There may be affiliate links throughout the content you're about to read. When you purchase from my links, I may earn a small commission (at no extra cost to you) which helps me provide even more awesome content for you :)
One thing I have never talked about here is the best MAC lipsticks for grey hair and mature skin. Yet, just because you get older doesn’t mean you want to stop wearing makeup!
It’s just that the MAC lipstick shades you pick are going to be a tad different than what you’d have worn a few years/decades back.
Since I was lucky enough to be a MAC artist for over a year, both in makeup stores in London and Paris, I thought it would be nice to share the best MAC lipsticks for older women and gray hair.
In this guide, though, I will not only share the best shades you can wear to brighten up a mature skin and grey hair, but I will also tell you about how to pick the color.
I will let you know a bit about color theory and what type of colors you should go for when your hair is starting to get on the grey side so you can feel your best self at every age!
14 Best MAC Lipsticks for Grey Hair, Older & Mature Skin
Okay, so before we get started on this guide to the best MAC lipsticks for grey hair, a bit of theory so you really know why I have picked these shades, and a few answers to questions you might be wondering.
Can I wear nude lipstick with grey hair?
People with grey hair and silver hair can definitely wear nude lipstick, but you’re going to want to switch things up a little bit.
When your skin starts maturing and your hair gets more grey, you might find that shades you used to love don’t look so good on you anymore – and that’s fine.
It’s all about accepting who we are becoming, and amping up your makeup game.
If by nude lipstick, you understand shades like Velvet Teddy and Modesty, I would tell you to maybe stop wearing those unless you wear a darker lip liner around.
What type of MAC lipstick texture is good for grey and silver hair?
In terms of texture, as we age, our lips tend to get thinner.
That’s where you’ll want to wear some more creamy textures, like the MAC Love Me lipsticks, the Satin lipsticks or the Amplified lipsticks, to make your lips appear a tad fuller.
You can definitely wear matte lipsticks too, but I would recommend going for something that contrasts with your skin tone at least a little bit.
What type of MAC lipstick shade can I wear with grey hair?
As a rule of thumb, you’re pretty much going to want to forget about all the really nude lipsticks and light pink lipsticks you used to wear.
You don’t necessarily have to go for cool-toned lipsticks, as grey hair is naturally warm, but if you do, make sure you choose some kind of really visible lipstick (even if it’s a nude lipstick).
Rather, people with mature skin and grey hair have a whole new world of colorful lipsticks open in front of their eyes.
I wouldn’t go for a brown lipstick anymore, but rather for lipstick colors which have more red inside.
You can wear anything from coral lipsticks to mid tone pink lipsticks if you want nude, and go for many different bright lipstick shades (always taking into account your skin’s undertone).
In my experience, I would recommend anyone looking for the best MAC lipsticks for grey hair to try bright shades they’ve always been afraid of, as they tend to just look gorgeous.
Best MAC Lipsticks for Grey Hair: Captive (Satin)
First up, we’ve got the beautiful MAC Captive lipstick, part of the Satin range, which would be perfect for anyone with grey hair and fair to medium skin.
This is more of your winter MAC lipstick, and a shade perfect for spring and fall as well, but when you’ve got completely silver hair, that’s a great shade to pick.
The great thing about the MAC Satin lipsticks is that they’re semi matte, which means they’re easily blendable.
I have found that while bright lipstick shades tend to look stunning on people with great hair, many don’t actually want to pack on the color and will just dab a touch of lipstick, then blend with their lips.
It’s something totally possible with the satin lipsticks, and with the plum berry Captive, you’ve got a great shade to contrast anything from olive skin to skin with warm undertones.
Best MAC Lipstick Shades for Gray Hair: Ruby Woo (Retro Matte)
It would feel off to write about the best MAC lipsticks for grey hair without mentioning the Ruby Woo lipstick.
Remember how I told you to go for more creamy lipsticks when your skin gets older?
Yes, that’s true, especially if you’re going for nude lipsticks.
But if you want to go for something cool toned, really bright, the Ruby Woo lipstick is a great addition to your mature skin stash.
The only thing is that the Ruby Woo lipstick is part of the Retro Matte range, which is utterly drying.
When you want to wear this one, you’re going to want to apply the Prep and Prime for lips underneath, so it doesn’t slip into the fine lines and you can keep a smooth texture all day long.
Best MAC Lipsticks for Grey Hair: Viva Glam 1 (Matte)
Then, one of the best MAC lipsticks for grey hair is the matte Viva Glam 1 lipstick, which I have mentioned on The Working Line over and over and over again.
Indeed, the Viva Glam 1 lipstick boasts this 1940s type of red lipstick shade, which looks amazing whether you have Asian skin, really dark skin, or Indian skin.
