The Secret to Pulling Together Your Summer Makeup? A Good Lip Combo
Why trust Cosmopolitan?
· CosmopolitanSummer beauty comes with its challenges. Between pigment-melting heat, foundation-separating humidity, and layering hard-to-blend sunscreens, pulling together a flawless makeup look in the warmer months is no easy feat. But there’s one step in your routine that can tie your entire summer glam together—and stay unfazed by the weather: your lip combo.
For summer 2026, the perfect lip combo needs to do two things: last for hours and hydrate, so you’ll need two specific products—an ultra-pigmented lip liner and moisturizing balm or lip gloss—to create the look. Whether you gravitate toward glossy neutrals or bright pops of color, a liner-and-glossy balm pairing can instantly elevate any beauty look while making the lips appear fuller.
So, Cosmo’s beauty team rounded up the chicest lip combos we’ll be wearing on repeat all summer long. Ahead, the best summer lip combos to keep your lips looking fresh, glossy, and juicy.
Best lip combo for a juicy pop of red:
Summer Fridays Flushed Lip Stain
$22 at SephoraCredit: Summer Fridays
YSL Beauty Loveshine Plumping Lip Oil Gloss
$40 at SephoraCredit: YSL
There’s something about a sheer red lip in the summer that feels so playful alongside tanned, freckled skin. And a glossy finish feels softer and more carefree than the stark matte and velvet textures we typically see in winter.
One Cosmo editor says: “Since this liner-stain hybrid has a thin tip, it allows for a precise application, which is especially ideal when I’m using a bolder red shade. Trust and believe when I say that it truly does not budge. And YSL’s multitasking oil on top will hydrate, plump, and add pigment all in one swipe.”—JASMINE HYMAN, ASSISTANT BEAUTY EDITOR
Best lip combo for a minimalist look:
Versed Lip Frame Defining Lip Liner
Anfisa An-Gloss Ceramide Lip Tint
If you fall on the more minimalist side of the lip-pigment spectrum, you can’t go wrong with a light pink lip for summer. It delivers just enough color and shine to wear on its own or with a light layer of makeup. To add dimension, contour the lips with a mauve liner for subtle depth, then swipe on a pink gloss for a your-lips-but-better effect.
One Cosmo editor says: “This duo requires no effort (or mirror) to get right. I scribble on the nude liner for quick definition, and add the sheer pink gloss on top for a pillowy result.”—LAUREN BALSAMO, BEAUTY DIRECTOR
Kim Sun Hye
Best lip combo for a bright pink moment:
m.ph by Mary Phillips The Overliner Lip Liner Pencil
$25 at SephoraCredit: Sephora
Laneige JuicePop Box Lip Oil Stain
$23 at SephoraCredit: LANEIGE
Summer and a hot-pink lip were basically made for each other. The punchy pop of color gives lips that juicy, popsicle-stained effect—like a melted mid-July treat with a glossy finish left behind. To enhance the bold pigment and add fullness, outline your lips with a liner, then layer on a vivid pink gloss or stain for extra shine and a lacquered effect.
One Cosmo editor says: “I love the look of an overdrawn lip with a wet-like finish. I trace my lips with this artistry-level pencil from Mary Phillip’s beauty brand for dimension, then layer on this glossy tint that settles into a long-lasting stain.”—BETH GILLETTE, BEAUTY EDITOR
Best 90’s-inspired lip combo:
Kulfi Lassi Lips Staining Lip Liner
$24 at SephoraCredit: Sephora
Typology Tinted Lip Oil in Black Cherry
$32 at typology.comCredit: Typology
Call it what you want—mocha, espresso, or latte lips—but a rich brown is undeniably gorgeous and has a timeless 90’s feel. A deep liner adds instant definition and enhances your natural lip color with just a swipe (you can even use it just around your cupid's bow for subtle fullness). Finished with a glassy brown lip oil on top, it creates the perfect deep, high-shine combo that’s a chic alternative to classic reds or pinks.
One Cosmo editor says: “This Kulfi liner glides on without dragging and stays put all day, while Typology’s oil has the pigment of a glossy lipstick but feels more like a yummy balm.”—JULEE WILSON, BEAUTY EDITOR AT LARGE
Jasmine Hyman is the assistant beauty editor at Cosmopolitan who covers all things makeup. For this story in Cosmo’s summer print issue, she, along with her fellow beauty editors, shared their favorite long-lasting lip combinations for top-tier hydration and pigment.
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.