Why I’m Trying Out Frosted Lipstick This Season – Essence

Finding the right lipstick shade may vary throughout the year. In spring and summer, no-makeup makeup and understated tones—like caramel, nude, and apricot—may be your top picks. This season, however, the maximal shimmer of mixed metal lipstick is the most holiday-ready trend in my makeup bag—and they’re not even red.

Back in July, MAC Cosmetics released eight archived lipstick shades in honor of their 40th anniversary. The limited Lipstick Bringbacks were a recollection of discontinued shades—from their most requested shade in history “Fleshpot” to the iridescent warm white “Bubbles”—bringing back all the craze of 1990s Lil’ Kim-approved lipsticks. 

Now, with the holiday season ahead, two shades in particular haven’t left my lips (except for when I chat about how they’re my all-time favorites). “Haku”, an iridescent blue-green tone, encapsulates the celebratory duochrome of Christmas and New Years and the ideal compliment to my cool-neutral undertones. Unlike this season’s red tones, like the famous “Ruby Woo” shade, metallics are a step-up from summer’s no-makeup makeup but a step-down from the strong power lip.

As the warm metallic opposite of Haku, “Chintz”, named after polished cotton fabric, is my must-have, runner up shade. I prefer cool-toned makeup, but my next to neutral undertone can still pull off Chintz’s deep-bronze hue as my Thanksgiving lip. The pearlescent, semi-lustrous finish is the perfect nude for my skintone, but with a festive flair.

Contoured with a generous layer of the “Stone” and “Chestnut” lip pencil, “[mixed metal lipstick] can be concentrated in the center of the lips to create the illusion of volume or applied as a sheer coat across its entirety for something super luxurious,” MAC creative director of makeup artistry Terry Barber says in a MAC trend alert. 

Like the sequins on a holiday gown or the shimmer of a ribbon-clad gift, Haku and Chintz are the most holiday-ready lip shades, adding to the mixed metal decor of the season. On the days you tire of a rich, red lip, try taking metallics for a spin as a necessary switch up. Just be prepared that you may never switch back!