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From unintentional smudging to round-the-clock reapplication, there’s nothing nonchalant about a perfectly drawn fall lipstick. Once you commit, you must do maintenance all day long. And while the reward of, say, a classic burgundy lip often outweighs the inconvenience, there’s also beauty in a perfectly color-calibrated tint that’s a winning improvement on your natural lip color.
That’s where the season’s most exciting—and innovative—lip balms, stains, oils, and even liquid powders come in. When applied blindly en route to any destination, they sink right in, deposit a diffused wash of color that won’t bleed or melt, and condition against wind and chapping. Here, the five nourishing fall lipstick alternatives worth stashing in the pocket of any tailored wool blazer or cozy puffer coat.
Victoria Beckham Beauty Bitten Lip Tint
Victoria Beckham has been staking her claim in the lip game with sublime results. For a lightweight and plumping swipe of tinted color, there’s her new Bitten Lip Tint, which comes in two lovely hues—Chérie, a sheer pink rose, and Bisou, a rich nude-berry—and bestows rejuvenating squalene and hyaluronic acid.
Pat McGrath Labs Lip Fetish Lip Balm
For those who don’t want to part with a traditional tube, legendary pro Pat McGrath’s luminous lip balms, which glide on like butter and come in long-lasting satin and shimmery shades, are so wildly flattering, it’s impossible to go wrong. Housed in sleek white and gold–trimmed bullets, they’re all the ammo needed for a chilly night on the town.
Chanel Rouge Allure Liquid Matte Lip Color Powder Effect
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Designed with blur technology for a creamy matte texture, this powdery liquid pigment comes in a decadent spectrum of bright pinks and deep reds that give lips a lush, soft-focus finish.
Westman Atelier Baby Cheeks Blush Stick
Makeup pro Gucci Westman’s creamy blush stick instantly wakes up a dull complexion—but it can also be pressed onto the mouth for a complementary pop of color. Infused with restorative berry flux vita and jojoba oil, it has been referred to in passing as the “lip tint of the gods.”
Revlon Kiss Cushion Lip Tint
With the color payoff of a stain and the feel of velvety balm, a swipe of this jumbo pen with its soft cushion tip applicator and coconut oil–spiked formula gives lips a juicy-hued flush.
Clarins Water Lip Stain and Comfort Oil
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If you want to double down on head-swiveling color and a dewy finish, there isn’t a more fruitful pairing than Clarins’s Water Lip Stain and Instant Light Lip Comfort Oil; the former delivers lightweight, water-based pigment in bright jewel tones that go on as sheer as cellophane, while the latter adds a matching dose of color and coats the lips in protective fatty acid–rich oils.
Shiseido Color Gel Lip Balm
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Offered in a range of shades inspired by the nature of Japan, this sumptuous cross between a balm and a lipstick goes on smooth and stays put without leaving lips parched.
Yves Saint Laurent Volupté Liquid Color Balm
Supercharged with shea butter, vitamin E, coconut water, and jojoba oil, this rich balm delivers vibrant color with a cool burst of moisture, plus YSL's signature juicy mango scent to boot.
NARS Orgasm Oil-Infused Lip Tint
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Imparting the same pink glow as the brand’s cult classic blush shade, this sheer peach pink tint is infused with golden shimmer, as well as raspberry and pomegranate seed oils that nourish and safeguard.
Fenty Beauty Kiss’R Luscious Lip Balm
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“I’m obsessed with soft, luscious, kissable lips,” says Rihanna of the inspiration behind Fenty Beauty's creamy balm, which is laced with hydrating shea and mango seed butters and boasts an addictive peach-vanilla scent. It comes in four different everyday-wearable shades, from sheer chocolate to a universal pink sheen.
Uoma Beauty Boss Gloss
Designed to deliver gloss levels of sheen but with the pigment payoff and long-wear of a stain, Uoma Beauty's Boss Gloss comes in the most sumptuous selection of jewel-toned shades, from neon pink Rose to fuchsia pink Ambition.
Hermès Rosy Lip Enhancer
Offered in a trio of gorgeous warm, rosy hues, the iconic French fashion house's sleek lip enhancer supplies a layer of fresh, transparent pink color in one swipe.
Elaluz Oil-Infused Lip Gloss
Putting a glowing finish at the forefront, beauty entrepreneur Camila Coelho's latest launch is an oil-infused lip gloss that features gorgeous base colors, ranging from nude blush to deep berry, with a flattering, glass-like shine.