I'll never forget when my mother—who's turning 65 next month but doesn't look at a day past 40—told me she thought she was "too old" for a red lip. I was flabbergasted that she would think such a thing, but she's not the only one. The beauty standards placed upon women for centuries have caused a roadblock for mature women to experiment with their looks and keep expressing themselves well into their second act. Nowadays, though, we know full well that there is nothing women over 50 can't do. There are tons of beauty hacks, ingredients and formulations specifically created to help enhance and complement a mature complexion, making makeup options for older women more boundless than ever.
For mature women, finding lip products that shape, color and nourish the lips without seeping into lines, feathering or running can feel impossible. But there is no reason to turn your back on matte lips. To help you achieve that sultry, matte lip look, we tapped the experts to get their recommendations for the best matte lipsticks for mature lips. Ahead, our celebrity makeup artists dish the deets on their favorite matte lipsticks for mature lips that ensure show-stopping pigment and lasting, comfortable wear.
Featured Experts
- Sandy Linter is a celebrity makeup artist
- D'Andre Michael is a celebrity makeup artist
6 Hydrating Matte Lipsticks for Mature Lips
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In Linter's experience, women with mature lips—or anyone with a drier lip with less natural collagen—often prefer a matte lip for longer wear. "I recommend Chanel Le Rouge Duo," Linter says. "It's a matte lipstick wand on one end and a gloss on the other, which is a great idea since you might want to go matte but with a bump of moisture." Linter loves that Chanel's Le Rouge Duo lets users control the amount of lipstick and gloss they use, making for extra comfortable wear.
BUY ON CHANEL - $50
BUY ON ULTA - $50
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Known to be a holy grail matte lipstick for everyone, Linter calls out MAC's MACximal Matte line as a specific must-have for mature lips. "They have figured out how to make a matte lipstick without giving you that dry mouth look," she says of MAC's revolutionary matte lipstick. "The colors are beautiful, and they stay put very well. Naturally, I use a pencil liner first, and that helps keep the lips looking fresh and—if you like that look—well-defined."
BUY ON MAC - $25
BUY ON ULTA - $25
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With 74 shades, Michael calls Dior's Rouge Dior Refillable Lipstick a favorite for mature lips for its endless color options and "great color coverage and hydrating long-wear."
BUY ON SEPHORA - $49
BUY ON ULTA - $49
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True to its name, Chanel's Rouge Allure Liquid Velvet features a highly pigmented, hydrating, long-lasting formula with a soft velvet finish that looks matte but wears like butter. So, it's no surprise the luxury lippie is one of Michael's favorites for mature lips.
BUY ON CHANEL - $50
BUY ON ULTA - $50
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Also beloved by Michael for its nourishing yet lasting formula, Charlotte Tilbury's Matte Revolutionary Lipstick comes in 18 hydrating, matte-finish shades perfect for completing any look.
BUY ON ULTA - $35
BUY ON SEPHORA - $35
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If you prefer a lighter coverage lipstick, Michael recommends Violette_FR's Bisou Balm Sheer Matte Lipstick, which boasts an ultra-hydrating formula and the perfect amount of pigment for that "just bitten" look.
BUY ON VIOLETTE FR - $29
BUY ON SEPHORA - $29
