lip wrinkles; doesn’t transfer; comes off easily
- Cons: Limited color range; so soft the bullet almost broke off
Considering that Laura Geller prides itself on creating makeup that complements mature skin—fine lines and all—we’re not surprised about how well this lipstick performs. This formula glides on and leaves behind a soft-focus wash of nude color, making it a great daily choice. Plus, the velvety texture keeps lips plush and moist throughout the day.
Testing notes: “This was impressive. It wasn’t too bold, just gave my lips a bit of a natural, nude tint. It also felt soft like butter going on my lips, and it stayed that way for hours. And my lip wrinkles didn’t look too bad either,” says Yisrael.
Best Drugstore: Maybelline Color Sensational Lipstick
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- Pros: Hydrating; highly pigmented
- Cons: Transfers slightly
Our top drugstore pick, this creamy, hydrating lipstick smooths over mature lips like whipped butter. There’s no question why more than 43,000 Amazon shoppers have given it a perfect rating. It’s infused with shea butter to keep lips moisturized, and the hint of shine adds dimension—key for mature lips that may have lost volume.
Testing notes: “This is my favorite creamy lipstick,”says 70-year-old Glamour tester Rivkah Yisrael. “I love the color Blissful Berry even though it’s not something I would naturally pick up. It feels smooth on the lips, and my lip wrinkles are less prominent. I stared in the mirror for a long time because, well, I look cute.”
Best for Dry Lips: L'Oréal Paris Colour Riche Satin Lipstick
- Pros: Applies evenly; long-lasting; lots of shades available
- Cons: Transfers (onto teeth!); doesn’t blur lip wrinkles
This L’Oréal Paris classic has been making mouths pretty for 40 years. And it’s a pick that we’ve been reaching for across generations. It looks good on younger and older women, and it has a hydrating formula that doesn’t flake, crust, or settle into lip lines. It also comes in dozens of rich shades, so there’s something for those who love to go bold and the lipstick wearers who tend to keep it subtle.
Testing notes: “The color got better over time, and it didn’t fade much. I’m not a lipstick lover by any means, but this felt nice, and the texture was so natural. I liked that it was easy to apply, but my daughter had to teach me a trick to fix the middle because it stuck to my teeth. Overall, though, I could see myself wearing this in the right shade,” Yisrael says.
Best Matte: Maybelline Color Sensational Lipstick, Matte Finish
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- Pros: Intense color; doesn’t feel drying; nontransferable; low price
- Cons: Mistakes are hard to fix because it dries down quickly and stays put.
Unlike many matte lipsticks, this formula feels creamy and cushioned—likely thanks to sesame seed oil and beeswax. It doesn’t look flat or feel like a tube of colored chalk. It glides on like a cream lipstick and doesn’t feel drying. Though Ellerby suggests avoiding ultra-matte lipsticks because they don’t reflect light (making lips appear smaller) and are often drying, she makes an exception for the few mattes that do neither, like this one. We appreciate the variety of shades, like the ruby red lipstick for the holiday season.
Testing notes: “This Maybelline matte lipstick surprised me. I was worried it would dry out my lips, but it’s the opposite; they feel moisturized and the texture of the lipstick is soft,” says Yisrael. “My lips don’t look any more wrinkly than normal, either, and the color [Divine Wine] is perfect. This is so natural-looking, I could wear it for special occasions and everyday activities. I even ate an empanada, wiped my mouth after eating, and the color was still in place.”
Most Long-Lasting: Chanel Le Rouge Duo Ultra Tenue Liquid Lip Colour
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- Pros: Highly pigmented; flattering colors; doesn’t transfer
- Cons: Becomes drying after a few hours; gloss fades quickly; feels sticky upon initial application
An investment lipstick, if ever there was one, this twofer offers one side of creamy lip color and one side of high-shine gloss. Not only is the color rich, it doesn’t budge once it dries down. It goes on a little sticky at first, but once you add a bit of gloss, it feels silky. Add a dot to the center of lips and don’t go super glossy, as per Ellerby, to avoid making thinning lips appear even slimmer. At $50, it may feel like a splurge (though a lot less expensive than a Chanel bag) but it’s a hardworking lip product and makes an excellent gift for the special woman in your life.
