The best brown lipsticks as tried and tested by beauty writers

Out of all of the lipsticks I tried, I didn't imagine the most pigmented would be my favourite and wow, was I wrong. If you want to nail the '90s look, Too Faced's Cocoa Bold Lipstick in the shade Chocolate Chip will get you there. Bonus point? It also smells like chocolate (literally unreal) so you're in for a total treat.

This shade is distinctly, the most 'brown' of the lipsticks I tried and it can be built up or down depending on how you want to wear it. It has a precise, angled tip to create definition, making the application seamless, and has a creamy finish so feels super hydrating on your lips yet still retains long-lasting power. Its packaging feels luxe yet fresh, with a magnetic lid that snaps into place. Love, love, love it.

If you've always wanted to try out brown lipstick but want to achieve a more subtle look, REFY's Lip Gloss is all you need. I love the shade Fawn that adds a slight bit of colour without looking too overpowering. If you prefer the natural look, this shade is one you can wear daily: barefaced, to the gym, whenever, wherever. You can build it up depending on how pigmented you like it, so it's a really versatile shade.

I have never seen lipgloss shine like it, it almost has a flawless glass-like finish that is effortlessly wearable. The only thing I found is that it does have to be reapplied often, and that application can be a little messy. However, I love the overall packaging, and how clean and minimal it looks. A great choice for a brown lipgloss.

Want to see how beauty writer, Georgia Scott rated the REFY Lip Blush? Check out her full review.

MAC's lipliners are nothing short of a sensation and have been recommended by the Love Island lot and members of our team alike. There's a reason we keep going back to them. After seeing a makeup artist use the shade Cork, I thought I'd try it out for myself. I can also highly recommend the sell-out shade Stone, (my favourite lipliner of all time, which I ended up losing on a night out) cooler in tone but perfect for creating that '90s lip.

As a paler girly, I wanted to start subtle and work up to something more pigmented. So, I lined my lips with MAC's Lip Pencil in Cork and went in with MAC's Kinda Sexy Matte Lipstick to soften it out. The pencil is precise, doesn't wear down easily and has some great lasting power. I really enjoyed the final look overall and it's a liner I'll be adding to my makeup arsenal. However, I have to say I slightly prefer Stone by a margin.

MAC's Powder Kiss Velver Blur Slim Stick is the perfect in-between for a nude and a brown shade, and its matte, powder-like quality is giving us major flashbacks tbh. Lovingly dubbed a 'dirty nude', it has the potential to transition from day to night. It looked super flattering with my hair and skin tone and one reviewer commented, 'The colour is buildable on the lips and looks flattering on my brown skin', so it's amazing to know it's a shade that works well on many skin tones.

One thing to be mindful of is the application, and I'd recommend going in with a liner beforehand to perfect the shape you want first. With it being matte, it does show up some of your imperfections. If anything, it was probably slightly too matte for me, while I prefer something with a bit more of a semi-matte finish. This is where it fell short slightly, but others might love this if they can't resist matte lipstick.

An extremely popular shade at the moment, MAC's Macximal Matte Lipstick in Taupe is one to watch. MAC describes it as a 'muted reddish taupe brown shade' which is exactly how it translates in person. Its warm, matte finish is giving us all of the '90s vibes, but it's really wearable too. One commenter said 'Taupe is the best nude I have ever found as a brown girl', so a great colour across many skin tones.

In all honesty, I found it very similar to Over The Taupe in MAC Powder Kiss Velvet Blur Slim Stick. So much so, I had a debate with my friends over the differences in shade and none of us could find any. However, I do feel like the finish made all the difference and I love that it's silky yet matte with a pointed tip for precision while applying, which is why I've given it a slightly higher rating.

Heat's shopping editor, Aimee Jakes, can also vouch for this shade.

Anastasia Beverly Hills' Satin Lipstick has a gorgeous sheer finish making it a stunning wearable shade. I could easily carry this in my daytime bag or wear it on a night out. It matches well with the MAC Lip Liner in Cork, and although it looks more nude/pink in photographs, it's much warmer in person, resulting in a soft brown shade much like its name.

