Let me give you a peek into the life of a beauty editor: My desk looks more like the back room of a Sephora than a workspace. My days are filled with writing about the latest nail and makeup trends, meeting with brand founders, and attending master classes where I get to try new products firsthand before they hit the shelves of your favorite stores. I’m also sent dozens of new formulas straight from the lab to test, from acne-safe moisturizers to restorative hair masks. All in a day’s work.
So, when I was at a breakfast event with a few fellow beauty editors a couple weeks back, I wasn’t exactly surprised when I asked my friend what she had on her lips and she replied, “It’s actually five different lip liners.” She promptly pulled out a fistful of products that looked like they had come straight from a makeup artist’s kit an hour before a red carpet. That moment pretty much summed up the state of lip makeup in 2026: With new lip launches dropping seemingly every week, it now takes three, four, sometimes even five products to create what looks like a simple, everyday lip.
Makeup artists are now layering several lip products to achieve that coveted “your lips but better” effect. When it comes to looking natural, more is less: We’re using more products and more layers to create a lip that looks effortless, like an elevated, glossier version of your natural lip color. The classic lip duo of a matching liner and lipstick has officially evolved into the lip cocktail, a carefully mixed combination of liners, balms, glosses, stains, and plumpers that creates a custom shade and finish.
Naturally, I had the urge to discover what other beauty editors are actually keeping in their bags. We’re showered with new launches every day, so what makes it into our personal makeup bags is about as good a stamp of approval as you can get. I asked my fellow editors at some of Cosmo’s sister publications, including Elle, Harper’s Bazaar, and Oprah Daily, to reach into their bags and pull out every lip product they actually carry with them, from the ones they reach for every morning to the formulas they keep on hand for a quick touch-up.
These are the products we can’t leave the house without and trust to get us through the day. Spoiler alert: There are a lot of liners and balms.
Jasmine Hyman, assistant beauty editor, Cosmopolitan
Number of lip products: 6
Lip MVP: Summer Fridays Butter Balm in Cherry
“My makeup routine is pretty minimal on a day-to-day basis. While it may look like I have a host of lip products fit for a full-glam lover, I tend to rely on neutral liners and glossy balms that simultaneously hydrate and add a wash of color rather than a bold hit of pigment. My favorite liners are Make Up For Ever’s Wherever Walnut (it’s a neutral icon for a reason) and Louis Vuitton’s Crayon Lip Pencil, which is delightfully creamy and seamless to apply, but unfortunately, it comes with a $58 price tag.
If I had to pick a current favorite child, it would be the Summer Fridays Lip Butter in Cherry. Its berry sheen, hydrating formula, and, not to mention, delicious taste—which I definitely sometimes use just to get a burst of cherry flavor—make it a continual reapply for me. And while we’re on the topic of food-forward flavors, that brings me to my other three balm picks (are we sensing a theme here?). Supergoop!’s SPF lip gloss, which I’ve been toting around all summer (our lips need sun protection, too!), has a non-gritty feel and subtle vanilla flavor that skips that sunscreen-y taste; Rhode’s Peptide Lip Treatment in Caramelized Banana, which was tragically limited edition, so I’m savoring every last swipe; and Glossier’s Balm Dotcom that has a sheer finish and an apple scent.”
Tasha Smith, beauty assistant, Elle
Number of lip products: 7
Lip MVP: Dr. Reju-All Lip Serum
“I just recently got a new work tote, so the lip stash in this new bag is admittedly much more modest than I’m used to. But I like to think of these as just some of my workweek lip products; each of my bags houses a little ecosystem of its own, spanning a going-out combo for my evening clutches, to a quick touch-up combo in my shoulder bags for errands.
Regardless, every combo consists of my holy trinity: a dark brown lip liner, a lip balm or treatment, and either a pink or clear lip gloss. My current bundle is no different, with a collection of lip stains and liners (plus an eyeliner, which I use to contour my lips because who’s going to stop me?) and one of my all-time favorite lip treatments from Dr. Reju-All. The formula is super rich and hydrating, and it has enough shine that I don’t have to go in with a gloss on top of it—even though I almost always do.”
Katie Intner, beauty market and commerce editor, Harper’s Bazaar
Number of lip products: 8
Lip MVP: Olehenriksen Pout Preserve Peptide Lip Treatment
“It’s a rite of passage as a beauty editor to carry around an army of lip glosses, liners, and colors. My lip depends on my mood, so having options is important. I always start with a lip liner (m.ph Beauty’s Cherry Cola is the perfect mauve brown, which pairs well with any lip color) or even a liner stain, like Summer Friday’s Almond, a barely-there brown that is a TikTok favorite for good reason.
I gravitate towards lip glosses over lipsticks and lately have been reaching for Tower28’s Plumping Lip Jelly for juicy, full lips or Chanel’s revamped, non-sticky Rouge Coco Hydra Gloss. I never leave home without several tinted lip balms like Olehenriksen Pout Preserve, which imparts color while nourishing my lips. In my book, you can never have too many lip products.”
Genesis Rivas, senior beauty editor, Oprah Daily
Number of lip products: 12+
Lip MVP: Any lip liner
“No joke, I probably have 20 lip liners in my bag right now. When my bestie caught a glimpse inside my open tote and saw my collection, she literally said, “Whose makeup artist bag is this?!” But alas, it was just me and my obsession with the perfect lip combo.
Lip liner might be my favorite makeup product to test because I genuinely think a good lip ties an entire makeup look together. And even though they’re all, admittedly, a very similar pinky-brown nude shade, each one is gorgeous in its own way and has something different to offer—from creaminess and pencil thickness to wear time and that perfect undertone others can’t replicate. Every time I try to declutter one, I discover another gorgeous formula I just have to own. You know, just in case the other 19 don’t work.”
Emma Becker, associate e-commerce writer, Elle
Number of lip products: 5
Lip MVP: Prada Reflection Glossy Liquid Lip Balm
“Even though I rarely leave the house without a lip stain already applied, I always have an extra liner and gloss (or five) on hand for necessary touch-ups throughout the day. The new Prada Reflection Glossy Liquid Lip Balm has been my favorite lately. It’s hydrating, glossy, and delivers the perfect pretty pink hue. I’m also loving the Tower 28 Plumping Lip Jelly for its impressive volume-inducing powers. I’m slightly addicted to lip liner, and these two are my go-to duo: Victoria Beckham Lip Definer in No. 2 for subtle contour and Make Up For Ever Wherever Walnut for a precise pinky-brown outline. Finally, I just ran completely out of my YSL Loveshine Lip Oil Stick in Blushed Mallow—it’s just that good.”
Final thoughts
After talking to all these beauty editors, one thing is clear: The lip duo is officially a thing of the past. Whether it’s three liners, a stain topped off with a balm and a gloss, or an elaborate five-product concoction, our favorite everyday lips are rarely the result of just one or two products. The secret to making your lips look effortless these days is to put in a lot more effort.
Why trust Cosmopolitan?
Jasmine Hyman is the assistant beauty editor at Cosmo who covers all things makeup—from the latest foundation launches to new lip trends. For this story, she polled her fellow beauty editors to see the lip products they use on repeat.
Jasmine Hyman is the Assistant Beauty Editor at Cosmopolitan, where she writes about the latest beauty trends and must-have products. Her most prized beauty possessions are a meticulous skincare routine and salon blowouts. You’ll also likely find her in bed reading a good book or endlessly scrolling TikTok (spoiler: it’s usually the latter) while listening to Harry Styles’ entire discography on repeat. Follow her on Insta to be inundated with pictures of her meals.
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