The Biggest Lipstick Trend of 2019 Isn’t an Actual Shade

By Erin Lukas
Jan 16, 2019 @ 10:15 am
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If 2018 taught us anything, it's that what was once considered lame (or, rather, dated) is now cool again. Slime green clothing, fanny packs, and biker shorts were some of last year's biggest fashion trends, and in the beauty world, everyone cut their hair off into bobs and wore '90s hair accessories like butterfly clips.

Expect to feel the '90s and early '00s nostalgia to continue into 2019 because shiny lips are making a comeback, too. Even though matte lipstick has always been appealing to anyone who grew up on sticky gloss in the early aughts, it's not the only finish to wear on your lips. In fact, shiny-finished lipstick is already considered one of the biggest beauty trends of awards season.

How much gloss are we talking about? The shine level is entirely up to you. Case in point: Amy Adams's slightly sheeny pink lipstick from the Critics' Choice Awards has a more subtle, satin finish, while it doesn't get more reflective than Mandy Moore's shimmery coral lipstick. And no, these shiny lip products are nothing like the globby messes that came in tubes. 

"For a long time, the trend has been the matte liquid lip, so it's natural that we are seeing a shift towards more glossy textures," Kelli J. Bartlett, the artistic director of Glamsquad, says. "Just as women are craving heathy, hydrated skin, the lips are the thinnest skin of the body, so it's natural that your lips follow suit. Plus, formulas are really evolving. Gone are the sticky glosses of the '90s and glosses nowadays are hydrating and cushiony." 

Along with Adams, many celebs are choosing muted pink lip shades for the red carpet. The key to this look is wearing a shade that enhances your natural lips, instead of washing them out. Bartlett recommends choosing a shade that or two lighter, using your natural lip color as a guide.  

For a full-on glossy bold lip, Bartlett says to "create a picket fence for your glossy lip" so that it doesn't bleed. "Start with a primer and move your lips together and wait a minute for it to get tacky," she says. "Follow with a lip pencil and then finish with a shiny lipstick or gloss applied on the center of the lip, just inside the lip liner."

Keep scrolling to see how seven celebs pull off the shiny lip trend. 

VIDEO: Beauty School: How to Get Fuller Lips

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Amy Adams

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Amy Adams's your-lips-but-better pink lipstick is the minimalist's way to wear a glossy lip. Once it's on, you don't have to stress about it bleeding or fading. However, it can take a few products to get the color just right. Celebrity makeup artist Stephen Sollitto applied Beautycounter's Sheer Lipstick in Terra all over Adams's lips, and dotted the shade Rose in the center of her upper and lower lip. He finish with a coat of Beautycounter's Gloss in Dahlia. 

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Mandy Moore

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When a bold color like coral seems a little too bright, picking one with a glossy finish like Mandy Moore's will make the shade seem a little less intimidating to wear. We don't know the exact product Moore is wearing on her lips, but Yves Saint Laurent's Rouge Volupté Shine Oil-In-Stick Lipstick in Orange Perfecto is a close match that'll help you break out of your neutral matte lipstick comfort zone. 

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Jennifer Lopez

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J.Lo's signature shiny nude lip is probably what comes to mind when you think of "glossy lips." Look for a nude shade that's still pigmented to balance the glossy look. With shade options for every undertone, the glosses from J.Lo's Inglot Collection are your best bet. 

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Emma Stone

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If full-on gloss isn't your vibe, a satin-finish lipstick will meet you half way. Case in point: Emma Stone's slightly sheeny peachy-pink lipstick. Her makeup artist Rachel Goodwin mixed Sisley Paris' Phyto Lip-Twist in Ballet and Phyto-Lip Delight in Sweet to make the custom shade. 

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Kiki Layne

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Matte isn't the only way wear a berry lip. Case in point: Kiki Layne, who wore shiny burgundy lipstick to the 2019 Critics' Choice Awards. 

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Kaley Cuoco

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The beauty of a glossy muted rose lipstick like Kaley Cuoco's is that it plays nice with virtually any eye look, including green eyeshadow and pink monochromatic makeup, which are two of the other big trends of 2019. To get Cuoco's exact shade, makeup artist Jamie Greenberg used Charlotte Tilbury's Cheat Sheet Lip Liner in Pillow Talk and Lip Lustre Lip Gloss in Hall of Fame. 

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Janelle Monáe

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You don't have to buy new lipsticks just to try this trend. Instead, layer a gloss over your favorite matte color. Celebrity makeup artist Jessica Smalls swiped Giorgio Armani's Ecstasy Lacquer in 502 Boudoir over the brand's Rouge D’Armani Matte Lipstick in 102 Androgino to add shine to the nude shade the star wore to the 2019 Golden Globes. 

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