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If the past few years of brunette hair trends have taught us anything, it's that brown doesn't have to mean boring. Espresso brown is a particularly delicious example: deep and rich enough to feel sultry, but with subtle golden warmth that keeps it from looking flat or overly severe. It's the kind of brunette that can look almost impossibly glossy in one light and reveal a soft melange of tones in another.

“We're finally embracing warmth again and realizing just how flattering it can be,” says Nataly Maldonado, colorist and owner of Velvet Palm Studio in Lake Worth Beach, Florida. “For so long, the goal was to eliminate every bit of warmth from hair, but warmth is what gives brown hair its richness, movement, and that beautiful, reflective touch.”

Unlike a nearly black brunette or a cool, ashy brown, espresso has enough golden richness to make dark hair look dimensional and incredibly polished without an obviously highlighted look. The result is a brunette that feels natural, expensive-looking, and shiny as hell.

It can be a relatively easy adjustment for a natural brunette, but getting the shade right can involve considerably more color chemistry if you're not starting from an already brown jumping-off point, like blonde, gray, or even dyed-black. Here's what colorists want you to know before placing your order—or, rather, making an appointment—for espresso.

What makes espresso brown different from other brunette hair colors

Maldonado describes espresso brown as “a deep, dimensional brunette with a golden reflect.” That combination gives the shade its signature richness while keeping it from looking overly harsh; and because it’s so dark, the golden aspect serves more as an undertone than an obvious cast. This also creates contrast without making your complexion look washed-out, she says.

Espresso brown has the depth you'd expect from a very dark brunette, but it isn't trying to erase every trace of warmth. “It's the type of shade that has people questioning how you were born with such an impossibly beautiful shade of brunette,” Maldonado says. “You weren't—but it looks like you were.”

Quia Querisma, a colorist in Dallas, similarly calls espresso brown “a very rich and velvety brown with a slightly golden reflection in sunlight.” The color is versatile enough to work across a wide range of complexions, she says, although an experienced colorist can determine whether a warmer or cooler version will best complement your skin tone.

Temur Hamilton, a colorist and the owner of Temur in New York City, emphasizes another reason the shade feels particularly alluring: It has “beautiful dimension that comes from blending slightly lighter and darker shades.” Espresso brown doesn’t read as one solid block of color. For natural brunettes, that makes it an especially good way to change your look without making a dramatic transformation. “It looks natural, but elevated,” he says.

How to get espresso brown hair

How your colorist gets you to espresso depends enormously on where you're starting. Simply layering a brown dye over your existing color isn't necessarily going to produce the result you're envisioning.

If you already have dark brown hair, you have the easiest path, of course. Hamilton says darker brunettes can often transition to espresso brown with the subtlest of highlights or lowlights. Maldonado says a natural brunette (which hair colorists will recognize as around a level 5 to 6) may need nothing more than a deep brown gloss with golden undertones as a way to enhance the existing color while adding shine and vibrancy.

“Brunettes with virgin hair may have the luxury of a single-process step,” Querisma says, explaining that it could be as simple as applying the appropriate shade. However, if your hair is naturally nearly black, Querisma says it may need to be gently lightened with a clear, permanent dye (combined with a level 20 developer) before the final espresso tone is deposited. The exact approach depends on the hair and desired result.

If your hair is dyed black, then it’s a completely different situation. Typically, color can’t simply lift previously deposited dye, so Hamilton says the black dye may need to be lifted before an espresso brown demipermanent or permanent gloss is applied. “Then I would apply demipermanent or permanent gloss in the espresso brown shade,” he says. “Depending on the result, I may add in subtle highlights for more dimension.”

If you're blonde or gray, this is where the process gets considerably more involved. Both Maldonado and Querisma stress the importance of putting warmth back into hair that has been heavily lightened before applying the final brown shade. Maldonado explains that blonde hair needs to be “prefilled with gold and/or copper pigments,” essentially rebuilding the underlying richness that was removed during the blonding process, and “the opposite of what we do with almost-black hair.” Without that step, she says, an attempt at espresso brown can look “dull, hollow, or muddy.” Prefilling is also particularly important for longevity because previously lightened hair is more porous and therefore more prone to losing pigment.

Querisma describes this as a corrective color or “tint back,” creating the tonal foundation that allows the espresso shade to adhere properly. “Tones of gold, copper, and red must be formulated and applied to the hair before applying the final brown,” she says. Hamilton takes a similar two-step approach, first creating a rich, warm base before applying the deep espresso brown and finishing with a glaze or gloss.

How to maintain espresso brown hair

The good news is that espresso brown can be relatively low-maintenance, particularly if you're already a brunette. Maldonado recommends a gloss or color refresh approximately every six to eight weeks, depending on your starting color, porosity, and how well your hair holds pigment, something your colorist will be able to determine. Querisma says some brunettes can even go up to 12 weeks without a refresh.

If you're transitioning from blonde or gray, expect more upkeep than a natural brunette would need. “Even with great care, lighter roots will start to appear in about six weeks, so clients will need to schedule regular salon visits if they want to maintain the shade,” Hamilton says.

Speaking of great care, your at-home routine matters quite a bit. Color-safe shampoo and conditioner can help preserve the richness, while washing less frequently can reduce the amount of pigment lost during cleansing. We’re fans of the Nexxus Color Assure Vibrancy Shampoo and Conditioner because they not only help extend how long color looks fresh, but also address the damage coloring can cause. Hamilton also recommends incorporating bond-repair products into your routine, particularly for clients whose hair was previously lightened. We’ve been raving about the Ouai Bond Repair Balm ever since it won an Allure Best of Beauty Award for making hair look softer and healthier.

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Nexxus

Color Assure Shampoo and Conditioner

$20

Ulta Beauty (Shampoo)

$20

Ulta Beauty (Conditioner)

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Best Strengthening Hair Mask

Ouai Bond Repair Balm

$50

Amazon

Heat is another potential color thief. Maldonado recommends turning down the temperature on your hot tools and in your shower. Those seemingly small changes can make a big difference in keeping espresso brown rich and glossy, she says.

Regular application of color-depositing conditioners and masks can also help maintain the shade between appointments. Maldonado likes the IGK Color Depositing Gloss Mask in Brown Bella for refreshing brunette tones and boosting shine. “It’s a great option between salon visits for keeping the hair looking shiny and vibrant,” she says. “Definitely check with your stylist before using a color-depositing product, however, especially if you have highlights or previously lightened hair.”

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IGK Hair

IGK Color Depositing Mask

$32

Ulta Beauty

Espresso brown inspiration

Photo: Getty ImagesPhoto: Getty ImagesPhoto: Getty ImagesPhoto: Getty ImagesPhoto: Getty ImagesPhoto: Getty ImagesPhoto: Getty ImagesPhoto: Getty ImagesPhoto: Getty ImagesPhoto: Getty ImagesPhoto: Getty ImagesPhoto: Getty ImagesPhoto: Getty ImagesPhoto: Getty ImagesPhoto: Getty ImagesPhoto: Getty ImagesMeet the experts

• Temur Hamilton is a colorist, hairstylist, and owner of Temur in New York City.
• Nataly Maldonado is a colorist and owner of the Velvet Palm Studio in Lake Worth Beach, Florida.
• Quia Querisma is a colorist and hairstylist in Dallas.

