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Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Taylor Swift does not wear one red lipstick for every appearance, and no published source establishes a single signature shade. The best-documented exact product is Pat McGrath Labs LiquiLUST Legendary Wear Matte Lipstick in Elson 4. Makeup artist Pat McGrath used it on Swift for the 2022 MTV Video Music Awards and in the “Bejeweled” music video. Other reds are linked to Swift in older interviews, a 2024 report and recent documentary footage, and each belongs to a different period or look.
Elson 4: the one exact match with a named look
Vogue’s 2022 coverage of Swift’s VMAs makeup names Elson 4 for that look, and British Vogue identifies the same shade on Swift in “Bejeweled.” Vogue describes Elson 4 as a deep blue red, which is a useful guide if you are judging the shade against your own skin tone rather than a photograph.
In British Vogue’s “Bejeweled” coverage, McGrath is quoted saying, “Taylor is obsessed with the make-up,” and adding, “Her knowledge is kind of incredible.” Vogue’s VMAs story describes the overall makeup as “Sophisticated, sultry, and sublime.” That phrase refers to the full look, not to the lipstick alone.
The documentary footage: products identified by visual analysis
Vogue’s later coverage of Taylor Swift: The End of an Era, the documentary series, shows Swift lining her lips and then applying lipstick. Vogue says the liner appears to be Smashbox Be Legendary Line and Prime Pencil in True Red, and that the lipstick is likely M·A·C Locked Kiss Lipstick in Ruby True. Both are matches made from what is visible on screen. Neither Swift nor her makeup team has confirmed them in the reporting, so treat them as likely identifications rather than confirmed products.
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Other reds tied to Swift, by source and period
Several other shades appear in reporting, but each comes from a different kind of source. The table separates the product, the look it belongs to, and who made the attribution.
| Shade | Look or period | Who attributes it | Evidence level | Shade character |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pat McGrath Labs LiquiLUST Legendary Wear Matte Lipstick, Elson 4 | 2022 MTV VMAs; “Bejeweled” music video | Pat McGrath, as reported by Vogue and British Vogue | Named for specific looks | Deep blue red (Vogue) |
| Smashbox Be Legendary Line and Prime Pencil, True Red (liner) | Footage in The End of an Era | Vogue’s visual analysis | Appears to be; not confirmed | Not stated |
| M·A·C Locked Kiss Lipstick, Ruby True | Footage in The End of an Era | Vogue’s visual analysis | Likely; not confirmed | Not stated |
| M·A·C Ruby Woo | Interview remark from 2015 (People) | Swift, as relayed by Good Housekeeping in 2023 | Self-reported favorite; not tied to a specific look | Not stated |
| NARS Dragon Girl | Interview remark from 2014 (MTV) | Swift, as relayed by Good Housekeeping in 2023 | Self-reported go-to; not tied to a specific look | Not stated |
| NARS Morocco | September 2024 appearance in Kansas City | Lorrie Turk, her longtime makeup artist, as reported by Taylor Swift Style | Makeup-artist confirmation, reported by a fan-focused style site | Cinnamon-hued (Taylor Swift Style) |
Good Housekeeping’s attributions to Ruby Woo and Dragon Girl come from its own reporting on Swift’s past interviews, not from quoted transcripts. The Morocco identification is different: it is Turk’s confirmation as reported by Taylor Swift Style, not a disclosure Swift made herself.
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How to choose a shade for a specific look
Work from the look you want to recreate, not from a general idea of “Swift red.” The sources point to three different starting points.
- VMAs or “Bejeweled” styling: start with Elson 4, the only shade named for a documented look.
- The documentary’s lip sequence: the True Red liner and Ruby True lipstick are the reported pairing, but they remain visual matches.
- A cinnamon-toned everyday red: NARS Morocco is the shade reported as her long-running choice, per the 2024 Turk confirmation.
Two limits apply to all of these. Vogue’s description of the red lip holding up through demanding appearances is editorial observation, not a controlled wear test. Prices and stock change quickly, and none of the sources provide current retail availability, so check a retailer’s listing directly before you buy.
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