Cindy Crawford's '90s lip liner is still a chic staple

Cindy Crawford is pictured wearing warm nude lipstick whilst attending Planet Omega Hosts Fashion Panel & Cocktail Reception at Chelsea Factory on November 14, 2023 in New York City/ in a dark pink/purple template

(Image credit: Getty Images/Gotham/WireImage)

published 13 August 2024

Much like a smokey eye, a matte neutral lip is a classic calling card of 1990s beauty that still looks perfect today. Luckily for us, Cindy Crawford has revealed the ultra-flattering shade of lip liner she used to wear on and off the runway...

While the best long-lasting lipsticks are true beauty staples, no lip look is complete without liner, especially if you're seeking a matte finish. A nude or neutral liner, for instance, can offer subtle shaping to your lips ahead of your lippie application, or be worn on its own for a chic, muted finish. And if you've ever looked to the likes of Cindy Crawford, hoping to recreate her iconic neutral lip, we have some intel that you might find rather exciting.

The exact £20 liner behind Cindy Crawford's iconic lip look

Sharing her modern take on '90s supermodel makeup with Allure, Cindy Crawford reminisced over the product "everyone" used to wear to achieve that classic nude lip. "I remember back in the day, it was the MAC Spice pencil," she quipped, "everyone had it, everyone did it."

On the left, a close up of Cindy Crawford wearing sunglasses and a warm, neutral look at the the 3rd Annual Revlon Run/Walk to Benefit Women's Cancer Research at Cheviot Hills Park in Los Angeles, California, 11th May 1996/ alongside picture of Crawford, again wearing a neutral lip at the Revlon charity event, United States, circa 1990s — (Image credit: Getty Images (L to R): Vinnie Zuffante/Michael Ochs Archives/ Stringer | Vinnie Zuffante / Stringer)

Fortunately for any fans of the look, despite decades - and copious other beauty trends - having passed, you can still get your hands on the exact celebrity-approved shade...

'90s staple

MAC Lip Pencil in Shade Spice

RRP: £20 | Touted as one of the best lip liners of all time, MAC's pencil is available in a wide range of shades and features a creamy formula that applies easily and lasts. Spice, in particular, boasts a flattering rosy-brown colour that can be used to shape, overline and fill your lips for the perfect neutral pout - and as Crawford reminds us, has been a beauty go-to since the '90s.

Ranked alongside Charlotte Tilbury's Pillow Talk, Spice is a true staple for your collection. It's described as a 'pink cinnamon' shade with a long-lasting, velvety finish. And while it's the shade you need in your arsenal for an authentic '90s lip, it's still very much a timeless option. You can wear it alone, for a muted look, or as a base for brighter lipstick shades.

If you're already a fan of MAC's Spice pencil and looking to change things up, Crawford went on to share that she also now uses a liner from VeryTerri in the shade Amaretto, followed by Tarte's Maracuja Juicy Lip gloss (at Sephora) to achieve a plump, neutral lip.

Naomi is a Beauty Writer from Woman&Home, where she covers everything from skincare to beauty trends, as well as reviewing products and sharing her personal shopping recommendations. She specialises in feature and e-commerce writing and has previously worked as a Lifestyle News Writer for My Imperfect Life magazine, where she used her savvy for TikTok trends to bring readers the latest beauty buzzwords, fashion movements and must-have products. During her time on this title, she also reviewed beauty and skincare products and was commissioned to design some illustrations for one of the team's relationship features.

Before that, Naomi also worked across both GoodTo and My Imperfect Life, whilst training for her Gold Standard diploma in Journalism with the NCTJ, for which she earned a Distinction. Interestingly though, Naomi actually has a background in design, having studied illustration at Plymouth University but leapt into the media world in 2021, after always having a passion for writing.

Before working for Future Publishing’s Lifestyle News team, she worked in the Ad production team. Here she wrote and designed adverts on all sorts of things, which then went into print magazines across all genres. Now, when she isn’t writing articles on the best perfumes and must-have beauty buys, you can find her drinking copious cups of coffee, drawing and probably online shopping.