Searches for "matte lipstick" grew nearly 19% in the United States between September 2025 and August 2026, according to the Spate Popularity Index, which aggregates data from Google, TikTok, and Instagram. The number confirms what red carpets and runways have been signaling for weeks: bold, pigmented lipstick is back at the front of the trend cycle.

The celebrity catalysts came in quick succession. Florence Pugh appeared at the premiere of her Netflix series East of Eden with lips matched exactly to her ruby Bulgari choker — a deep cranberry shade created by her makeup artist, Alex Babsky. Days later, Dakota Johnson appeared in Taylor Swift's "Patient Zero" music video, where both stars apply dark, bold lipstick onscreen, and then walked the Verity press red carpet in a stunning crimson hue. On Instagram, commenters begged Babsky and Johnson's makeup artist, Georgie Eisdell, for shade details. Both artists revealed the looks were custom blends built from multiple products.

What do the numbers say?

The data points all move in the same direction:

• "Matte lipstick," "red lipstick," and "bold lipstick" searches are all up, per the Spate Popularity Index.
• Pinterest's 2026 Beauty Trend Report logged a 121% increase in searches for "bold lip combo."
• Makeup artists told Allure that a bare face with a bold lip ranks among their favorite trends for the 2026 fall and winter season.
• The report also flags maximalist makeup as due for a comeback.

Why is the tide turning now?

Teny Kureghian, global head of product development at MAC Cosmetics — currently at work on the relaunch of several MAC lipstick franchises — sees the shift as cyclical. "Glosses, balms, and stains have made perfect sense for the way people have been wearing makeup," she says. "They're effortless, comfortable, and low commitment as you get color, texture, and shine without having to think too much about it. But beauty always moves in cycles, and I think we're starting to crave intention again."

Hannah Murray, global artistic director for Bobbi Brown, frames the pattern historically. "The neutral earthy tones of the '70s gave way to the full glamour of the '80s; the minimal '90s evolved into the glossy, pearlescent lips of the 2000s, followed by the matte revolution of 2010s," she says. "Each swing reflects the cultural shifts of its era, and makeup evolves with them."

How will this wave differ from the 2010s matte era?

Alexis Androulakis, product developer and one-half of the Lipstick Lesbians, argues consumers have "exhausted the life cycle" of watery stains and glossy balms. She points to spring 2027 runways — Simone Rocha, Marc Jacobs, and Chanel — as early signals of a return to opaque, longer-wearing lip products.

The difference from the Kylie Lip Kit era, she says, lies in technique and texture. "We have a lot more lip liner activity than we've ever had before," Androulakis notes, citing the proliferation of products built for layering, such as long-wear lip stain liners. She expects the bold lip of 2026 to be less flat and more "nuanced," drawing on the blurred aesthetic from K-beauty, with a velvety finish that wears more comfortably than the ultra-drying super-mattes of the past.

What is launching?

The industry is already moving. Victoria Beckham just launched Rouge Victoria, a line of six demi-matte red lipsticks spanning vibrant poppy to deep crimson. MAC Cosmetics is preparing to relaunch its Frost lipstick line, which includes shimmery statement shades like rich plum and silvery-black.

Is there staying power?

Babsky, for his part, does not follow trends — Pugh's cranberry lip came together organically. "I originally envisaged a softer, stained lip, but as the glam came together in the makeup chair, I could see that the makeup needed a more definite focal point, so I made the original stained lip deeper in color," he explains. "Then, when Florence finally put on the fabulous Bulgari choker, I could immediately see that I needed to make the lip even deeper and more defined."

Makeup artist and educator Kisha Augustine sees the ritual as the constant. "It was always more than just what it looked like. It was how it made you feel," she says. "A bold lip now is uncensored. It's intentional and authentic."

With holiday party season approaching and the relaunch pipeline already stocked, the bold lip enters 2027 with data, runways, and product development all pulling in the same direction.