Collage: Jemeria Davison; Source images: Courtesy of brands and editorsSave StorySave this storySave StorySave this story

There was once a time when finding the best lip gloss was as simple as picking up the first shiny tube that you saw at the beauty supply store. Now, classic glosses are competing with the likes of more innovative glossy balms, lip tints, stains, and skin-care-infused lipsticks that, to the untrained eye, all seem to offer a hydrated and voluminous pout—but they’re not all made equal. Today’s top glosses are more elegant in texture, infused with nourishing ingredients, and don’t leave your lips feeling sticky and gooey like those of your childhood—but still give you the same beloved reflective shine and volume. You’ll also find plumping glosses that don’t sting or ones that smooth fine lines for softer lips over time.

Our Top Lip Glosses

• Best Overall: MAC Lipglass Air, $25
• Best Shimmer: Chanel Rouge Coco Hydra Gloss, $45
• Best Shade Range: Kiko Milano 3D Hydra Lipgloss, $14
• Best High Pigment: Refy Lip Gloss, $20
• Best for a Painless Plump: Danessa Myricks Beauty Glosswork 4D Ultra Shine Plumping Gloss, $26
• Best for Dry Lips: Makeup By Mario SuperShine Lip Gloss, $26

Frequently Asked QuestionsAccordionItemContainerButtonLargeChevron

• What’s the difference between a lip gloss and a glossy balm?
• What are some ingredients to look out for in a good lip gloss?
• How we test and review products
• Our staff and testers

Below, we put together our favorite editor-tested and -approved glosses to make sure a shiny lip is always within reach.

Best Overall: MAC Lipglass Air

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MAC

Lipglass Air

$25

Nordstrom

$25

Ulta Beauty

$25

Sephora

Why it’s worth it: MAC’s Lipglass Air feels weightless and invisible—in the best possible way—while packing moisturizing ingredients (coconut, meadowfoam, and jojoba oils) to keep your lips feeling pillowy soft and hydrated. And, without staining your lips or using drying ingredients like a liquid lipstick usually does, it manages to stay put (and ultra-shiny) for hours. It comes in 10 opaque colors that you can sheer out for a more subtle tint or layer on for a brighter look. And did we mention it’s actually not sticky?

Former Allure content director Kara McGrath applying the MAC Lipglass Air in Casual

Kara McGrath

McGrath after applying the MAC Lipglass Air in Casual

Kara McGrath

Tester feedback from former content director Kara McGrath

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“This lives up to the ‘non-sticky’ claims better than any other lip gloss I've tried in recent memory. It's so lightweight that it feels closer to an oil, but the color actually sticks around for more than an hour. All of that plus the fact that Casual, a ‘deep dirty peach,’ is pretty close to my natural lip shade means this has officially become the lip product I reach for most often out of the hundreds in my stash." —Kara McGrath, former content director

More to know

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• Key ingredients: coconut oil, meadowfoam seed oil, jojoba seed oil
• Shades: 10

Best Shimmer: Chanel Rouge Coco Hydra Gloss

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Chanel

Rouge Coco Hydra Gloss

$45

Chanel

$45

Ulta Beauty

Why it’s worth it: We can’t help but fall in love with beautiful packaging, but it’s even better when what’s inside is just as good—which is the case with Chanel’s Rouge Coco Hydra Gloss. It gets its texture-smoothing, nourishing finish from camellia ceramides, derived from the camellia flower and known to help repair the skin barrier and soothe dryness. With a wide range of colors—15 to be exact, including five iridescent shimmers that we’re obsessed with—you’d be happy swiping on this gloss during the day or on a night out. If you say you love your lips, put them in Chanel.

Allure commerce writer Tasha Nicole Smith applying the Chanel Rouge Coco Hydra Gloss

Tasha Nicole Smith

Smith after applying the Chanel Rouge Coco Hydra Gloss

Tasha Nicole Smith

Tester feedback from commerce writer Tasha Nicole Smith

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“I am a package snob, there I said it. I love the feeling of pulling out my chic-looking lip gloss tube to reapply a heaping glob to my lips, sue me. But the sparkly finish of this gloss in the shade 462 Givre really rounds out the experience. As a clear lip gloss warrior, I don't often reach for shimmer glosses unless the occasion calls for something more glam, and this is definitely a special occasion gloss. The creamy white glittery color gave it a frosted look, which makes it perfect for icy holiday makeup looks. Plus, the soothing formula also makes it a good choice for the colder winter months when my lips are a bit drier, though I did have to reapply a few times throughout the day. It glided on the lips smoothly and didn't have a gritty texture like some glittery glosses often do. Looking forward to the next event to pull this one back out.” —Tasha Nicole Smith, commerce writer

More to know

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• Key Ingredients: camellia ceramides, hydra-peptide complex
• Available shades: 15

Best Shade Range: Kiko Milano 3D Hydra Lipgloss

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Kiko Milano

3D Hydra Lipgloss

$14

Amazon

$14

Shop

Allure editorial assistant Jennet Jusu applying the Kiko Milano 3D Hydra Lipgloss.

Jennet Jusu

Why We Love It: The most obvious reason we love this gloss is that it only costs $10, so we don’t feel guilty about stocking up on more than one of its impressive 30 shades. Whether you keep it simple with a clear glossy top coat or want a vibrant pink sheen, there’s something for everyone. The 2026 Best of Beauty-winning formula uses the brand’s 3D Lip Complex, which blends bidens pilosa extract—known for its anti-inflammatory properties and smoothing effect—with cotton seed and linseed oil to help even texture and soften the skin.

Tester feedback from associate social media manager Katie Gunderman

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"I'm personally in a Y2K revival era (despite being born in 2001). I can't get enough cute hair clips, bright colors, and glitter everything. The Kiko Milano 3D Hydra Lipgloss packs the high-shine glitter punch I've been obsessed with. The shade 04 Pearly Peach Rose is a stunning light, frosty pink that looks amazing under all of my liners. It's nonsticky, slightly sheer, and comes in 30 shades, so there is no excuse to not find your perfect match." —Katie Gunderman, associate social media manager

More to Know

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• Key ingredients: 3D Lip Complex
• Available shades: 30 shades

Best High Pigment: Refy Lip Gloss

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Refy

Lip Gloss

$20

Shop

$20

Sephora

Why it’s worth it: Don't let Refy’s minimal packaging fool you: This gloss offers maximum impact, particularly when it comes to hydration and pigment. Two of the gloss’s key ingredients, hyaluronic acid and jojoba seed oil, are humectants known for drawing moisture into the skin. Along with shea butter, which helps to lock in moisture and soften the lips, this formula creates a non-sticky glaze with striking shine. This gloss comes in 14 shades, from subtle nudes to vibrant reds, so there are plenty of options for both everyday wear and full-glam looks.

Allure social director Kassidy Silva applying the Refy Lip Gloss

Kassidy Silva

Silva after applying the Refy Lip Gloss

Kassidy Silva

Tester feedback from social director Kassidy Silva

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“Refy's clear gloss adds the perfect shiny sheen to top off any lip combo. It's the first gloss I've found that has my ideal balanced combo of staying power and weightlessness, all while working like a balm to nourish my lips. Plus, for $20, it's a steal.” —Kassidy Silva, social director

More to know

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• Key ingredients: hyaluronic acid, jojoba seed oil, shea butter
• Available shades: 14

Best Balmy Formula: M.ph Top Coat Lip Gloss

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m.ph by Mary Phillips

Top Coat Lip Gloss

$26

Shop

$26

Sephora

Why it’s worth it: Mary Phillips’s signature sculpted makeup look, which has been spotted on celebrities like Hailey Bieber, Kendall Jenner, and Kim Kardashian, is beloved for its neutral color palette and underpainting technique (using the m.ph Underpainting Palette) that creates an enhanced but natural finish. So, it’s only right that her Top Coat Lip Glosses fall under the “your-skin-but-better” umbrella. This gloss is powered by a blend of botanical oils like jojoba and sweet cherry oil that protect the skin barrier on the lips and comes in eight shades, including nude and pink hues along with deep, vampy browns and purples. Each shade applies like a creamy balm with a semi-sheer tint for a natural finish, but is easily buildable for stronger pigment and more intense shine.