When you want to go for something a little bit more elegant, the Viva Glam 1 lipstick is one of the best MAC lipsticks for grey hair, mature skin and older women – a brown and blue-toned color, sophisticated and just wow.
Best MAC Lipsticks for Older Women: See Sheer (Lustreglass)
Some great options to think of when you have gray hair and older skin is shiny lipsticks with a balm-like texture and much less pigmentation.
Getting a lipstick with less pigmentation than a regular matte lipstick or an Amplified lipstick will allow you to prevent the color from feathering in the wrinkles around the lips, just in case you don’t want to wear a lip liner with it.
One of the ultimate best MAC lipsticks for grey hair is the See Sheer lipstick from the Lustreglass range, which mixes a bit of coral and pink in the color.
See Sheer looks amazing on any type of skin, from skin with cool undertones to Asian skin and medium skin – and super easy to wear for mature skin and gray hair.
Best MAC Lipsticks for Grey Hair: Cosmo (Amplified)
I will only mention two nude pink lipsticks in this guide, as I do think this is really not the type of shade you should wear when you want to enhance your gray hair.
However, the MAC Cosmo lipstick from the Amplified range can be a great pick for very pale mature skin and medium skin.
In terms of pale skin, think of Meryl Streep in The Devil Wears Prada or President Alma Coin in The Hunger Games and you’ll see what I mean.
The MAC Cosmo lipstick is definitely going to look better on people with really pale skin and gray hair rather than fair skin tones on which it might look a little bit wishy-washy.
And for medium and dark skin, it’s something to try – if you have naturally pink lips, it could be your new go-to!
Best MAC Lipsticks for Grey Hair: Flat Out Fabulous (Retro Matte)
The MAC Flat Out Fabulous lipstick is one of my ultimate favorite shades because it looks stunning, incredible, absolutely gorgeous on every single skin tone.
Flat Out Fabulous is a type of berry/purple/pink/fuchsia color, and it is part of the Retro Matte range just like Ruby Woo.
That means that you’re going to want to wear the Prep and Prime under that one as well lest it will show the fine lines on your lips – something it already does even if you’re 20 years old.
When I talk about bright MAC lipsticks for grey hair, this is exactly the type of shade I mean.
It’s bright.
It attracts the eye on your lips and detracts it from your hair. It makes you look younger and confident.
I know this is not the easiest shade to wear.
However, on black skin, medium skin, and even really pale skin tones with gray hair and confidence, Flat Out Fabulous is one of the best MAC lipsticks for older women.
Best MAC Lipsticks for Grey Hair: D for Danger (Matte)
In my opinion, D for Danger is just another version of the Viva Glam 1 lipstick with just a little bit more of a berry lipstick type of vibe.
This is a completely matte lipstick, which I do think is beautiful whether you have olive skin, mature skin, or fair skin tone with warm undertones.
D for Danger is very easy to wear as a blush on medium and dark skin tones as well, so when you purchase this one, you actually have a multi use product.
And if you’re ever looking for the best MAC lip liners for D for Danger, you should definitely take a look at either the Beet lip liner for fair skin or the Nightmoth lip liner for medium and dark skin tones.
Best MAC Lipsticks for Grey Hair: Lovers Only (Amplified)
If you like the raspberry lipstick type of shade I mentioned above with D for Danger, you have Lovers Only from the Amplified range.
It offers a brighter berry color with a shiny, hydrating formula.
I’ve actually mentioned the Lovers Only lipstick in my guide to the most hydrating MAC lipsticks, and that is something you’re going to want to look at if you have mature skin and gray hair.
Why? Because our lips tend to lose a little bit in hydration as we grow older, which you will counter with that type of creamy formula.
With the Lovers Only lipstick, you could wear some beautiful coral or bright pink blush with a very light hand – take a look at the best MAC blushes for fair skin to see what you could pair it with!
Best MAC Lipsticks for Grey Hair: Lady Danger (Matte)
Coral lipsticks look amazing on older skin, that’s a fact. What about orange?
Well, if you’re looking for the best MAC lipsticks for grey hair and either super pale skin, medium skin or dark skin tones, Lady Danger is one of the most unexpected picks.
It is a very orange-toned red lipstick, really bright and lively.
As long as you only wear some mascara, do your eyebrows and apply maybe a little bit of nude eyeshadow, Lady Danger is one of the MAC lipsticks you can definitely pull off on mature skin.
If you feel like the color is too strong for you, just dab a bit of color on your lips, and the lipstick is going to last you even longer!
Best MAC Lipsticks for Grey Hair: Rebel (Satin)
I have lost track of the times I have talked about the Rebel lipstick here, but anyone looking for the best MAC lipsticks for grey hair and fair skin to dark skin should take a look at this one.
As our skin gets older, it starts looking a little bit wishy-washy, a little bit ashy if you wear something a little bit too nude, or a little bit to pink.
