If I had to choose one dessert-island essential, it would be a lip liner. With its ability to contour, shape, and create the illusion of volume on the lips, it’s probably my favourite step in my makeup routine. However, as someone with a cool undertone, I’m also very aware that not all lip liners are created equal. I can’t tell you how much money I’ve wasted on overly warm liners that often appear too orange and wash me out over the years. Well, if you feel my pain, never fear, because the runways have spoken, and the cool-toned lip trend we often associate with the ‘90s is officially back for 2026; in turn, the options for cool-toned lip liners on the market are stronger than ever.

A few weeks ago, I sat down with Fara Homidi, a New York-based makeup artist and founder of makeup brand Fara Homidi, to discover the five makeup trends set to be huge in autumn 2026, and it was clear that cool-toned lips dominated the autumn/winter 2026 runways. Homidi says, “It’s official: the cool-toned lips that dominated the ‘90s are back for autumn 2026. Instead of an obvious one-dimensional liner, focus on a buffed-out, sculpted lip through layers of cool-toned neutrals. Layer your liners strategically to create natural-looking dimension and a fuller, 3D pout. It’s less about an obviously lined lip and more about using colour to manipulate shape and volume.”