The lip combo, done properly

a lip combo is a lip liner plus a lipstick or gloss (sometimes both) layered for a shade no single tube gives you. the classic is brown liner with a nude or clear gloss in the middle. it came out of 90s Black and Latina beauty and it never left, because it works on literally everyone.

it's the cheapest way to look done. here's how to do it so it looks expensive, not muddy 💋

what you need

• a lip liner, one to two shades deeper than your natural lip colour. creamy pencils blend better than hard ones.
• a lipstick, lip oil or gloss. nude, clear, or a shade lighter than the liner.
• optional: a lip brush for blending, and concealer for cleaning up the edges.

the liner is the part that matters. a $6 drugstore one is totally fine.

how to do it, step by step

1. prep. balm on while you do the rest of your face. blot it off before you start, or the liner slides around.
2. find your line. start at the cupid's bow: two little Xs at the peaks, or a soft V. then the centre of your bottom lip.
3. line the shape. short strokes from the outer corners in to the centre, top and bottom. keep to your natural line at the corners.
4. overline only where it counts. go just past your natural line at the cupid's bow and the middle of the bottom lip. a millimetre, not a centimetre. nowhere else.
5. fill the outer third with liner. this is what makes it a combo and not a ring around your mouth. blend it toward the centre with your finger or a lip brush.
6. gloss or lipstick in the centre. pat it on the middle of both lips and press them together. it melts into the liner instead of sitting on top of it.
7. clean the edges. a tiny bit of concealer on a small flat brush, just outside the line. everything gets sharper.

overlining: the rule

overline at the cupid's bow and the centre of your bottom lip. that's where your lips catch light anyway, so it reads as fuller, not drawn on.

overline the corners and it's giving clown, not baddie. the corners pull down and your mouth looks smudged by noon.

combos that work

go by how deep your skin is and whether it leans warm or cool. these are starting points, not laws.

skin	liner	centre
fair, cool	rosy brown or mauve	pink nude or clear gloss
fair, warm	soft warm brown	peachy nude gloss
medium	warm brown or cinnamon	caramel nude lipstick, clear gloss on top
olive	brown with a hint of red	nude rose or clear gloss
deep, warm	espresso or chocolate	clear gloss or caramel
deep, cool	deep plum brown	clear gloss or a berry-tinted gloss

the 90s combo is a dark brown liner with a clear or nude gloss on almost anyone. if you only learn one, learn that one.

how to make it last

• fill the whole lip with liner before the gloss, not just the outer third. liner is the layer that lasts longest.
• lipstick lasts longer than gloss. blot with a tissue, then do a second coat.
• reapply the centre, not the whole thing. the liner usually survives a drink.

the mistakes

• liner way darker than everything else with no blending. that's a 2004 ring. blend the inner edge.
• overlining the corners. see above. please.
• gloss on dry, flaky lips. it sits in every crack. exfoliate with a damp washcloth and balm the night before.
• matte liner with a sheer gloss on a hot day. the gloss moves and the liner doesn't. blot more, gloss less.
• going too light in the centre. a concealer-pale lip on deep skin looks grey. the centre should be close to your own lip colour or warmer.

where it fits

a lip combo is the fastest step in any full face. building the rest? start with how to glow up for the skin under it. want a direction for the whole look? find your type: a mob wife wants a deep brown liner and a glossy red-brown, a clean girl wants a rosy liner and a balm.

FAQ

what is a lip combo?

a lip combo is a lip liner plus a lipstick, lip oil or gloss, worn together for a custom shade and a defined shape. the classic is a brown liner with a nude or clear gloss in the centre.

should lip liner be darker than lipstick?

for a combo, yes: one to two shades deeper than your natural lip or the lipstick, then blended into the centre. for a single bold colour, like red, match the liner to the lipstick instead.

how do you overline without it looking fake?

only go a millimetre past your natural line, and only at the cupid's bow and the centre of the bottom lip. keep the corners on your natural line, and blend the liner into the centre.

what is the 90s lip combo?

a dark brown lip liner with a clear or nude gloss in the middle. it came out of 90s Black and Latina beauty and works on almost every skin tone.