Allure commerce market editor Sarah Hoffmann applying the M.ph Top Coat Lip Gloss in Mouthy

Sarah Hoffmann

Hoffmann after applying the M.ph Top Coat Lip Gloss in Mouthy

Sarah Hoffmann

Tester feedback from commerce market editor Sarah Hoffmann

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“If you have a tricky lip line, this is the gloss for you. I have a double lip line and the applicator and opacity are ideal for adding color and fullness to the parts of my lips where the pigment is all but nonexistent. I like to apply a coat to the center of my lips, then use the flat, pleasantly maneuverable applicator to almost line and blend the gloss so I get a wash of color all over without a harsh stop between my mouth and chin. The level of detail that went into this product, down to the elegant packaging, feels like the M.ph signature at this point.” —Sarah Hoffmann, commerce market editor

More to know

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• Key Ingredients: jojoba seed oil, sweet cherry oil, rose canina fruit oil
• Available shades: 8

Best for a Painless Plump: Danessa Myricks Beauty Glosswork 4D Ultra Shine Plumping Gloss

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Danessa Myricks Beauty

Glosswork 4D Ultra Shine Plumping Gloss

$26

Shop

$26

Sephora

Why it’s worth it: When you think of a lip-plumping gloss, the first thing that comes to mind is likely the sting. Well, this is not that. Danessa Myricks’ Glosswork Plumping Gloss uses the brand’s patented CushionWrap Technology, a polymer blend combined with peptides and algae extract, to painlessly plump and smooth the look of fine lines. It also has a metal applicator that lends a refreshing, cooling effect. The gloss is available in 14 shades, including Abundantly Clear (classic clear) and Spiced Latte (nude), with a few unexpected hues like Grape Soda (bright purple) and Pink Sorbet (citrusy orangey-pink).

Smith applying the Danessa Myricks Beauty Glosswork 4D Ultra Shine Plumping Gloss

Tasha Nicole Smith

Smith after applying the Danessa Myricks Beauty Glosswork 4D Ultra Shine Plumping Gloss

Tasha Nicole Smith

Tester feedback from commerce writer Tasha Nicole Smith

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“I tend to steer clear of super spicy plumping gloss formulas. I reapply my gloss countless times a day (it’s habitual, not always because I actually need to reapply) and can't bear the sting, so this is an option I gravitate toward. The plumping effect was actually painless but was still noticeable and gave me a natural juicy pout as opposed to a more dramatic swell. I wore this gloss for a night out that included a few glasses of wine and a number of shared appetizers and was surprised by the staying power. Though the freshly applied shine faded by the time I finished eating, when I went to reapply, my lips were still hydrated and had a sheen that mimicked that of a lip balm. I also didn’t notice any extreme stickiness upon application, though as it wore off there was a slight tackiness—which I didn't mind as I quite like a thick, sticky gloss but if you prefer a thinner texture, it’s worth noting. I’m also very intrigued by the different colors that this gloss comes in. I was initially most drawn to the nude brown shades but the bright purple Grape Soda shade is next up on my list to try.” —Tasha Nicole Smith, commerce writer

More to Know

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• Key Ingredients: Cushion Wrap Technology (a polymer blend combined with peptides and algae extract)
• Available shades: 12 shades

Best K-Beauty: Hera Sensual Nude Gloss

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Hera

Sensual Nude Gloss

$35

Amazon

Allure contributing commerce writer Christa Joanna Lee applying Hera Sensual Nude Lip Gloss

Christa Joanna Lee

Why it’s worth it: Hera’s Sensual Nude Gloss is a sheerer option for anyone who prefers a more subtle color payoff without compromising on shine. The gloss is enhanced with ingredients like phytosterol, a plant-derived compound that supports collagen production and has antioxidant properties, and evening primrose oil to soothe the skin and moisturize the lips. The gloss also has menthol, which provides a minty cooling sensation and a slight plumping effect—but nothing too intense or unbearable. It’s available in 11 shades that are equally pretty on their own or on top of a lipstick.

Tester feedback from contributing commerce writer Christa Joanna Lee

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“I’m not really a lip girl, but when I do wear one, I always go for a gloss. The lightweight formula is so comfortable I almost forget I’m wearing it, and the menthol gives this refreshing, cooling sensation that feels invigorating. Plus, all the shades are super wearable, making it easy to swipe and go.” —Christa Joanna Lee, contributing commerce writer

More to Know

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• Key Ingredients: Phytosterol, evening primrose oil
• Available shades: 11 shades

Best Long-Wearing: Make Up For Ever Super Boost Moisturizing & Plumping Lip Gloss

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Make Up For Ever

Super Boost Moisturizing & Plumping Lip Gloss

$26

Nordstrom

$26

Sephora

Why it's worth it: Need your gloss to stay put for the long haul? Don’t sleep on Make Up For Ever’s Super Boost Moisturizing & Plumping Lip Gloss. It’s super hydrating on the lips, thanks to hyaluronic acid and a blend of oils from camellia, cotton, and meadowfoam flowers, and imparts color that lasts for hours (although you may have to touch it up after eating). It’s a little on the thicker side, but that helps amp up the shine and lock in the all-day moisturizing effect.

Allure senior beauty editor Jesa Marie Calaor applying the Make Up For Ever Super Boost Moisturizing & Plumping Lip Gloss

Jesa Marie Calaor

Calaor after applying the Make Up For Ever Super Boost Moisturizing & Plumping Lip Gloss

Jesa Marie Calaor

Tester feedback from senior beauty editor Jesa Marie Calaor

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“This high-shine gloss has a curvy doe foot that fits the contours of my lips, making it feel so satisfying to put on. Its formula is a little gooey, but not at all sticky, and deposits just the right amount of color. (My go-to shade is Fiery Love, which tints my lips with a warm cherry.) I love how it makes my lips look ever-so-slightly plumper.” —Jesa Marie Calaor, senior beauty editor

More to know

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• Key ingredients: hyaluronic acid, camellia japonica seed oil, cotton seed oil, meadowfoam seed oil
• Shades: 11

Best for Dry Lips: Makeup By Mario SuperShine Lip Gloss

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Makeup by Mario

Supershine Lip Gloss

$26

Shop

$26

Sephora

Why it’s worth it: If you typically gravitate toward oils or balms over glosses, the Makeup By Mario SuperShine Lip Gloss feels like a hybrid of all three. Unlike a lot of other glosses, this one actually hydrated Allure content director Sophia Panych’s lips, which is why we named it a One to Watch debut last year. Its key ingredients are pomegranate extract, jojoba oil, and hyaluronic acid—all of which give it the silky, hydrating formula that sets it apart. “I'd say the best word to describe this formula is '"cushy’"—it's super comfortable to wear throughout the day,” says former features director Dianna Singh. “And the applicator—a wide, flatter-than-normal doe-foot—picks up just the right amount of product.”