That is why I have chosen to talk about the MAC Rebel lipstick, since it does offer this strong tinge of red in the purple, and really brightens up any type of mature skin.
The satin formula helps keep the moisture of our lips locked in.
Plus, you can, like for any really pigmented lipstick, just dab a bit of color if this type of purple lipstick is new to you and you’re not too sure how the full deal is going to look on you.
Best MAC Lipsticks for Grey Hair: Fanfare (Cremesheen)
Fanfare is the other pink lipstick I have chosen to mention in this guide because it is one of the most hydrating MAC lipsticks for grey hair.
The Cremesheen range which it’s part of has a very balmy texture, and medium to strong pigmentation.
Since Fanfare is a pink lipstick, see how I have chosen something a little bit more shiny than you would have gotten if I had chosen the Mehr lipstick or the Twig lipstick?
This one is beautiful whether you have a mature skin with warm undertones or cool undertones, and whether you have Indian skin, dark skin, or very pale skin – so Fanfare really is a winner all around.
Best MAC Lipsticks for Grey Hair: Sweet Sakura (Cremesheen)
Another lipstick from the Cremesheen range is the Sweet Sakura lipstick, which offers a bright red color with a coral undertone – amazing for anyone after MAC lipsticks for grey hair and mature skin.
The Sweet Sakura lipstick will brighten up your face in a heartbeat.
With it, you can choose to just wear mascara and eyebrow product, or go for something a little bit darker like a brown gold eyeshadow.
Later on, we will get deeper into how to do makeup on older skin tones. For now, know that the balmy texture of that red lipstick will help bring light on your face and make you appear younger.
Best MAC Lipsticks for Grey Hair: A Little Tamed (Powder Kiss)
If you absolutely want to go for a pink lipstick, choose something a little bit more midtone than a really nude lipstick like Blankety or Modesty.
The Powder Kiss A Little Tamed lipstick is one of the best MAC lipsticks for grey hair and really pale skin, medium skin, and dark skin, as it is pink but has this touch of red inside that helps brighten up the face.
It is really powdery and very comfortable to wear, too!
And if you’re not used to wearing makeup but would still like to try something new, A Little Tamed can be blended out to just give the slightest flush of color to the skin.
Best MAC Lipsticks for Grey Hair: Shocking Revelation (Powder Kiss)
Shocking Revelation has always been one of my favorite MAC Powder Kiss lipsticks, just because this is a very raspberry toned red lipstick – and I love my berry lipsticks!
The Shocking Revelation lipstick can be used as a blush or as a lipstick; it doesn’t matter and will look absolutely stunning.
Anyone looking for the best MAC lipsticks for grey hair and mature skin should take a look at the Powder Kiss lipstick range, because they are really hydrating, comfortable to wear, and really pigmented.
You can decide whether you want to just dab on a bit of color or pack on the lipstick entirely, up to you.
This is one type of MAC lipstick formula that will not feather, and well, raspberry lipstick always looks good no matter the time of the year!
14 Best MAC Lipsticks for Grey Hair, Older & Mature Skin
There you have them, all the best MAC lipsticks for grey hair, mature skin, and older skin!
Hopefully, you’ll have found here all the beautiful MAC lipstick shades that would suit your skin tone.
But, don’t forget that even if this is a very comprehensive guide, you will still have to check out lipstick undertones for your skin before you make an enlightened choice.
As always, makeup is made to be experimented, so don’t be afraid to try things out and you’ll soon find what looks absolutely gorgeous with your silver hair!
Until next time!
Other Lip Makeup Posts
- The Best Charlotte Tilbury Matte Revolution Lipsticks
- The Best MAC Bridal Lipsticks
- The Best Makeup Revolution MAC Lipstick Dupes
- The Best Wet n Wild Lipstick Dupes for MAC
- The Best MAC Spice Lip Liner Dupes
- The Best Colourpop Lippie Stix for Brown to Fair Skin
- The Best MAC Velvet Teddy Dupes
- The Best Charlotte Tilbury Pillow Talk Dupes
Other Makeup Posts
- The Best Rainbow Eyeshadow Palettes
- The Best Metallic Eyeshadow Palettes
- The Best Mauve Eyeshadow Palettes
- The Best Pastel Eyeshadow Palettes
- The Best Green Eyeshadow Palettes
- The Best Purple Eyeshadow Palettes
- The Best Pink Eyeshadow Palettes
- The Best BH Cosmetics Eyeshadow Palettes
- The Best Beauty Bay Eyeshadow Palettes
The Working Line
Sam is a certified fashion makeup artist, a freelance writer, a blogger and a digital nomad. Since 2019, she roams around the world, from London to Rome and shares her knowledge about makeup, scented candles, travel, blogging and the digital nomad lifestyle.