Editor Tip: If you already have the Burt’s Bees chapstick, use it as a moisturizing primer before you apply the lipstick.
Key Ingredients: Beeswax, moringa oil, raspberry seed oil, vitamin E | Finish: Satin, natural | Available Shades: 18
Best Drugstore: L’Oréal Paris Age Perfect Luminous Hydrating Lipstick
Why It’s Worth It: Hello, class and affordability. L’Oréal Paris’s Age Perfect Luminous Hydrating Lipstick is a crossover between a lip balm and a lipstick, featuring what the brand calls a nourishing serum in its center. That means every swipe imparts color and panthenol (also known as provitamin B5) to ensure seamless application and zero flaking.
Editor Tip: According to the brand, it hydrates for up to nine hours, but the actual color isn’t long-wearing.
Key Ingredients: Provitamin B5, jojoba seed oil | Finish: Satin | Available Shades: 9
Frequently Asked Questions
Why should I choose a lipstick for mature skin?
While moisturizing lip products like lip balms, lip oils, and lip masks reliably treat your lips right, it’s understandable if you don’t want to sacrifice your favorite red lipstick in the name of hydration. Thankfully, you don’t have to. In the future, seek out lipsticks that are thoughtfully formulated with hydrating ingredients that apply smoothly without settling into fine lines on the lips.
Cosmetic chemist Ginger King tells Allure that taking this extra step to find a hydrating lipstick is worthwhile. “For mature women, the selection of lipstick is trickier because they tend to have thinner and drier lips.” A safe bet, King says, is to “choose a more muted tone and just a hydrating sheer color; a tinted lip balm may be more suitable than a fully pigmented lipstick.”
What should I look for in lipstick for mature skin?
Hyaluronic acid is a beneficial ingredient for older women. “Hyaluronic acid provides hydration and plumpness — it also helps fill in the cracks on the surface of the lips by drawing in moisture, also known as a humectant,” says Badro.
Other moisturizing heavy hitters are emollients like shea butter and cocoa butter, which work to soften dry cracks and blur the appearance of fine lines. These ingredients are also responsible for giving your lipstick formulas that easy-gliding feeling. Regarding ingredients to avoid, Guth recommends steering clear of matte lipstick formulas, as they’re drier in consistency and may highlight fine lines.
How should I apply lipstick for mature skin?
Aside from seeking more nourishing ingredients for your maturing lips, your application technique plays a vital role in your finished look. To enhance the look of your lips, start with a clear lip balm to prime and prep the area. “Primers are a great way to ensure that the products stay in place and can prevent feathering, which can draw attention to fine lines,” Guth says.