Allure social media manager applying the Makeup by Mario Supershine Lip Gloss

Bianca Richard

Richard after applying Makeup by Mario Supershine Lip Gloss

Bianca Richard

Tester feedback from social media manager Bianca Richards

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“Call me a Makeup By Mario stan, because I love almost everything from their collection, but their SuperShine Lip Gloss has become one of my favorite go-tos for that ultra-glossy finish without feeling tacky on the lips. I love the shade range, with rosewater becoming my #1 pick for a simple lip combo.” —Bianca Richards, social media manager

More to know

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• Key ingredients: pomegranate extract, jojoba oil, hyaluronic acid
• Shades: 11

Frequently Asked Questions

What’s the difference between a lip gloss and a glossy balm?

“To be honest, I think a glossy balm to one brand could be a lip gloss to another; it really depends on the marketing. I think glosses usually target high shine and usually impart color onto the lips, while glossy balms focus more on nourishing the lips while adding shine, but a lot of ingredients in these two products are the same.”

What are some ingredients to look out for in a good lip gloss?

“Hydrogenated polyisobutene is not a very sexy sounding ingredient, but it is a polymer that offers nice glide and cushion to the product. Most lip glosses have hydrogenated polyisobutene because it creates great body to the product without being tacky, and this usually makes up the bulk of the formula. I think another ingredient that people should look for is whether the lip gloss is preserved (also not sexy). Even though the formulas usually do not contain water, our saliva can potentially contaminate lip products if they are unpreserved. Ingredients like Phenoxyethanol and Ethylhexylglycerin are some examples of preservatives that can be used in lip applications.”

How we test and review products

Before reviewing any makeup, we ask questions about a number of factors: What ingredients are in it? Does the brand offer a wide shade range inclusive of consumers with all skin tones and undertones? Is it safe for readers who have sensitive skin or wear contact lenses? Is it on the affordable side or more of a splurge? Is its packaging consciously designed or needlessly wasteful?

For our review of the best lip glosses, we enlisted the help of multiple editors, writers, and contributors. We considered each product’s performance across four primary categories: ingredients, wear and longevity, packaging, and inclusivity. For more on what's involved in our reporting, check out our complete reviews process and methodology page.

Our staff and testers

A beauty product is a personal purchase. You might be searching for a face cream to address persistent dryness or a new nail product to add to your Sunday self-care routine; you may simply be browsing around for the latest launches to hit the hair market. No matter what you seek or your individual needs and concerns, Allure wants to ensure that you love anything we recommend in our stories. We believe that having a diverse team of writers and editors—in addition to the wide range of outside testers and industry experts we regularly call upon—is essential to reaching that goal.

After all, can we really say a skin-care product is the "best" for people over 50 if the only testers we've solicited opinions from folks who have yet to hit 30? Can we honestly deem a high-end diffuser worthy of your hard-earned cash if it’s never been tested on curls? We're proud that our staff spans a wide range of ages, skin tones, hair textures, genders, and backgrounds, which means that we are able to fairly assess any beauty product that comes into the beauty closet.

Discover more Allure editor favorites:

• Gucci's Gloss à Lèvres Made Me a Lip Gloss Convert
• Summer Fridays' New Dream Lip Oil Is Quiet Luxury for Your Lips
• This Fenty Beauty Gloss Gives You Fuller-Looking Lips Without Any Spiciness

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Remember when the halo eye was the makeup look on Instagram? About a decade ago, beauty lovers were blending lighter eye shadow onto the center of their lids, surrounding it with deeper shades to create that spotlight effect. The look has never gone away, but it has evolved; more recently, halo eyeliner has been having a moment. And Kim Kardashian just demonstrated the latest—and perhaps deceptively easiest—way to wear it at the New York premiere of All’s Fair season two: concentrating the halo effect exclusively on her lower lash line.

Makeup artist Ariel Tejada gave Kardashian’s eyes a seriously sultry treatment. Rather than drawing one continuous dark line across the lower lash line, the black liner is concentrated at the inner and outer corners, leaving a noticeably lighter, frosty sliver in the center, directly beneath the pupil. That little break in the darkness creates the smoked-out halo effect, but instead of continuing it on top, the upper lash line gets a more defined sweep of black. A mix of cool taupe shadow on the lid and warm brown in the crease adds depth, and full, fluttery lashes bring the drama.

The rest of the makeup keeps the focus firmly on her eyes, though it deserves its own praise. Kardashian's complexion is smoothly sculpted, with high-set, light pink blush and a touch of highlighter on her nose. Her lips are topped off in soft, pale pink with a cool beige liner to subtly contour their shape.

Photo: Getty Images

Although she revealed a new lob just days ago, her hair is pulled back into a sleek, super-long ponytail, with two tendrils left loose to frame her face and emphasize just how perfectly hairstylist Iggy Rosales made her middle part. The way those pieces and the ponytail flow feels like they echo the dangling ribbon elements of her gown.

Kardashian wore a pale-gray Ashi Studio dress styled by Law Roach, featuring a sculptural corset, lace panels, a dramatic train, and crocodile-embossed leather details, including a coordinating leather neckpiece.

But while the gown was a whole architectural event, we’re honestly still thinking about that tiny, strategic blip of shimmer in her lower eyeliner. Sometimes the smallest detail really makes the biggest impression.

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Every month nearly two billion people around the world menstruate, with about six tablespoons of menstrual blood leaving each person’s body over the course of three to seven days. And we throw it all away. What a growing number of researchers believe is that those discarded tampons and pads contain precious information. Menstrual blood—or effluent, as it’s referred to in medical literature—contains unique information about our health that no other bodily fluid can share.

In addition to blood, effluent contains lining of the uterus and secretions from the vagina and cervix, along with stem cells. Studies have found that menstrual blood has over 1,000 distinct proteins, 385 of which are not found in any other blood. “There’s a whole host of potentially really important information about the health of the uterus itself and also our body’s broader health and wellbeing,” says Gemma Sharp, PhD, a professor of epidemiology at the University of Exeter in England and director of the Menarche Menstruation Menopause and Mental Health Consortium. Sharp is part of a team of researchers building a large menstrual fluid biobank as part of a wider program trying to identify the causes of and better treatments for heavy menstrual bleeding.

Menstrual blood has over 1,000 distinct proteins, 385 of which are not found in any other blood.

Sharp’s ambition to work in menstrual health was driven largely by the fact that it’s been overlooked in research, clinical practice, and by society for so long. “I was really interested to find out why that is,” says Sharp. “There’s just this huge clinical gap because we haven’t been doing this type of research before.” Part of that is simply due to health care’s male-centric baseline. Women were frequently excluded from clinical trials done before 1993 (when the National Institute of Health’s Revitalization Act mandated their inclusion in future federally-funded studies) so how treatments, medications, and diseases impact women writ large has only been studied for just over three decades. Which means there’s a lot of catching up to do.

Another hurdle for menstrual research specifically is the lack of education around menstruation, even among doctors. Ridhi Tariyal is the co-founder of NextGen Jane, an Oakland-based women’s health care and biotech company that has been collecting health information via mailed-in, menstrual-blood soaked tampons. When she was first pitching her idea to a male oncologist, she quickly realized that she would also have to explain the nuances of menstruation. “The oncologist was really excited about the idea and said, ‘OK, so you’re going to use the tampon that a woman puts in her body at the beginning of her period and takes out at the end and sequence it,’” says Tariyal. “I remember replying flatly, ‘actually, there’s not just one tampon during a period, we change it every few hours.’ And he was like, ‘really?’ This was a great doctor and a smart scientist, but neither his lived experience nor his medical school training gave him any knowledge about the menstrual regimen.”

