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Top 10 Best Lipstick Brands in India

Edited by Vaishali, Reviewed by Deeksha

Looking for the best lipstick brand in India?

Great! You have come to the right place as we bring forth a list of the leading names that are ruling this industry for the past few years.

Lipsticks are a girl’s best friend. No matter if you love makeup or not, but lipstick is one thing that will surely find a place in your vanity box. 

Lipstick is something which is so handy yet magical that even if you haven’t done any of the face-makeup, but just a tint on your lips can make you look fab from drab.

Be it office, party, casual meeting or fun movie date, lipstick is a must accessory to complete your look for any occasion.

And with so many varieties and brands available in the market today, you can always pick your favourite one with the perfect colour that goes with your particular look. 

Best Lipstick Brands in India

Do read the comprehensive Buyer's Guide towards the end for a detailed assessment. But before you shop your favorite lipstick, we suggest you go through these points that will help you make the right choice:

  1. 1
    Shelf life: Like any other product, check for the date of manufacturing and expiry before you buy any lipstick. Generally, lip shades have a shelf life of 3 years. But if the shopkeeper has sold you old stock, say the lipstick is 1 year old, the shelf life for it will reduce to just 2 years. So always check for this before purchasing any lipstick.
  2. 2
    Swatch: Some shades might appeal to you if you look at them, but the same colour might not always look good on your lips. So, don’t forget to swatch the colour on your hand first, before you buy it. If you feel it is hygienic, don’t shy away from swatching the colour on your lips, to get a perfect idea, how the shade is going to look on you.
  3. 3
    Budget: Splurging on lipsticks can be a stress buster. But be a smart shopper. Don’t spend so much that you regret later. Choose the brand that fits your pocket and look for the nearest shade that you want in that particular brand. For instance, if you like a particular shade from a luxury brand like YSL, you can always go find a similar shade in more affordable brands like Lakme and Maybelline.
  4. 4
    Texture: You can always pick the texture of the lipsticks according to your wish. It can be matte, creamy or glossy. But it is recommended to go for best matte lipsticks in summers and use shinier and glossier ones in winters.
  5. 5
    Originality: Today, the market is flooded with copies and fake products. Beware of them, and always buy good branded cosmetics as you want it to go with your skin-tone and you cannot take chance with it. For original products, always buy lipsticks from a well-reputed store or online portal that is known for selling cosmetics.

Now that you know what things you should consider, here are the Top 10 best lipstick brand in India, available for you:

We Highly recommend you to read the Lipstick Brand Buying Guide at the end of this article to get in-depth knowledge about latest lipstick brand names and tips on making an informed decision about which lipstick is best product to buy for your needs 🙂

Let's explore the list and have a look at the features along with the pros and cons of the Top 10 Best Lipstick Brands in India.

Top 10 Best Lipstick Brands in India (2022)

Although my favorite among all is MAC Cosmetics but you must check all of them to make your buying decision.

1. MAC Cosmetics

MAC

Specifications

  • Category: Luxury
  • Founded in: 1984
  • Founded by: Frank Toskan and Frank Angelo
  • Headquartered in: New York

Known as the master in the professional makeup range, M.A.C is a name to reckon with, when it comes to beauty products.

Being in the business for over 30 years now, the company was founded by Frank Toskan and Frank Angelo in Toronto, in the year 1984.

Headquartered in New York City, the company became a part of another cosmetic giant Estée Lauder Companies in 1996.

Touted as one of the top three best lipstick brand in the world, M.A.C has the highest number of followers on Instagram.

Its products like Studio Fix Compact and Ruby Woo lipsticks are a rage among the users. 

Other Bestsellers:

  • MAC Studio Fix Fluid SPF 15 Foundation
  • MAC Prep + Prime Fix+
  • MAC Studio Fix Perfecting Powder
  • MAC Powder Blush

Unknown facts:

  • The full form of MAC is Makeup Art Cosmetics
  • MAC employees get 40% discount on all its products
  • MAC was the first brand to train and educate its employees
  • MAC has raised a charity worth $86 million, since 1994

2. Maybelline New York 

Maybelline New York

Specifications

  • Category: Drugstore
  • Founded in: 1915
  • Founded by: Thomas Lyle Williams
  • Headquartered in: New York

The American makeup brand was coined by a 19-year-old entrepreneur Thomas Lyle Williams. Founded in 1915, the company is a subsidiary of French cosmetics company L'Oréal.

