There’s one particular make-up product that I have been using down to the nib and re-purchasing for the past two decades. It’s Mac’s best-selling Lip Liner in Spice, the most perfect brown-nude pencil which anchors almost any lipstick or gloss that it borders.

These sorts of lip liners, which were made popular in the Nineties, are having a moment. At Wimbledon earlier this month, Sienna Miller – the beauty muse that can do no wrong – sported her own Nineties lip liner with soft, barely-there lipstick. Around the same time, out and about at shows in Paris, Rihanna donned a slick Nineties lip liner to perfection, too.

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“There’s always a place for a bold lip liner, but it’s more elevated now,” explains the celebrity make-up artist Zoe Taylor, who works with the likes of Rihanna, Keira Knightley and Victoria Beckham. “Nowadays lip liner is used more as a contour of the lips and can make them look bigger with natural shading.”

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In terms of applying lip liner as a midlife woman, Zoe has a clever technique: “Use a lip stain all over the lips first to trace the lip shape, as the natural pigment of the lips starts to fade as we age,” she says. The thought of lip stains can be scarier than the reality; just pick a natural-looking tone for a subtle hint of colour. Try the Lip Stain by Pixi, which leaves a subtle stain on the lips despite the mildly terrifying marker-pen applicator. The shade Beauty is the most subtle, soft rosy pink.

pixi lip

Pixi Beauty Lip Stain Lip Blush, £14, Pixi

Once you’ve applied a stain on the lips, you can use a liner. “Start by looking for a colour that is a few shades deeper than your lip colour, and keep it a cool-toned brown rather than warm,” says Zoe. (Cool toned colours tend to look a little more grey or neutral in tone, rather than warm-toned colours, which can look slightly orange-y.)

“Don’t be afraid of evening out the lips or over-lining the cupid’s bow,” adds Zoe, as slightly enhancing the colour at the cupid’s bow and at the middle point of the bottom lip can give the illusion of fuller lips.

Miller with boyfriend Oli Green at Wimbledon earlier this month - WireImage

I suspect a tint and liner is what Sienna Miller used at Wimbledon. Zoe agrees that while this offers the most ‘no make-up make-up’ finish, “opting for a gloss on top will always look gorgeous for the summer – just don’t pick a lipstick or lip gloss shade too dark as it will make the lips look smaller.”

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While I will always have a place for Mac’s iconic Spice lip liner in my make-up bag, there are some other brilliant Nineties-inspired liners on the market. Zoe likes the brand Makeup Forever, whose cool-brown lip liner in Endless Cacao has a cult following (£20, Cult Beauty). If you would rather a lip liner with a softer, creamier texture, try the Signature Sheer Lip Liner by Merit (£21, Sephora) – I find it doesn’t last as long on the lips as more traditional pencil liners, but it is so easy to use with a flattering finish.

Lip Liner Cheat Duos

Lip Liner Cheat Duos, £22, Charlotte Tibury

Charlotte Tilbury has applied her magic to a new range of double-ended Lip Liner Cheat Duos, which come in four shades - fair, medium, tan and deep - each with a lighter shade of liner and a darker shade. In theory you could fill the entirety of your lips with the lighter colour and line your lips with the darker shade. It is an excellent product to keep in your make-up bag for quick touch ups.

Finally, if you are a real fan of lip liners and looking to invest in a few, earlier this summer Victoria Beckham launched a trio of her Lip Definer Precision Lip Pencils. The collection includes a slightly more brown liner and a slightly pinkier option, as well as Shade No.02, which is the exact shade Victoria has worn for years herself. There’s certainly nothing more Nineties than that.

Three new lip products to try