Our collective belief that menstrual blood is somehow grosser than other blood is deeply entrenched.

Finally, there’s the ick factor. Our collective belief that menstrual blood is somehow grosser than other blood is deeply entrenched. “It has always had a social stigma,” says Christine Metz, PhD, the head of medicinal biochemistry and a professor at the Feinstein Institute for Medical Research. “I don’t know of any culture other than the indigenous population that embraces menstrual blood. Everyone else says, ‘we don’t talk about that stuff.’”

As anyone who has walked to a public restroom with a tampon tucked into their shirt sleeve knows, periods are often shrouded in shame. The “curse of blood,” as Carrie’s religious fanatic mother calls it in the 1976 film (that just got a reboot on Amazon Prime), is painted as revolting and sinful, and eventually, come prom night, leads to rage and destruction; exaggerated for maximum horror movie shock value but also, frankly, relatable. Less than a decade after Carrie’s blood-soaked prom, the word period would be uttered for the first time on TV in a Tampax commercial (set in a high school locker room) by a pre-Monica-fame Courtney Cox. Then it trickled into the occasional television and movie plotline, most often as a marker of the shift away from childhood—Rudy and Darlene got theirs on The Cosby Show and Roseanne, and Vada in My Girl, has to be convinced she’s not hemorrhaging to death—and sometimes, regrettably, as a gross-out vehicle (see Superbad).

“We study spit, we study poop, we study urine. Nobody’s studying menstrual blood.”

Period portrayals have come a long way in recent years, from Broad City’s period pants to Turning Red’s metaphorical red panda. Period products have evolved dramatically too (there’s underwear and cups and cycle support from brands like The Period Company, Thinx, Looni ,and Cora) and so has our cultural perception—a few decades ago, the notion of free bleeding the London marathon would have been unfathomable. While the stigma has not entirely disappeared, and there remain huge gaps in menstrual education and period poverty worldwide, we may be more ready than ever to unlock menstrual blood as a key to women’s health. Metz always saw it as an amazing tool and biological specimen that had just been completely ignored. “We study spit, we study poop, we study urine,” she says. “Nobody’s studying menstrual blood.”

The Crime Scene Origins of Period Blood Research

Right now there are two groups talking a lot about menstrual blood: Scientists eager to understand health conditions that exclusively or disproportionately impact women, and fem-tech start-ups eager to capitalize on a potential new diagnostic tool. The first person to stumble upon that potential wasn’t working in women’s health, but crime scene investigations: a forensic scientist named Donald Siegel who was employed at the time by New York City’s Office of the Chief Medical Examiner. Back in 2012, scientists in that office were trying to find a way to disprove “the menstrual blood defense.” “People would claim it was not blood, but menstrual blood at a crime scene,” says Tariyal. As in, “The blood stains all over my apartment aren’t from a violent crime, just free bleeding”—it’s a defense that comes up more than you might think. Those early studies were trying to find a way to differentiate menstrual from systemic blood samples.

Once the difference (those aforementioned hundreds of unique proteins) was established by Siegel and his fellow researchers, scientists began to zero in on what else menstrual blood could reveal. “The next question became, is there anything you could pick up in whole blood, with normal lab tests, that you could more conveniently pick up in menstrual blood,” says Tariyal. The earliest answer to that was hemoglobin A1C, which is used to track diabetes. Typically, a patient with diabetes has to have their blood tested twice a year (four times if the disease is not stable or being actively managed), either by venous blood draw or at-home fingerstick tests.

Qvin, a California-based health tech company founded in 2014 by Dr. Sara Naseri and Soren Therkelsen, was the first to capitalize on menstrual blood as a diagnostic tool, commercializing a pad (called a Q-pad) with a removable collection strip that could be mailed in for evaluation. Their Q-pad received FDA approval in 2024 to measure and monitor hemoglobin A1C levels using menstrual blood to track blood sugar in those with diabetes or prediabetes.

While Qvin demonstrated what was possible with menstrual blood, they didn’t necessarily address an acute pain point or make anything more convenient. (A finger prick at home is arguably less hassle than putting your bloody menstrual pad in the mailbox.) Creating a different way to gather health information, while interesting, isn’t exactly electrifying science, says Tariyal. What may be more compelling, though, is HPV testing using menstrual blood; currently, testing requires an in-person evaluation with a speculum which many are uncomfortable with. Qvin has now pivoted to HPV and their diagnostic pads for that disease have already received approval from Thailand’s Food and Drug Administration.

“In conditions such as endometriosis and reproductive tract cancers, menstrual effluent may help us gain better insights than traditional blood samples.”

Much of the current wave of research focuses on what menstrual blood can tell us about our reproductive organs and the conditions specific to that area of the body. “Menstrual blood is distinct in that it’s a proxy for the endometrium, the innermost lining of the uterus, so we get insights into the uterus itself,” says Irma Vlasac, a researcher in the Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, adding that some research has shown that there are even immune cells specific to the uterus. “In conditions such as endometriosis and reproductive tract cancers, menstrual effluent may help us gain better insights than traditional blood samples.”

Inflammation, which plays a significant role in a number of gynecological ailments, is something that Metz has focused on for her entire career. In the mid-’90s, interested in how the cells that line the blood vessels of the endometrium and myometrium respond to inflammation, she would have to go over to labor and delivery to get umbilical cords. Then she thought of menstrual blood. Because it has unique biomarkers (like urocortin 3, a protein involved in inflammation), creating a bank of samples has given Metz’s team a singular lens into what’s happening in the uterus—and potentially an invaluable diagnostic tool.

How Period Blood Could Transform Endometriosis Diagnoses

For Xella Health co-founder and CEO Kelly Lacob, whose background is in health tech and diagnostics, menstrual blood’s diagnostic value was top of mind when approaching her new venture, which she describes as “precision health care” and “concierge care delivery” for women. In other words, it’s a private telehealth company that uses patients’ lab results to recommend treatment plans for a wide range of conditions (cancer, cardiovascular disease, B12 deficiency) and life stages (trying to get pregnant, navigating perimenopause). Xella costs $499 per year for a standard membership or $949 if you want more management of active conditions. Right now, the company is still relying on venous blood draws, so subscribers need to go to a local lab, like Quest Diagnostics, for testing. But soon, Xella’s data gathering will extend into menstrual blood, using a swab-based collection method instead of a pad or tampon; this will be an add-on option to the traditional blood draw. Lacob sees distinct advantages to using menstrual fluid to look at conditions of the reproductive health system. “Whenever you’re trying to look at a particular system, the closer you get to the source, you’re going to see things sooner and in higher concentrations, and the higher quality your data’s going to be,” says Lacob, outlining a theory that researchers in the menstrual science space agree on.

The first condition that Xella is pouring their efforts into testing menstrual fluid for is endometriosis. Endometriosis is a debilitating condition—painful periods, cramping, fatigue and fertility challenges are common—that impacts more than 6 million women in the US, but there’s no test for it and it’s often misdiagnosed for years (research has found that women sometimes wait decades for a diagnosis). Right now, the only medically accepted method of diagnosing endometriosis is surgical (via a laparoscopic procedure). And even that only detects 70% of all cases, says Metz. So, the possibility of a non-invasive test is understandably huge, although there is currently no evidence that this method would be any more accurate in diagnosing the condition.

