The Best Cool Tone Lip Liners for Brown & Dark Skin

Cool tone lip liners are having a major moment thanks to the return of ’90s and 2000’s makeup styles. The challenge? Most of the recommendations I found are shown on fair to light skin, so I wanted to see which cool tone lip liners actually worked on my deep neutral skin tone (Fenty 400+/Maybelline 355+ shade family).

I tested the cool tone lip liners I already own and rounded up the viral shades beauty lovers with brown and dark skin are hyping on social media. Here’s what I found.

The Soft Smoky Brown: ELF Cosmetics

This quickly became the cool tone lip liner I reached for the most. The ELF Cream Glide Lip Liner in Doppio Espresso ($3) is a soft smoky brown with a creamy formula, and the fact that it’s under $5 makes it even better. If you want an affordable everyday cool tone lip liner, this is the one I’d keep in my purse.

The Unexpected Cool Brown: Sephora Collection

This was the biggest surprise in my collection. Even though Sephora Collection Colorful 8HR Longwear Transferproof Lip Liner in Molasses ($13) looks warmer in the packaging, it applied much cooler on my lips than I expected. Try this shade if you’re looking for an easy everyday brown that sits somewhere between neutral and cool.

The Cool Mauve Surprise: Natasha Denona

This shade made me completely fall in love with mauve again. Natasha Denona I Need a Nude Lip Crayon in NB4.5 Luna ($25) looked different on my lips than it did on another brown beauty I watched, proving that undertones can completely change how a lip liner wears. Try this one if you want something that leans cool and still gives pink(ish).

The Everyday Cool Neutral: Rhode

Rhode’s Peptide Lip Shaper in Balance ($24) reminds me that not every great cool tone lip liner is actually labeled “cool.” Its creamy crayon formula creates soft definition, and on my lips it wore as a neutral shade with just enough coolness for everyday wear. This is going to be best for beauties who want subtle definition that blends seemlessly with almost any lip combo.

The Bold Charcoal Brown: Juvia’s Place

If you’re chasing that bold ’90s lip, this is the shade that gets you there. Juvia’s Place Longwear Lip Liner in Rizz ($13) is the deepest liner I own, creating the strongest cool charcoal effect in my collection. Where this really shines is for beauties who love dramatic cool-toned lip combos and want maximum contrast.

The Grungy Brown I Wanted: Make Up For Ever

This was exactly the kind of cool tone lip liner I love. The Make Up For Ever Artist Color Pencil in 612 Dimensional Dark Brown ($26) has a smoky charcoal-brown undertone that gives lips an instantly cooler, more editorial feel without looking flat. If you’re looking for a true grungy brown for dark skin, this is the first shade I’d recommend.

Cool Tone Lip Liners All Over Social Media

While testing my own collection, I kept seeing the same cool tone lip liners recommended by beauty lovers across TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube. If you’re still searching for your perfect shade, these are the liners that came up again and again (and what’s in my cart right now).

• MPH by Mary Phillips – Obsession
• Juvia’s Place Luxe Lip Liner – Espresso
• Morphe Signature Lip Liner – Nightcap
• Anastasia Beverly Hills – Cool Brown
• Anastasia Beverly Hills – Phantomline
• Anastasia Beverly Hills – Obscura
• Natasha Denona – Lala
• Rare Beauty – Proud
• Rare Beauty – Alluring
• Make Up For Ever – 506 Endless Cacao
• ELF Cosmetics – Espresso Martini

Here’s the Thing

Testing these lip liners taught me that finding a cool tone lip liner for dark skin isn’t as simple as buying a shade labeled “cool.” Some neutral shades actually looked cooler on my lips than products marketed that way, but I found far more cool browns than cool pinks or mauves.

More than anything, this experiment confirmed that I naturally gravitate toward neutral and cool tone lip liners. If you’re in a similar skin tone range (Fenty 400+/Maybelline 355+ shade family) and have been curious about the trend, I hope these swatches make finding your next favorite a little easier.