The company came up with Maybelline Cake Mascara, touted as the first-ever modern eye cosmetic for everyday use. It then launched Ultra Lash, the first mass-market automatic, in 1960.

Earlier headquartered in Memphis, Maybelline is now based out of New York City with its factory in Brooklyn.

Various prominent faces like Jessica White, Gigi Hadid, Charlotte Kemp Muhl, and many others, have been the brand ambassadors of the brand.

The brand-image of Maybelline New York is one of those top lipstick brands in world.

Other Bestsellers:

  • Maybelline New York Hypercurl Waterproof Mascara
  • Maybelline New York Fit Me Matte Poreless Compact Powder
  • Maybelline New York Super Stay Matte Ink Liquid Lipstick
  • Maybelline New York Fit Me Concealer

Unknown facts:

  • The first product launched by Maybelline was Lash-Brow-Ine
  • Maybelline Baby Lips balm is a huge hit. Its seven tubes are sold every 15 seconds
  • Authors Sharrie Williams and Bettie Youngs have penned down the brand’s success story in the book ‘The Maybelline Story: And the Spirited Family Dynasty Behind It’

3. L'Oréal Paris

L'Oreal Paris

Specifications

  • Category: Drugstore
  • Founded in: 1919
  • Founded by: Eugène Paul Louis Schueller
  • Headquartered in: Clichy, Hauts-de-Seine

The French company manufacturing personal care products has its headquarters in Clichy, Hauts-de-Seine.

Touted as the world’s largest cosmetic brand, the company deals in a range of products like hair-care and color, skin care, make-up, and perfume.

With roping in only 3 chemists in 1920, the company today has a strong workforce of 82,000 people. It won't be wrong to state that, L'oreal Paris is the best lipstick brand in India.

Today, L'Oréal has acquired major beauty brands like Magic Holdings, NYX Cosmetics, Niely Cosmeticos Group, Carol's Daughter, among others.

Other Bestsellers:

  • L'Oréal Colour Riche Glossy Balm
  • L'Oréal Infallible Pro-Matte 24HR Foundation
  • L'Oréal Studio Secrets Magic Lumi Light Infusing Primer
  • L'Oréal Brow Stylist Frame and Set
  • L'Oréal Revitalift Miracle Blur Instant Eye Smoother Eye Treatment

Unknown facts:

  • L'Oréal 1/4th stakes are owned by Swiss food company Nestle.
  • Founded by a chemist, the company largely depends on om research and development, for its products.
  • The company’s Voluminous Original Mascara is the best-selling in the US.

4. Sugar Cosmetics

SUGAR

Specifications

  • Category: Drugstore
  • Founded in: 2012
  • Founded by: Kaushik Mukherjee
  • Headquartered in: Mumbai

Owned by Fab Bag, which provides beauty and grooming subscription services, Sugar Cosmetics is an Indian brand that has carved out a niche for itself.

In the Indian cosmetic market that is already flooded and dominated with big national and international players in the segment.

The brand offers products in categories like Eye Liner, Kajal, Mascara, Lip Gloss, Lip Crayon, Matte Lipstick, and Liquid Lipstick.

The cruelty-free brand is known for its out-of-the-box packaging that made it different from the run of the mill.

Today, Sugar is one of the biggest players in providing the best lipsticks in Indian market.

Other Bestsellers:

  • Smudge Me Not Liquid Lipstick
  • Stroke Of Genius Heavy-Duty Kohl 01 Back to Black
  • Arrested For Overstay Waterproof Eyeliner
  • Arch Arrival Brow Definer
  • Matte As Hell Crayon Lipstick

Unknown facts:

  • Sugar Cosmetics decided to lay extra stress on its packaging to make a mark among already established brands.
  • All Sugar lipsticks are 100% cruelty-free and are not tested on animals.

