17 best matte lipsticks for a velvety finish
There's nothing pulls together a look like matte lipsticks can. Hear us out. A clear lip gloss is great, sure, but when if you want a pop of colour that won't smudge or budge throughout the day, the best matte lipstick formulas shine. After all, they're formulated to provide a dose of colour and comfort without melting off halfway through your workday or event.
At the same time, matte lipsticks are still quite versatile, despite all sharing a matte finish across the board (duh). The right lipstick can tie your entire look together, whether you're going for a bolder makeup look that will turn heads or something a bit subtle and suitable for everyday wear. Plus, you'll find that many long-wearing lipsticks also contain skincare-like ingredients such as hyaluronic acid that help keep your lips hydrated and nourished.
Best matte lipsticks at a glance – our top picks
- Best matte lipstick overall: Huda Beauty Power Bullet Matte Lipstick, WAS £23 NOW £18.30, Sephora
- Best matte lipstick for a natural look: Charlotte Tilbury Matte Revolution Lipstick Pillow Talk, £26, Sephora
- Best affordable matte lipstick: L'Oreal Paris Color Riche Intense Volume Matte, £9.99, Boots
- Best matte lipstick with a creamy formula: MAC Matte Lipstick, WAS £17.50 NOW £15.75, LookFantastic
With Black Friday and Christmas deals fast-approaching, you can grab a couple of your favourite matte lipsticks and make a custom gift set for your loved ones – after all, it's bound to win you more brownie points than a gift card ever will. But of course, it's not the easiest of choices considering how many lipstick shades there are to choose from, from nudes and browns and taupes to reds and pinks and mauves. And although the lipsticks below are all matte, they offer completely different textures, including creamy or liquid lipsticks.
To help guide your decision, we've put together a full edit of all the very best matte lipsticks out there, with options available for every budget, preference and skin tone. Below, you'll find a bit of everything, including our personal favourites, as well as newer, trending lipsticks and timeless classics. We've also made sure to include a variety of formulas in terms of coverage and pigmentation, meaning there's definitely something on this list for everyone.
The power of the lip.
Not in the mood for matte? Why not try a nourishing lip balm with a hint of tint, or a dewy clear lip gloss? And if you're looking to restock on all your favourite makeup and skincare products ahead of Black Friday, check out our guides for the best liquid eyeliners, best primers, best hyaluronic acid serums, best highlighters and the best perfumes.
For more shoppable beauty content from Glamour UK Commerce Writer Denise Primbet, follow her on Twitter @deniseprimbet and Instagram @deniseprimbet.
Scroll down to see our lineup of the best matte lipsticks that are long-lasting and non-drying…
Best matte lipstick overall
Huda Beauty Power Bullet Matte Lipstick, WAS £23 NOW £18.30, Sephora
Why we love it: Huda Beauty's done it again. This matte lipstick is a must-have, especially if you're looking for a highly pigmented product that flatters virtually any skin tone. Each shade comes enriched with nourishing ingredients such as sweet almond oil that hydrates your lips as you wear it.
Enjoy big savings using these Sephora discount codes.
Best liquid matte lipstick
Armani Lip Maestro Liquid Lipstick - Freeze Collection, WAS £32 NOW £17.60, LookFantastic
Why we love it: The Lip Maestro is Armani's first-ever liquid lipstick that provides a velvety, matte finish. It's comfortable to wear, thanks to its weightless formula that's non-sticky and long-lasting. This lipstick is inspired by 60's pastels, so each lip colour contains a special white pigment that gives off a frosted colour effect. Absolutely unique.
Make sure to bookmark these LookFantastic discount codes to save when you shop for the best matte lipsticks.
Best hydrating matte lipstick
Vieve Modern Matte Lipstick, £21, Cult Beauty
Why we love it: Highly pigmented and super hydrating? Sign us up. This lipstick is an absolute delight to use, providing you with a bold, matte colour that doesn't leave your lips looking flat or dry. It's moisturising, blendable and buildable too, so if you want to go for a lighter look, you can apply a small amount with your fingers to create a delicate tint. Available in 11 different shades.
Make sure to bookmark these Cult Beauty discount codes for big savings.
Best matte lipstick for a vibrant look
Valentino Beauty Rosso Valentino Matte Refillable Lipstick, £33, Selfridges
Why we love it: Feeling a bit bold? Then this is definitely the lipstick for you. It comes in a wide range of colours – 50 shades, to be exact – which includes 16 bright reds, with the rest being more subtle nudes and pinks. This matte lipstick also has a formula that's specifically designed to reflect light, making your lips look as vibrant as ever.
Best matte lipstick with a creamy formula
MAC Matte Lipstick, WAS £17.50 NOW £15.75, LookFantastic
Why we love it: When it comes to matte lipsticks, MAC is one of the top contenders. In fact, this particular product has an incredibly creamy and rich formula that coats your lips in highly pigmented hues. It comes in a wide range of red, pink, berry and nude undertones that leave a no-shine finish and last for up to 10 hours at a time. Seriously, it's easily one of the best options on the market and a favourite among makeup artists.
Make sure to bookmark these LookFantastic discount codes to save when you shop for the best matte lipsticks.
