What’s Up With Taylor Swift’s New Rose Lipstick?—See the Photos

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If Taylor Swift was wearing lipstick in the past, there was a 99 percent chance it was red. (Did you know she wore her very first red lip on the cover of Allure in 2009?) The color has become part of her signature look alongside her go-to cat-eye liner, but lately, she's put the Pat McGrath Elson and NARS Dragon Girl aside in favor of a new hue—and we have some ideas about why.

Swifties have noticed an uptick in floral-themed outfits (and even floral hairstyles!) over the past few months; Swift has attended weddings and events in floral-print gowns and cocktail dresses, and it seems to be too much of a pattern not to be a hint at something. Along with these botanical outfits, she's also started wearing a different lip color: true rose. The color is not exactly red, not exactly pink, but a merger of both with just a hint of warmth, and it appears to be her latest lip color obsession. But what does it really mean?

The rosy color made its first big appearance at her Grammy Museum Songwriters and Composers conversation, but it also popped up on Swift during her clever Law & Order: SVU sendup during the 2026 Primetime Emmys, where she appeared in a pre-recorded skit alongside host Mariska Hargitay, poking fun at all the wide-ranging fan theories about her music and life. (And yes, her cat Olivia Benson made a cameo.) Instead of a bright red or cinnamon orange, her lip color was definitely in the “rose” territory.

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The reason Swift wasn't at the Emmys was because she was at her husband Travis Kelce's first game of the NFL season, and while we first thought she was wearing a Chiefs red lipstick in the VIP box, upon closer examination, that's definitely a rose color, albeit a darker one than her Grammys performance or Emmys skit! Hmmm… compelling.

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If we know anything about Swift, it's that nothing is an accident, so the change of lip colors is probably a clue of some sorts; she did start wearing an orange lipstick during the Life of a Showgirl promo period, given that orange was a key color in that album and era's aesthetics. This rose shade and all those floral prints make me think that flowers are a key theme of something yet to be unveiled, like maybe a new album, or perhaps that movie she's supposed to be writing and directing? Or maybe this is how she's marking the newlywed chapter of her life, just like some people change up their fragrance with each era.

We know Swift is loyal to a few makeup brands, notably Pat McGrath Labs and NARS, so if you're into her latest favorite lipstick, start there—perhaps with Pat McGrath Labs Dramatique Mega Lip Pencil in Naked Seduction or LiquiLust Legendary Wear Matte Lipstick in Divine Rose. Swipe it on and then start formulating your own beauty theories.

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Pat McGrath Labs

Dramatique Mega Lip Pencil in Naked Seduction

$29

Ulta Beauty

$29

Revolve

$29

Sephora

Save to wishlistSave to wishlist

Pat McGrath Labs

LiquiLust Legendary Wear Matte Lipstick in Divine Rose

$34

Revolve

$34

Sephora