5.  Lakme

Lakme Absolute

Specifications

  • Category: Drugstore
  • Founded in: 1952
  • Founded by: JRD Tata
  • Headquartered in: Mumbai

Owned by Hindustan Unilever, Lakme is one of the most trusted and leading cosmetic brands in India.

The company that initiated its operations as a Tata Oil Mills subsidiary got its name from the French opera Lakmé, which in Hindi means Lakshmi.

Founded by JRD Tata, the company was sold to HUL for Rs 200 Crore in the year 1996.

Besides providing cosmetics and personal care services at salons, Lakme also organizes fashion extravaganza, the Lakme Fashion Week, which happens twice every year.

Popular faces like Kareena Kapoor Khan and Ananya Panday are the faces of the popular cosmetic brand.

Other Bestsellers:

  • Lakme Eyeconic Kajal
  • Lakme 9 To 5 Complexion Care Face Cream
  • Lakme Perfect Radiance Fairness Day Crème
  • Lakme Eyeconic Lash Curling Mascara
  • Lakme Absolute Blur Perfect Makeup Primer

Unknown facts:

  • In a survey, Lakme emerged in the list of ‘top 50 most trusted brands’ in India
  • Former PM Jawahar Lal Nehru suggested the idea of coming up with the Indian cosmetic brand, Lakme, to JRD Tata
  • Lakme has been named after popular French opera of the same name

6. NYX Professional Makeup

NYX Professional

Specifications

  • Category: Drugstore
  • Founded in: 1999
  • Founded by: Toni Ko
  • Headquartered in: Los Angeles

A subsidiary of L'Oréal, NYX cosmetics was founded by Toni Ko in 1999.

The LA-based company derived its name from Nyx, the Greek goddess of the night and is the most expensive lipstick.

The cruelty-free brand offers a wide range of vegan-friendly products. The first-ever product produced and sold by the brand were jumbo eye pencils.

Sold in over 70 countries across the world, NYX is said to be a very digitally viable brand that puts social media to good use, for its promotion and marketing.

The brand, that largely targets the youth, has collaborated with various YouTubers and vloggers, to market its latest range of products.

Other Bestsellers:

  • Warm Neutrals Ultimate Eyeshadow Palette
  • Matte Makeup Setting Spray
  • 3C Palette Colour Correcting Concealer
  • Liquid Suede Lip Cream Lipstick
  • Doll Eye Mascara Volume

Unknown facts:

  • In a survey, Lakme emerged in the list of ‘top 50 most trusted brands’ in India
  • Former PM Jawahar Lal Nehru suggested the idea of coming up with the Indian cosmetic brand, Lakme, to JRD Tata
  • Lakme has been named after popular French opera of the same name

7LA Girl Cosmetics  

L.A. Girl

Specifications

  • Category: Affordable Luxury
  • Founded in: 1985
  • Founded by: Beauty 21 Cosmetics
  • Headquartered in: Ontario

Owned by parent company Beauty 21 Cosmetics, LA Girl is a chic and stylish brand that offers makeup in all categories like liquid makeup, blush, eye shadow, nail polish, and body glitter.

It produces affordable luxury products for professional makeup artists that roar about the trend, quality, and durability.

Headquartered in Ontario, LA Girl cosmetic brand was established in 1985. Best lip shades, the brand is known to sell its concealer like a hot cake.

Other Bestsellers:

  • L.A. Girl PRO Conceal HD High Definition Concealer
  • L.A. Girl Glide Gel Liner
  • L.A. Girl Matte Flat Finish Pigment Gloss
  • L.A. Girl Velvet Contour Sticks
  • L.A. Girl Pro Prep HD Smoothing Face Primer

Unknown facts:

  • LA Girl works on the ethics of quality, trend, and innovation
  • It is impossible to not find the right one for you as LA Girl concealer is sold in so many shades

8. Huda Beauty

Huda Beauty

Specifications

  • Category: Luxury
  • Founded in: 2013
  • Founded by: Huda Kattan
  • Headquartered in: Dubai

This is another brand that has made a place for itself in a short span.

Launched by an Iraqi-American makeup artist Huda Kattan, who is also a businesswoman, the brand is popular for its lipsticks range, eyelashes, face palettes, and foundation series.