Metz embarked on the ROSE (Research Outsmarts Endometriosis) study with Peter Gregerson, MD, a geneticist and professor of molecular medicine, in 2013, creating a bank of menstrual specimens with the intention of learning more about endometriosis to improve treatment options and diagnosis time. Since then the ROSE study has enrolled almost 4,000 participants and collected and investigated menstrual blood using numerous approaches. So far, their most significant finding has been identifying cells in menstrual blood that express inflammatory biomarkers predictive of endometriosis.

The work has also helped them figure out that using silicon menstrual cups seems to be the most effective collection method for the type of diagnostic testing they are doing. “Collecting it with an absorptive product kills the tissues and cells and interferes with our processing and outcome measurements,” says Metz, adding that because they need about a teaspoon collected during peak flow, a swab wouldn’t work either. The ROSE study team received $850,000 from the National Institutes of Health earlier this year, a major endorsement of the work they’re doing and its potential.

And they are far from alone in their efforts to prove menstrual blood’s viability as a diagnostic tool. NextGenJane is developing a test via tampon that you can do at home; they’ve finished one study focused on endometriosis and are in the process of enrolling participants in a study of infertility patients. Tariyal says they have also started enrolling patients with diagnosed autoimmune and inflammatory disorders, such as lupus or hidradenitis, into other studies in progress because menstruation is an inflammatory process.

Researchers from Endogene.bio at the Hospital Clinic in Barcelona are also studying diagnostic approaches for endometriosis using menstrual blood samples; teams at Eth Zurich, a renowned public research university in Switzerland, have developed a diagnostic menstrual pad that’s still in early clinical testing but will theoretically be able to record markers that can indicate cancer, endometriosis, and general inflammation; and last year saw the establishment of the Fairbairn Menstruation Science Fund at MIT, which will be devoted to using menstrual blood to diagnose endometriosis and other gynecological disorders as well as chronic systemic inflammatory diseases that more commonly impact women.

While endometriosis is a common focus for many in the menstrual blood space, both on the science and start-up side, the researchers interviewed for this piece posit that the same approach could be applied to uterine fibroids, endometrial hyperplasia, adenomyosis, PMDD, lupus, various cancers, and even fertility. Lacob already envisions their menstrual fluid data being able to reveal vital information about the ovarian environment, giving insights into not just the quantity, but the quality of eggs, a frequent blind spot in fertility care.

What We Still Don't Know About Period Blood's Power

All of this points to a promising future, but we may now be at the all-too-common point where companies eager to innovate are selling something before the evidence that it really works has been fully substantiated. And moving quickly requires some efficiency tactics. Xella's platform, for example, is powered by AI. Its bot ingests and analyzes the data from a patient's bloodwork, then makes recommendations (for follow-up testing, medications, etc), then that is all reviewed by a human physician. The use of AI in this context is concerning to some researchers in the menstrual science space because “AI is only as good as what it can train on and there is not much literature that they’re going to be able to access about menstrual blood,” says Metz. According to Xella founder Lacob, its bot has been fed female-specific clinical guidelines, published literature, and resources to be able to evaluate where there are diagnostic gaps. So it's looking for lab values that are out of range, but also bigger patterns, says Lacob, then reporting on probable risks and how confident it is about them, plus providing clinical back-up.

It’s near impossible to hear about inventive, needle-free diagnostic blood testing and not have the mind wander to Theranos and Elizabeth Holmes’s trail of junk science, but scientists who have been studying menstrual blood for years think its potential for revealing a wealth of information about our health is undeniable. And endometriosis is just the beginning. Menstrual fluid, and the stem cells floating around it, have more than just diagnostic potential. And for more than just women. “Menstruation is a model system for understanding how the body naturally repairs and responds to injury,” says Tariyal. Every month the uterus sheds and regenerates its lining in what is a remarkable demonstration of scarless healing. “This process inherent to female biology is fascinating in that it gives you an opportunity to observe how the body moves from injury to repair without fibrosis [excessive buildup of connective tissue],” says Tariyal. “We have just not spent enough time studying it.”

“I think we’re on the right track, but I feel very strongly that until these diagnostics are really solid, you can’t promise anything.”

Measuring the promise of these emerging diagnostic models with well-proven science is critical, though. “I think we’re on the right track, but I feel very strongly that until these diagnostics are really solid, you can’t promise anything,” says Metz. What’s solid? Rigorous testing in large, clinical trials with strong evidence of reproducibility, accuracy, precision, and robustness. “Investors are weary as it is and if there’s something that fails, it’s going to really hurt the women’s health field as a whole,” she says. While fem-tech pioneers can successfully nudge the menstrual blood conversation farther into the mainstream, these new wave tools and tech-enabled care shouldn’t outpace the scientific research required to validate them. The benefits of fem-tech platforms, says Sharp, are the sheer numbers of people they can reach. In clinical research, there is much more rigor—but often far smaller numbers. “If we can combine those two things and get the rigor and the scale, then I actually think that the innovations will come thick and fast,” she predicts. And Metz remains very hopeful: “The market is large enough to accommodate multiple diagnostic approaches, provided they are accurate and reproducible.”

And getting that accurate, reproducible evidence takes cash. Closing the knowledge gap is only possible by addressing the research gap. In 2020 only 5% of global R&D funding was allocated to women’s health; of that number only 1% went to women-specific health conditions, including menopause, endometriosis, contraception, and maternal health, with a quarter of that 1% being restricted solely to fertility. The research gap is clearly gaping. Funneling money not just into fem-tech but into the research of scientists like Metz, Sharp, and the teams at MIT and Dartmouth is the only way to ensure that menstrual blood is no longer wasted. As Vlasac puts it: “It just holds so much untapped potential.”

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As we move into the cooler months, warmer, richer hair colors often make their routine entrance. These shades feel all warm and cozy like they’re making up for the biting breeze. This season, though, Serena Williams is embracing the temperature drop with an icy platinum-blonde color paired against minimal brown roots—and the switch up matches the season’s chilly energy.

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Williams wore the frosty hue to the first-annual AirBnb Gala on October 28th in Los-Angeles, (if you’re wondering why AirBnb threw a black tie gala, as we were, it was for the company’s nonprofit arm) and saw attendees from Charlize Theron to host Jimmy Kimmel. She paired the new hue with smoky eye-shadow and a full-bodied red lipstick, which complemented her sparkly cheetah-print dress. While the color is brand new for pro tennis player, she stayed true to her usual styling, pulling off loose wand curls. With an Old Hollywood-style side part, her long curls neatly framed the square neckline of her dress.

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Williams wore a range of warm hair tones throughout her career, and although she’s been going progressively more platinum, this frosty silver shade is a pleasant surprise. But with the busy year she's having, packed with new beginnings, the hair transformation goes hand and hand. Williams recently returned to professional competitive tennis after a nearly four-year hiatus. She also has become a lead spokesperson for the GLP-1 telehealth provider, Ro, publicly sharing her health journey and crediting the medication for her weight loss and improved cardiovascular markers. All in all, it's been a year of changes for Williams. But even at its coolest, the icy blonde feels like a grand slam.