Despite being satin, it doesn't bleed or transfer much and I noticed after rubbing my lips together it retains its shape surprisingly well. Its sharp, angled tip allows you to define your lips with ease and the finish simply glides on while leaving your lips feeling conditioned and hydrated. It's a fab start for those wanting to experiment with a brown lip colour, as it's in between brown and nude and feels really natural to wear.

Beauty writer at heat, Emma Richardson can't recommend Barry M's Lip Liner enough. She says, 'When it comes to lipstick, I tend to steer clear of darker shades such as brown, but this lip liner from Barry M is too good to not use.' She went on to say 'It's really creamy and goes on the lips like a dream, and looks especially good for date night makeup looks. I usually use it to subtly line my lips, but it could easily be used as an all-over lip shade, similar to a lipstick'.

Maybelline's New York Lip Colour is a force to be reckoned with. Boasting up to 16 hours of wear, this lip colour comes in a stunning high-gloss finish which reviewers say isn't tacky or sticky either. One reviewer described the colour as a 'a nice orange warm nude colour'. with product pictures translating as a warmer brown shade. So perfect if you're looking for that in-between, nude brown lip colour with a warm tone.

Velvety, non-drying and super light, you won't even remember you're wearing it - except for all the compliments you'll be receiving, obviously. NYX Professional Makeup Suede Matte Lipstick is available in a few brown tones, such as Bunch Me and Free Spirit, with darker tones such as Lalaland really adding some depth. Hundreds of reviews state that despite its affordable price point, it performs 'amazingly'.

Rum Raisin is the ultimate '90s shade, and you'll be pleased to know it's still going strong. Revlon dominated the lipstick industry during this era with its brown-toned shades - and Rum Raisin is no exception. Rumberry is another brown-toned shade in the Super Lustrous Lipsticks, but a deeper, darker and vampire shade, whereas rum raisin is lighter and warmer. One reviewer commented, 'Bought this after seeing it on Instagram and it's everything and more than I had hoped it would be'. That's all we need to know.

90's Baby from Rimmel is definitely a statement lip colour, there's no doubt about it. Ideal for teaming with smudged liner, this is an authentic-looking, grungy '90s shade. It's characterised by a hint of shimmer with a creamy finish. And, reviewers say the Lasting Finish Lipstick is just that - a long-lasting shade with a fantastic colour payoff. We love that it's enriched with aloe butter and natural oils for hydrated lips as you wear it.

From its foundations to its lipstick, NARS has certainly made a name for itself in the world of beauty. The Powermatte Lipstick comes recommended by reviewers, with one saying 'Such a nice colour and lasts many hours. It doesn’t make my lips feel dry either, considering it is a matte lipstick'. The formula combines a blend of pure pigments with colour-locking ingredients for lasting, powerful colour.

The Milani Color Fetish Nudes Collection came recommended by tried and tested reviewers on Reddit, so we know this is the real deal. (Trust Reddit to help us with all of our problems). This is an affordable lippy with a velvet matte finish and high colour payoff, and the collection is designed with all skin tones in mind. A faithful customer commented, 'Milani, you kill it with your lip products, you really do', going on to say that they owned a few shades and that they're a long-lasting, non-drying lip colour.

With thousands of glowing reviews, ILIA takes clean beauty to new heights with a reimagined take on its cult-classic lip balm. The Balmy Tint Hydrating Lip Balm in the shade Faded comes in a neutral cocoa brown, perfect for all skin tones. The easy-to-wear everyday balm is buildable and contains moisture-boosting ingredients for hydrating wear. One customer commented, 'Faded is the perfect cocoa brown for year-round'.

The perfect nude-brown lipstick for a matte 90s supermodel-inspired lip look. The Matte Revolution lipstick in So 90s is a long-lasting, buildable matte brown lipstick for a timelessly elegant soft chocolate cream pout. A blend of oils, triglycerides and waxes gives you buildable, long-lasting colour for up to 10 hours. One commenter recommended this lip colour, saying 'If you have medium to deep skin tone and you have naturally darker lips, try this colour out'.

Ideal for a low-key everyday brown, this Glossier lip colour gives the look and finish of just-blotted lipstick, without the blot. The dialled-down pigment adapts to your natural lip colour and gives a casual look that appears a little different on everyone, perfect for all skin tones. A reviewer said, 'This lipstick is amazing, looks so natural and just really pulls my whole look together'.