Best matte lipstick for a natural look
Charlotte Tilbury Matte Revolution Lipstick Pillow Talk, £26, Sephora
Why we love it: Let's be real – Charlotte Tilbury products are a godsend, and this lipstick only backs that up. It's nourishing, hydrating and long-lasting. Pick it up in the famous original Pillow Talk shade and you'll see that it's guaranteed to become your go-to thanks to its value in helping create minimalistic, everyday looks. Available in a range of pinks and taupes, suitable for fair skin tones.
Enjoy big savings using these Sephora discount codes.
Best velvety matte lipstick
Yves Saint Laurent Rouge Pur Couture The Slim Lipstick, WAS £31 NOW £24.80, LookFantastic
Why we love it: Looking for something that can deliver a leather-matte finish every time? Say no more. Yves Saint Laurent's latest lipstick is available in a range of richly pigmented red, nude and plum shades. Each lip colour has a long-wearing formula that provides full coverage and allows you to create an iconic look so precisely that you won't even need a lip liner.
Make sure to bookmark these LookFantastic discount codes to save when you shop for the best matte lipsticks.
Best long-wearing matte lipstick
Maybelline Superstay 24 Matte Ink Lipstick, £9.99, LookFantastic
Why we love it: This long-lasting lipstick is not only affordable, but it provides up to 12 hours of wear and is available in a wide selection of colours too. Its liquid matte formula glides onto your lips effortlessly too, thanks to the included arrow applicator lip brush that gives you both precision and control over your final look.
Best affordable matte lipstick
L'Oreal Paris Color Riche Intense Volume Matte, £9.99, Boots
Why we love it: Who ever said that a sensibly-priced lipstick can't have everything you need? This one from L'Oreal Paris is transfer-resistant, long-lasting and great at keeping your lips hydrated throughout the day, thanks to ingredients such as hyaluronic acid. It's available in 12 shades too, which may not seem like much, yet covers a wide range of skin tones.
Make sure to bookmark these Boots discount codes to save when you shop for the best matte lipsticks.
Best matte lip pencil
NARS Cosmetics Velvet Matte Lip Pencil, £20, LookFantastic
Why we love it: Sometimes you just want to toss your lipstick aside and instead go for a good, reliable lip pencil/crayon. This one from NARS has a velvet and creamy texture that coats your lips with rich pigmented colour. It also comes in a jumbo size, which makes it sooo easy to apply.
Make sure to bookmark these LookFantastic discount codes to save when you shop for the best matte lipsticks.
Best matte lip cream
NYX Professional Makeup Soft Matte Lip Cream, WAS £7 NOW £5.60, LookFantastic
Why we love it: A classic. This NYX matte lip cream comes in a range of nudes, reds and mauves, all of which deliver smooth coverage that will never feel cakey or dry. You can also rest easy since it won't budge or smudge throughout the day. At this price, it's a must-have.
Best transfer-proof matte lipstick
Huda Beauty Liquid Matte Ultra-Comfort Transfer Proof Lipstick, WAS £18 NOW £14.73, Sephora
Why we love it: This liquid matte lipstick has a new and reworked formula that's both vegan and perfectly suitable for all skin tones. You can expect a one-swipe application no matter your choice of colour. It's streak-proof, flake-proof and transfer-proof – in other words, it's so comfortable, you'll forget it's even there. It won't smudge on face masks either.
Enjoy big savings using these Sephora discount codes.
Best vegan matte lipstick
Kylie Cosmetics Matte Liquid Lipstick, £16, Boots
Why we love it: Who else but Kylie? This creamy matte lipstick has a staying power of up to 8 hours and gives your pout a budge-resistant finish. Its formula is highly pigmented, vegan and cruelty-free too, meaning you can be both stylish and environmentally-conscious at the same time.
Make sure to bookmark these Boots discount codes to save when you shop for the best matte lipsticks.
Best red matte lipstick
NARS Powermatte Lipstick, £25, LookFantastic
Why we love it: A great red lipstick, if you need one. It's lightweight, comfortable to wear and contains a blend of pure pigments that lock in colour. Each shade is transfer-resistant and offers full coverage for longer. Seriously, run, don't walk to the checkout button.
Make sure to bookmark these LookFantastic discount codes to save when you shop for the best matte lipsticks.
Best rouge matte lipstick
Sephora Collection Sephora Rouge Matte Lipstick, £12.99, Sephora
Why we love it: Sephora recently launched its website in the United Kingdom, which means you have no excuse not to enjoy the brand's best products. And that includes this lipstick, which is affordable and comes in matte, satin or lacquer finishes. It's also lightweight and pleasant to wear, thanks to the inclusion of shea butter in its formula.
Enjoy big savings using these Sephora discount codes.
Best matte lipstick for dark skin tones
UOMA Beauty Badass Icon Concentrated Matte Lipstick, WAS £21.50 NOW £10.75, LookFantastic
Why we love it: The UOMA Beauty Badass Icon matte lipstick is rich in colour and incredibly flattering for those of us with dark skin tones. Here, you'll find skincare-like ingredients such as wild mango butter that keep your lips moisturised. It's also easy to apply and comfortable to wear, which is always a win in our book.
Make sure to bookmark these LookFantastic discount codes to save when you shop for the best matte lipsticks.
Best premium matte lipstick
Pat McGrath Labs MatteTrance Lipstick, £36, Sephora
Why we love it: Just like all Pat McGrath products, this lipstick comes in luxuriously beautiful packaging. Its matte lipstick provides a lightweight finish and leave behind an opaque colour. Applying it is as easy as 1-2-3.
Enjoy big savings using these Sephora discount codes.