Kattan has been named as the â€˜25 Most Influential People on the Internetby Time in 2017, besides being the richest self-made woman and top three beauty influencers by Forbes.

The first-ever product launched by the brand was false eyelashes in Dubai in 2011. It was launched in the US in 2015.  

Other Bestsellers:

  • Samantha Lashes #7
  • Rose Gold Remastered Palette
  • Desert Dusk Eyeshadow Palette
  • FauxFilter Foundation
  • Liquid Matte Lipstick

Unknown facts:

  • Huda Beauty’s net worth is estimated at $560 million
  • Huda Kattan started Huda Beauty when her boss fired her for her dressing sense and makeup used in the office
  • She started her career as a beauty blogger and is today a social media sensation 

9. Elle 18

Elle 18

Specifications

  • Category: Drugstore
  • Founded in: 1998
  • Founded by: HUL
  • Headquartered in: Mumbai

Owned by Hindustan Unilever Limited, Elle 18 is an affordable option, and when it comes to vibrant beauty products, Elle 18 is one of the best lipstick brand in India.

While the brand is known for its jet black Kajal, which is widely used, its colour pop lip shades, even in the neon colours, became a rage among the youth.

Indian star Anushka Sharma is the brand ambassador of Elle 18 cosmetics and the brand is headquartered in Mumbai. It was founded in 1998.

Besides lipsticks, the brand is loved for its funky and colourful range of nail polishes.

Other Bestsellers:

  • Elle 18 Kajal
  • Elle 18 Color Pop Matte Lip Color
  • Elle 18 Nail Pop Nail Color
  • Elle 18 Eye Drama Kajal
  • Elle 18 Color Burst Lipstick

Unknown facts:

  • Keeping in mind the youth, the Elle 18 has a range of lipsticks that stat at an affordable range of Rs 75
  • It is one of the few brands that offer lipsticks in neon shades

10. Lotus Herbals

Lotus Herbals

Specifications

  • Category: Drugstore
  • Founded in: 1993
  • Founded by: Kamal Passi
  • Headquartered in: Noida

Launched in 1993, Lotus Herbals produce cosmetics that are close to nature but also based on science and innovation.

 In a way we can say that, Lotus Herbals provides the best lipstick in India, if you want a lipstick shade made-up of natural ingredients. 

By Kamal Passi, the brand offers a wide range of skincare, makeup, hair care products. The cruelty-free brand offers natural products that are sold in 16 countries across the globe.

The brand that has targeted and catered well in the tier-II cities like Mizoram, Faridkot, Gwalior, and Indore, became popular with its lead-free lipticks and sindoor, that sells like hotcakes.

Other Bestsellers:

  • Lotus Herbals Safe Sun UV Screen Matte Gel
  • Lotus Herbals Sheamoist Moisturizer
  • Lotus Herbals Color Kick Kajal
  • Lotus Ecostay lipstick Long Lasting Lip Color

Unknown facts:

  • Lotus is one of the few brands to blend science with Vedic wisdom
  • The brand has produced a sunscreen that also acts as a mosquito repellent

Buyer's Guide: How to Purchase Lipstick Brands

The main tasks while buying a lip shade include figuring out the right colour according to the skin tone, finding the perfect texture, lasting effect and more. Here are a few steps that you should follow if you want to buy the best lipstick brand in India:

  1. 1
    Find the right colour: Always go for a colour that matches your skin tone. For instance, shades like beige, brown, golden, orange, warm red, cooper, go well with warm skin tones. On the other hand, shades of pinks, rose, lavender, berry, cherry are best suited on cool skin tones.
  2. 2
    Swatch: Always swatch your lipstick on your wrist area, to check the shade. This part of the body gives you the fairest idea of how the shade will look on your lips. If the samples are clean, you can also use it on the lips, to get a perfect idea.
  3. 3
    Choose the right texture: If you have dry lips, you should ideally avoid shimmery and matte lipsticks as they will further dry out your lips. You should rather go for creamy lipsticks which are more comfortable to wear for dry lips. If you still want to use matte shades, hydrate your lips first with a good lip-balm. You can go for glossy ones, for a night party as they add shimmer and volume to your lips.
  4. 4
    Look for the right brand: The suppleness and agility of a lipstick determine how good the brand and quality is. If the lipstick is stiff and not greasy and comfortable to wear, go for it. If you are not comfortable wearing a particular lip shade, don’t go for the brand, even if it is a high-end one. Also, the packaging of the product determines if the brand is worth buying. If the packaging is light weighted and the cap is very easy to move, there are chances that the lipstick will move easily in your bag or anywhere else, and will start to flake quite early. So, the lipstick brand names should be lying into your considerations, whilst looking for a lipstick.
  5. 5
    Check the return policy: There are chances that you might not like a particular shade after buying it, even if you loved it in the store. So do not hesitate to ask about the return policy of the brand so that you always have the option of returning the product if you do not like it anymore. Almost all of the top lipstick brands in India provides the customer with the facility of returning policies.

Best Lipsticks in India with Price

How was lipstick invented? 

The Existence of lipsticks dates back to 5,000 years ago when ancient Sumerian people came up with first-ever lipstick.  They decorated their lips and eye area by crushing the gemstones.

Egyptians created a red tone on lips by crushing bugs and using it. According to books, ancient Egyptians used lipstick more for social status than defining gender. It is believed that women during Indus Valley civilization used rectangular ochre with beveled edges as lipsticks. 

Talking about ancient Greece, lip colours were looked down upon and were restricted to be used only by prostitutes. However, by 700-300 BCE, the use of lipsticks to women too.

Greek women used products like Tyrian purple, crushed mulberries, and the poisonous vermilion to colour their lips red. Over 1000 years ago, the Chinese made the first kind of lipsticks made of beeswax. It not just gave the lips colour but also protected its delicate skin. Lipstick during the tang dynasty was very enticing to use as they had perfumed oils added to them.

Invention of smudge-proof lipstick

Hazel Bishop is the woman who invented smudge-proof lipsticks that did not leave a mark on glasses, cups, teeth or even lips. She was working in a dermatologist’s laboratory after World War II when Bishop came up with smudge-proof lipsticks.

In the year 1950, Bishop came up with her own company that marketed and sold smudge-proof branded lipsticks. However, she left the business four years later, to build another business that dealt in personal care products. Today, most of the top lipstick brands provides the feature of smudge-proofing.

Interesting facts about lipsticks:

  • Natural based lipsticks have been in use since pre-historic times
  • ‘Kiss of death’ is a term used for lipsticks, mainly for two reasons. First, because of the fictional drama of ‘femme fatale’ and secondly because ancient women unknowingly used poisonous material for making lipsticks.
  • Japanese civilisations never allowed women to come in public without using lipstick on face.
  • Storing lipsticks in fridges can expand their longevity.
  • Clear lipbalms are one of the most popular and sold lipstick products in the market today.
  • The first-ever swivel up lipstick in a tube first came into the market in 1923.

Lipstick Tutorial Compilation

Tips to find the best types of Lipsticks for you:

  • For fuller lips, you don’t have to always go for surgeries and fillers. Just line your lips with a pencil and little out from the lips and fill them with the matching shade. You are set to make heads turn with your pouty lips.
  • Contouring the lips before applying the shade gives a neat and fuller look, thereby making the lipstick stay longer.
  • If you don’t like a particular shade, don’t throw it. Rather mix and match with some other shade, and you will love the same shade that you were about to throw!
  • Running out of blush, but have to attend a party. Use your pink or red-tinted lipstick as a blush, and you are good to go!
  • if you are a matte lipstick girl, you can turn your glossy ones into matte. Apply any glossy lipstick on your lips, cover it with a butter paper and then dust some translucent powder over it. Your gloss is gone and matte is here to stay longer.

Vaishali

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About the Author

She is a budding copy editor as well as a freelance content writer. So far, she has proofread around 500+ articles, indicating her stronghold on the profession. If she's not in front of her laptop, you'll probably find her watching Netflix. She has a very keen interest in beauty and personal care products. She likes to stay updated about the latest beauty products in the market. Know More About Vaishali


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