Testing notes: During testing, Yisrael tried to wipe it off with a damp towel, and it wouldn’t budge. “The color is really strong, so if you’re going out for a night of fun, this will last. I don’t love how sticky it feels without the gloss and after a few hours I felt like I needed to lick my lips a lot, but the color was not moving. Next time, I’ll apply some balm beforehand,” she says.
Best Lip Liner: NYX Professional Makeup Line Loud Longwear Lip Liner
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- Pros: Waterproof formula; wide shade range
- Cons: Reviewers complained that it easily breaks during sharpening.
The liner you choose can make all the difference in whether your color bleeds or migrates, so start with something like this creamy option that finishes demi-matte. Ellerby loves this lip liner for older women because it goes on smoothly, is long-lasting, and it’s waterproof. Nourishing jojoba oil and vitamin E in the formula means no tugging at application, which is a huge plus if you already have wrinkles around your mouth. “Because it’s wax-based, it helps prevent feathering from lipsticks, which prevents lipsticks from settling into fine lines around lips,” she explains.
Best Tinted Lip Balm: Clinique Almost Lipstick Tinted Lip Balm
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- Pros: Moisturizing; a little goes a long way, softens lips over time
- Cons: Sheer finish has very little color; pricey for its size; limited shade options
If lipstick and lip gloss had a baby, it would be this balm-in-lipstick. The tube is ultramoisturizing, thanks to ingredients like castor seed oil and vitamin E. It’s the perfect alternative to traditional lipstick if you’re prone to chapped lips or simply find that your lips are getting drier as you age. The sheer wash of color looks youthful and fresh—not cakey. And the ultra-slim shape lets you get into corners without making a mess all over your mouth.
Best Lip Oil: Clinique Pop Lip + Cheek Oil
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- Pros: Buildable; moisturizing; lightweight
- Cons: Limited colors; starts off sticky
We love a two-in-one beauty product. The blend of nourishing oils in this one keeps lips hydrated, locking in moisture for hours of comfortable wear. And even though it’s a lip oil, one swipe gives you a natural finish that’s not overly shiny.
Testing notes: “I love Clinique’s Lip and Cheek Oil in its famed Black Honey color. Upon first swipe, it gave my mouth the lightest wash of a delicate red, like a watercolor. When I added a couple more layers—Black Honey is famously buildable—it got ramped up into a Studio 54 level of glossiness. And the oil was not greasy, just slick and super moisturizing,” says Glamour contributor Charlotte Twine.
Frequently asked questions
What ingredients should you look for when shopping for lipstick for older women?
Hydration is the name of the game. Ellerby recommends looking for shea butter and vitamin E to moisturize, plus fruit seed oils and argan oil to lock everything in. To help prevent feathering—a common concern around a maturing mouth—she suggests choosing formulas with candelilla wax, lanolin wax, or beeswax, which create a cushiony base that keeps pigment from migrating. “For older women, you want to look for hydrating and long-lasting, which helps the prevention of slipping and feathering,” she explains. “If you’re not into liquid lipstick, look for something with beeswax because it has a nice base and the wax keeps it from bleeding.”
Should older women wear darker or lighter lipstick?
It depends on your skin tone and undertones, according to Ellerby. Her rule of thumb is to avoid extremes. Very deep shades can make lips look smaller, and ultra-pale nudes may wash you out. “Mature women who have had a loss in collagen in their lips may have lost volume, which would cause them to appear thinner and result in more dryness. They should avoid overly dark shades of lipstick. Stick with something more in the medium range,” she says, like berries and plums.
Should older women wear glossy or matte lipstick?
If you’re navigating fine lines, Ellerby has one hard no: “Avoid super dried-down mattes at all costs! They can make the lines pronounced, and as you age, you naturally just dry out, and so you want to avoid anything that will add to the dryness. Mattes are [known] for that.” If you don’t already have pronounced lines on and around your lips, you may be able to pull off mattifying lipstick. As for gloss? Use it strategically. “A little gloss under the Cupid’s bow is nice, it gives a youthful appearance—but that depends on the size of your lips,” she says. “If you have superthin lips, stay away from gloss.” She recommends sticking to satin finishes instead.
Are there any colors of lipstick that can make you look younger?
Yes—anything that adds warmth, life, and dimension. Ellerby suggests corals, berries, plums and other medium-range shades. “Red is timeless,” she adds. “Red is that girl that transcends it all.”
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