More celebrity beauty news:

• Sophie Turner's Hair Has Never Been This Dark Before
• Selena Gomez and Demi Lovato Went Full YouTube for Their New Blush Collab
• Olivia Colman Is the Indisputable New Queen of Quiet Silver
• Jenna Ortega Is Warming Up to Fall With the Trendy Maple Cinnamon Hair Color

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After you've nailed down the side dishes and seating arrangements for Thanksgiving, it's time to move on to bigger and better pursuits: Thanksgiving nail ideas. Thanksgiving is a big night for catching up and breaking bread, so you'll want the hands on the knife and fork to be looking fresh and ready for the official start of the holiday season.

Whether you prefer short and simple or long and shaped, seasonal shades or intricate nail art, there's a little something for everyone at the Thanksgiving nail-design table. The warm, earthy hues associated with autumn are a great jumping-off point for many Thanksgiving manicure ideas, including intricately hand-painted illustrations, subtle ombré, and color-blocked designs. Even if you don't partake in Thanksgiving celebrations, these palettes and techniques are great for fall—a last hurrah before we shift into the shades and trends of winter.

(Editor's note: Before we get into specific trends and techniques, it’s important to note that Thanksgiving has gone through many changes and iterations in the last four centuries and, simply put, its history is far from the narrative of the "first Thanksgiving meal" often taught in schools across the US. This complex issue deserves more nuance and expertise and, frankly, a nail art gallery isn't the venue, so we urge you to explore the topic on your own. A good starting point is this 2012 Q&A from Indian Country Today with artist and historical preservationist Ramona Peters of the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe and journalist Gale Courey Toensing.)

For inspiration on autumnal designs that evoke this particular weekend in November and beyond, we speak with nail experts and our own beauty editors about the creative designs they anticipate seeing on fingertips this year.

Additional reporting by Loren Savini, Sara Miranda, Marci Robin, and Tori Crowther.

Pumpkin jelly

Courtesy of @melanated.mani

Maybe you're looking for a simple manicure you can do right before dinner with your folks. Perhaps you're really excited for the pumpkin pie they're serving. Either way, you'll find this jelly manicure satisfying. Anna, the manicurist behind this look, swept on three coats of Holo Taco Nail Polish in In My Peelings, a sheer orange formula. We also recommend Le Minis Macaron Nail Polish in Orange Glow for re-creating it.

Pearly gray

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Fall weather can be a little overcast, so we’re trading our freshwater pearls for something a little stormier (but with the same dazzling sheen that will catch the light when reaching across the table for the gravy boat). Look for a pearlescent polish with a silvery cast, as opposed to one with a shimmery white finish. We like ILNP Holographic Nail Polish in Tombstone for a super-subtle glint or Manicurist Paris Green Natural Nail Polish in Moon for a more allover glow.

Plaid

Courtesy of @sansungnails

'Tis the season for thicker, cozier layers. For your Thanksgiving gathering, consider matching your mani with your merino wool plaid scarf. You can opt for an autumnal color combination or elevate your personal style, the way nail artist San Sung Kim did for the look above.

Tortoiseshell tips

Courtesy of @nailsbyhannahmarie

The tortoiseshell effect makes for stunning nail design year-round, but we especially love it in November for its use of autumnal polish colors. To create this version, nail artist Hannah Flanagan applied a glassy yellow base before adding the black and brown details to create tortoiseshell spots. For us mere mortals, it’s easier to pick up a set of tortoiseshell press-ons, like Glamnetic Press-On Nails in Mine By Right.

Metallic petals

Courtesy of @lindseysbeautylounge1

It wouldn’t be fall without a leaf motif and we love this minimalist design by Lindsey Cunningham. If you’re feeling up for the challenge, do try this at home. Using a deep color, like Sally Hansen Insta-Dri Nail Polish in C-hill Out, paint tiny petals with a fine liner brush. Once dry, meticulously outline each petal with gold polish, such as Chanel Le Vernis Nail Colour in Phenix. Yes, this will take a lot of patience, but Cunningham has some key advice: Always find a good resting place to steady the hand that’s doing the painting. The final step is applying a glossy topcoat to seal the art.

French espresso

Courtesy of @iramshelton

There’s nothing like a strong espresso after Thanksgiving dinner to keep the party going. For this take on a French manicure, nail artist Iram Shelton flipped the design on its head, using chocolate tones to paint a lighter tip on top of a dark base. The contrasting chocolate and caramel colors complement each other, Shelton explains, and look even more elevated when paired with gold jewelry.

Shelton used Espresso Your Inner Self and Samoan Sand from OPI for these French tips. Other than your polishes of choice, she says, “all you need is a liner brush and some patience.” She started with the base color on each nail, allowing enough time for each layer to fully dry. “Using a liner brush, add the tip along the free edge,” Shelton says. “Once that’s dried, apply a topcoat.”

Nudes of fall

Courtesy of @disseynails

Decorate your digits with each shade on the fall-nude spectrum as Dayanna Sapiens did with this gradient manicure. Says Sapiens, she wanted to stick with the classic gradient design but decided to add her own touch to the look using the half-moon shape at the bottom of each nail. "This is one of the easiest manis to re-create. The most important step to this look is having a good, thin brush to create the half-moon shape," she tells Allure. Investing in "a good cleanup brush and nail polish remover to [clear] any mistakes is a must," she adds.

Taupe French with abstract swirls

Courtesy of @bycheznails

Bring in the heat this Thanksgiving with warm, chic swirls. Emily Zheng drew inspiration from French manicures and "added a twist to the classic design." According to Zheng, you can easily create this look at home with the brush of your nail polish, but how you use it is key to getting the design down.

Start with a latte-hued French manicure in Sally Hansen Insta-Dri Nail Color in Buff and Tumble, then add curvy swirls in your favorite autumnal color. (We think a slightly stiffer latte color would be nice, like Zoya Nail Polish in Gina.) "I recommend using the side of the brush so you have more control over where you are painting," Zheng explains. “Then you can use a smaller, more detailed nail art brush to clean up the edges to make them look more precise.”

Peekaboo angles

Courtesy of @jinsoon

A few peekaboo, angled corners are perfect for nail art novices. “It's a simple but powerful design,” says manicurist and founder of Jinsoon, Jin Soon Choi. The sharp, black corners—try Holo Taco in One-Coat Black—can be done atop any color, but Choi likes a moody blue, like Dior Vernis in Denim, which could be a nice change from all the seasonal browns and oranges. An opaque neutral or an earthy camel hue will also make great base colors for this design. Finish with a glossy topcoat for extra polish.

Iridescent beetle wings

Courtesy of Holly Falcone

"There are a lot of rich, warm greens in the fall," says celebrity nail artist Holly Falcone. Falcone took inspiration from shimmery beetle wings for this autumnal, perfect-for-Thanksgiving-dinner manicure, which can be done with an olive green, like Pop-arazzi in Retro Remix, or even an orange-violet, like INLP Fairy Dust. Just make sure it has that metallic, shimmery beetle-wing finish to up the glamour. The rich color is a great statement on its own, but Falcone also likes it jazzed up with some bling: “Using nail glue, apply iridescent crystals that cast red tones.”

Sleek red clay

Courtesy of @jinsoon

If nail art isn't your thing—or you're a first-time dinner guest who wants to keep things classic—a well-applied single shade of mauve is perfect to kick off the holiday season. The muted Jinsoon Fire Clay or Essie Rocky Rose are almost neutrals because of their dusty tone. "A well-done application is very important here," says Choi. “Especially the cuticle area, which needs to be well-finished.”

