money Taylor Swift Loves These Lipsticks, Based on My Extensive Editor Research
"Hearst Magazines and Yahoo may earn commission or revenue on some items through these links."
As a beauty editor and the ringleader of the Cosmo-Swifties Slack channel, I'm the person everyone comes to when they need details on what the hell Taylor Swift is wearing on her face. The infamous glitter freckles? I had the link in my bookmarks. Her liquid eyeliner that lasts through a rain show? Pat McGrath, and yes, it's truly that waterproof. But the question flooding my DMs at all times is definitely what Taylor Swift's lipstick. Tay's red lipstick has been a mainstay in her makeup routine for nearly a decade (fun fact: her first swipe of red lipstick was on her 2009 Allure cover, and she's never gone back), but even nude lip colors have people stumped. How does her lipstick stay on so long? Why does it always look so good on her skin tone? What's the secret, and why is it such a secret?
Luckily, after some serious research, I have some insight into a few of Taylor Swift's favorite lipsticks over the years, including her go-to reds, of course. Her makeup artist is notoriously tight-lipped (hehe) about what she uses on Tay, but she's given a few things away, which I've rounded up all right here.
LiquiLust Legendary Wear Lipstick in Elson 4
We know Taylor wore this in the "Bejeweled" music video when the legendary Pat McGrath partnered on Taylor's makeup. But she's rumored to wear it now pretty much any time she's got red lipstick on, especially on tour, because the formula does not budge. Remember at the AFC Championship game, when Taylor ran onto the field to kiss Travis, and her red lipstick legit did not move or transfer? She was probably wearing this. The liquid formula dries down with a matte finish, but it doesn't feel too heavy or drying on the lips either. TBH, it's practically always out of stock—but don't worry, you can purchase with the link here. FWIW, it also comes in a traditional bullet lipstick formula, but it's not nearly as long-wearing.
Air Matte Lip Color in Morroco
Taylor's long-time makeup artist Lorrie Turk took to IG stories to finally give us some much-needed insight on Tay's fav nude lipstick. "So many people asking about this lipstick that Taylor wears all the time," Turk wrote. "It's NARS Morocco Lipstick. She's worn it for years." Here's the thing: The O.G. lipstick is great, but it's not all that long-wearing, and we know Taylor loves something that stays on for hours and hours. Enter: The Air Matte Lip Color, which glides smoothly onto lips with a weightless feel but dries down for a longer wear-time than a standard lipstick. I have a feeling Taylor has this shade in a bunch of formats, but for every day, she opts for this comfortable one.
M·A·Cximal Silky Matte Lipstick in Ruby Woo
In 2015, Taylor raved to People about MAC's Ruby Woo, noting she was probably the last person to discover it. And I'm not shocked—it's the staple blue-based, classic red lip color that makeup artists have kept in their kits for decades. Many people even say it's universally flattering on all skin tones because of the rich undertones. In 2024, MAC reformulated its matte lipsticks, including Ruby Woo, so the formula is extra buttery and soft now with all the same pigment.
Powermatte High-Intensity Long-Lasting Lip Pencil in Dragon Girl
There was once a blind item that an A-list celebrity was collaborating with a makeup brand on a lipstick, and I was so utterly convinced it was Taylor Swift and NARS considering she single-handedly convinced me to buy this pencil in high school. She went on and on for many years about how this was her favorite red, especially during the Red era when she was practically living in red lipstick. The pencil format makes this extremely easy to put on (just line your lips, then fill in), and it's so teeny tiny that it easily tucks into any bag.
Lip Soufflé Matte Cream Lipstick
I refuse to believe Taylor doesn't have a few Rare Beauty picks in her makeup bag supporting her bestie Selena Gomez, including this vivid red matte lipstick. It's a bit brighter than Taylor typically goes—with more of a true-red tone than the blue base of the others on this list—but that's precisely why I think she'd keep it on hand. It's giving Chiefs red. And the formula is fantastic—it's got a creamy texture that really smooths all of your lip lines and avoids any dry patches or texture.
Rouge Dior Forever Liquid Transfer-Proof Lipstick
Spotted decked out in Chanel, Gucci, Louis Vuitton, and the like, Taylor has been on quite the ~label~ kick recently. So she prob also keeps a super fancy red lipstick with her to match those occasions. Dior Forever Liquid Lipstick is perfect because it does not transfer or smudge at all once it dries down. Plus, it comes in a really beautiful true-red shade with a slight blue undertone that definitely matches TS's usual lipstick vibe.
Stunna Lip Paint Longwear Fluid Lip Color in Underdawg
Taylor wore a deep burgundy lip color the entire Reputation era, including during the stadium tour. Unfortunately, she allegedly used a custom mix of a bunch of different lipstick shades, so we can't exactly pinpoint what she used. But based on lots of swatching, this liquid lipstick from Fenty is pretty damn close. It's got the mix of brown and dark plum tones, but still feels like a darkened version of the reds she traditionally goes for. As we're getting ready to enter Rep era 2.0, she'll likely be sporting this shade again soon...
Why trust ‘Cosmopolitan’?
Beth Gillette is the beauty editor at Cosmopolitan with six years of experience researching, writing, and editing makeup stories that range from cherry makeup to 2025 makeup trends. She's a huge Swiftie (a title she takes seriously), so she's basically made it her life's work to dig into Taylor Swift's glam trying to decipher what products she's using and wearing at any given time, which helped write this story.
You Might Also Like
