By Adarsh Soni

Once upon a time, before Kylie Jenner, Lip Kits, and Tik Tok — right before we entered the new millennium — brown lipstick was an everyday staple. In an age of 1990s minimalism and grunge alike, every runway (and red carpet) was a sea of chocolate lips. From Naomi Campbell’s signature glossy mocha to Vivienne Westwood’s take on punk beauty — celebrities were constantly finding new and personal ways to wear brown lipstick.

The same is true for the present day, with the latest batch of It-girls putting their own spin on the trend. Euphoria (2019) alum Alexa Demie was seen wearing a soft brown lip at a recent event at the Academy Museum; Bella Hadid has effortlessly made it a regular part of her off-duty model look; and ‘Brownie Glazed Lips’ is one of the most searched beauty keywords on the internet, thanks to Hailey Bieber’s viral tutorial.

An integral part of the brown lipstick trend, the dark-defined liner can be traced back to Mexican American ‘chola culture’ — complete with pencil thin brows, gold hoop earrings and gelled baby hair. For the Latinas, brown lips are more than just an aesthetic and hold great cultural importance. Similarly, black and brown women all over the world use brown lipstick as an inclusive shade of ‘nude’ when fewer options are available.

We reached out to celebrity makeup artist Daniel Bauer (he’s worked with Katrina Kaif, Deepika Padukone, and Priyanka Chopra Jonas) to get the low down on this delicious shade and here’s what we found out.

Choosing The Lip Liner

“Always pick a lip liner that’s at least a shade or two darker than your natural complexion,” says Bauer. This will give you the illusion of fuller lips.

The Perfect Brown For You

“If you have cool undertones, opt for purple-based brown lip shades. Those with warm undertones can try brown lipsticks that have a pink or red base,” Bauer adds.

Wear It Up Or Wear It Down

“There are countless ways to wear brown lips. Keep it simple with a soft, matte look for the day and dab on several layers of gloss for a high shine look for the evening,” says Bauer.

Why is Everyone Wearing Brown Lipstick Now?