Reverse black French

Courtesy of @jinsoon

A perfect balance of moody, modern, and a little cheeky, this style is the French manicure's cool, witchy, younger sister. "It's a spin on the classic moon manicure using a cool color combo for an understated fall-nail look," says Choi. "Mark dots on both sides where the line starts and finishes, and one more dot in the middle, a bit below the two dots, then connect them in a rounded fashion and fill in the rest with a nail art brush." Use a black, like Mooncat Emo For Life, and follow with a swipe of a mattifying topcoat across the entire nail, like Orly Matte Top Coat.

Dainty decals

Courtesy of @sugarplumfairyfingers

Even fans of nudes and neutrals can spice things up around the holidays. "Tiny sparkles are fun and add just a touch of personality to your nails," says manicurist Hemi Park. Start with a neutral base, like Gelcare Polish in Rose BB Cream, and then select your bling. We love this blink-and-you'll-miss-it sparkly decal placed at the base of each nail, which you can try with a nail sticker. (We love the high-shine stars of the Olive and June You're a Star Nail Sticker set.)

Earth-tone abstract swirls

Courtesy of @jinsoon

'Tis the season for earth tones (enjoy the moment because red-and-green holiday nails will be here before you know it). "A modern abstract painting on your nails using this trio creates a balanced, calming, contemporary look," says Choi. Start with a sage green base, like Londontown Lakur in Sedona, and create these organic shapes by drawing swirls of complementary colors, such as a dusty blue like JinSoon Nail Polish in Sea Clay. Because the swirls are imperfect, you don't need a fine-tip nail art brush; just use the regular brush that comes with your polish.

Curvy terracotta cutouts

Courtesy of @nail.art.by.tea

“My inspiration [for this nail art] is the silhouette of women's dresses that include cutout curves,” nail artist Tea Chau tells Allure about this design. “I went with brown to create a bold and sexy look.” To achieve this design, Chau starts by painting "the larger color block[s] first," then outlines the big color blocks. She makes the outlines with detail brushes from the Makartt Three Piece Nail Art Set.

Bright poppy red

Courtesy of @ritaremark

Think of the brightest red you can imagine and go one shade brighter. Scratch that—two shades brighter. A red manicure looks classic on short nails and, nail artist Rita Remark says, it is a great, cheeky color for Thanksgiving: "Bright red is bold and never out of fashion." Try Essie Gel Couture Longwear Nail Polish in Electric Geometric or Chanel Le Vernis in Incendiaire.

Checkered claws

Courtesy of @heygreatnails

Maybe you can match your mother's Thanksgiving tablecloth with this checkered set (or not). Aisté, the nail artist behind this design, was inspired by the pattern on a Staud dress. She originally created this look with a pastel color story for summer but decided to give it another go for fall. "Since color-block nail designs are still trending, I just wanted to create something that would look simple, classy, and this time have a fall vibe," she explains. A fall-inspired color collection like the Madam Glam The Harvest Bundle will take some of the guesswork out of mixing and matching colors.

Chrome tips

Courtesy of @ritaremark

If we had Thanksgiving on the moon, these would be our tips of choice. (They just so happen to look great here on Earth too.) "French manicures are back in a big way," says Remark. "And this is a French manicure with a twist." She suggests trying the look with a dark or metallic tip, such as the silver Mooncat in Outlaw Country or Le Mini Macaron in Silver Glow for a super-slick look. Either makes for a stylish Thanksgiving manicure, but we love the way this shiny chrome brings the '90s classic into the future.

Vampy vixen red

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Red nails will never go out of style, but the question is always: Which red? You can't really go wrong, but Falcone likes a deep, vixen red with a brick tone for Thanksgiving. "In the fall, brick reds really pop," she says. Try Tenoverten Nail Color in Carmine, and use nail glue to top the tips with a single black crystal (pick up Beadsland Rhinestones for an array of sizes) on each nail.

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The phrase “old Hollywood glamour” is a bit of a cliché at this point; it's been overused as a way to describe a specific red carpet moment, like a particularly classic gown or peekaboo hairstyle à la ‘40s star Veronica Lake. But on the flipside, that kind of timeless beauty truly never goes out of style, and Keke Palmer, Pamela Anderson, and Cole Escola all put their own unique spin on one of Marilyn Monroe's signature hairstyles for the 2026 CFDA Awards.

Let's start with Palmer, who hosted the evening's events and wore a stunning and super-rare archival Bob Mackie dress originally made for ‘70s star Raquel Welch’s appearance on The Cher Show. (Got all that?) The actor-singer-host extraordinaire wore her red hair in a voluminous Marilyn-style bob styled in soft curls. Her hair was parted deeply to one side with a portion teased up and curled, similar to how Monroe wore her hair in movies like Gentlemen Prefer Blondes.

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Next up, Anderson! The actor is a major cinephile and has looked to classic films for hair inspiration in the past, including '80s French films and Monroe herself. Anderson went for a more sculpted take on Monroe-esque curls, wearing her platinum hair swept back from her face and tightly curled. She skipped the cat-eye liquid liner but wore a modern twist on Monroe's signature red lipstick, slicking on a glossy shade of cherry and wearing the same color on her nails.

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And as for Escola, the Tony-winning actor and writer's film-star curls landed right between Palmer's and Anderson's, style-wise, with a pageboy shape and that dramatic swoop teased and sculpted into an exaggerated shape for a cheeky finish.

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Monroe was definitely on the moodboard for the evening, proving that old Hollywood glamour can easily be new Hollywood glamour too. It's even cooler when you make it yours interpret it through your own special style lens!

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Brr! Is that the chill of a winter wind in the air, or is it just Bella Hadid's snow-queen makeup? Now that we're officially in November, winter weather isn't far away, and the model got a head start with the cutest frosty freckles we've seen, well, ever.

Hadid's frosty glam wasn't for a Halloween costume, though it definitely could have been; instead, the model teased “something cozy” to come from her fragrance brand Orebella. She paired her enormous fluffy white faux-fur trapper hat with Queen Elsa-style makeup, with white flakes of pigment dusted over her lashline, just like how snowflakes get stuck to your eyelashes during a flurry. The same frosty, lifelike texture was applied across the bridge of her nose to resemble freckles. The “snow” was also scattered all over her hat, in her hair, and across her skin, as though she was trapped in a particularly beautiful blizzard.

Though Hadid was lightly dusted with a flurry of faux-snow, the rest of her glam looked more like she'd been spending time on the beach in Tahiti. Her beach-babe glow was highlighted by bronzed cheeks and a taupe eye shadow with a pearly shade brushed under the brow for definition, plus a teeny bit of black eyeliner to emphasize her pale blue-green eyes. Her lips were frosted with a sheen of seashell pink, which manages to be both wintry and summery at the same time.

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We're not saying you should cover yourself in fake snow for winter parties and nights out, but you can take a cue from Hadid's frosted glam, even sans the snow freckles. Frosted lips and eyes have returned to the beauty forefront in a huge way, thanks in part to TikTok and exciting relaunches like MAC's Frost lipsticks. For another fun twist on ice-queen glam, take a cue from Zara Larsson and pile on the shimmery silver-white shadow accented with rhinestones in lieu of snowflakes, or perhaps a fresh platinum blonde hair color à la Serena Williams. “Cool” doesn't even begin to describe it!