The Truth About the Audrey Hepburn Lipstick Theory

If you want to know the truth and all the glamorous details about the Audrey Hepburn lipstick theory and what lipstick color Audrey Hepburn wore in Breakfast at Tiffany’s then take a seat! Grab a coffee (and get ready to shop your new favorite lip colors), as we delve into what makes the Holly Golightly lipstick so iconic.

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The Truth About the Audrey Hepburn Lipstick Theory

There’s something comforting about old Hollywood makeup. It’s polished, a little romantic, and somehow still feels right with a modern wardrobe. When I think of Audrey Hepburn lipstick, I don’t just picture a single color, I picture a mood: clean skin, defined brows, and a lip that looks effortless but glamorous.

What makes Audrey’s lip choices so wearable now is that they weren’t trying too hard. They framed her face the way a great accessory does, like pearl earrings or a perfect black dress. What makes Audrey Hepburn’s style so relatable and still popular today is that it isn’t as high maintenance compared to many fashion icons of that era.

In this post, I’m covering the signature shades people associate with her, the movies that made them famous, and how I recreate the looks with today’s products. Also, a quick note: lipstick shades can look different depending on factors including: your skin tone, natural lip color, and lighting. I always keep in mind is that the same lipstick won’t look the same on everyone. If your lips are naturally rosy, it may look more nude. If your undertone is warm, it may look more peach.

What Beauty Products Did Audrey Hepburn Wear?

What Was the Lipstick Audrey Hepburn Wore in Breakfast at Tiffany’s?

If you’ve ever watched Breakfast at Tiffany’s (1961) and caught the taxi scene where Holly Golightly touches up her lips, you already get why this question won’t die. The lipstick looks soft, elegant, and expensive, but not fussy. It reads as a polished pink with a warm salmon undertone, the kind of shade that makes your whole face look more awake.

Part of the obsession is that the color sits in a sweet spot that’s hard to describe. It isn’t a frosty pastel pink, and it isn’t a loud coral either. On screen, it comes off as a “my lips but better” tone, with a creamy finish that reflects light in a flattering way. That matters because the rest of Holly’s makeup is so controlled: defined lashes, strong brows, and a mostly neutral eye. The lipstick has to hold its own without stealing the scene.

I also think we want the answer because Audrey’s look feels achievable. Her hair and styling are iconic, sure, but the lip is the part you can copy in two minutes before work. You swipe it on, blot once, and suddenly your jeans and sweater feel a bit more put-together.

Audrey Hepburn Lipstick Theory

When people talk about Audrey Hepburn lipstick, they usually mean two different things: the soft, coral pink from Breakfast at Tiffany’s, and the bold reds from her earlier films. The reason “theories” exist at all is simple: movies aren’t product photos, so we have to do some digging if we want to find out what products were used and worn in movies.

Cameras, studio lights, film stock, and even a character’s wardrobe can change what a lipstick looks like. A warm pink can look more nude next to a black dress. A classic red can look coral when the lighting is bright. Add in the fact that makeup artists often mixed shades, adjusted with powder, or layered liner to get a specific effect, and you end up with lots of confident guesses.

Over the years there have been many theories on the lipstick Audrey Hepburn wore in Breakfast at Tiffany’s. Some theories suggest that it was indeed a custom-made lip color made by her makeup artist, others say that the brand and the shade is now discontinued and then there are others who claim that it’s still available today.

Personally, I’m not looking for the exact brand. I’m more interested in finding the closest possible color – whether that’s the original or not. I’ve tested dozens of dupes over the years and now I’ve narrowed it down to just a few top contenders.

What is the Audrey Hepburn Lipstick Color Worn in Breakfast at Tiffany’s?

In Breakfast at Tiffany’s, the lipstick is a light, coral pink and is still very popular today. There has been a lot of discussion in recent years as to what the exact lipstick brand and shade was. I’ve tried a few Breakfast at Tiffany’s lipstick dupes and my favorites are this budget brand and this luxury brand.

When I recreate this at home, I do a quick three-step routine:

Rosy liner: I lightly outline and softly fill the edges to keep the shape crisp.
Satin lipstick: I choose a cream or satin shade, something that looks smooth in daylight.
Light blot: One tissue press so it wears like a stain, not like a thick layer.

What Was the Lipstick Audrey Hepburn Wore in Funny Face

The Audrey Hepburn Lipstick Color from Funny Face

Funny Face is a different energy. It’s playful, stylish, and more fashion-focused, which shows up in the lipstick she wore. The makeup look is brighter and more editorial, a confident lip that appears red or even coral depending on who’s wearing it and how the scene is lit.

What I love about this era is how modern it still feels. A bolder Audrey-inspired lip works today if I keep everything else clean: even skin, brushed brows, simple mascara, and not much contour. The lipstick becomes the outfit’s punctuation mark.

My favorite detail from this film’s lipstick story is that the shade tied to it is still easy to find, and it has that classic mid-century glamour feel to it. If you want the specific shade and the backstory, you can read it here: the lipstick Audrey wore in Funny Face.

What Was the Lipstick Audrey Hepburn Wore in Breakfast at Tiffany's?

Was Revlon Pink in the Afternoon the Breakfast at Tiffany’s Lipstick?

This is the most repeated theory for a reason: it fits what we see on screen, and it fits the era. The shade most commonly linked to Holly Golightly is Revlon Pink in the Afternoon, a warm, wearable pink that appears pink-nude on some people and more coral-rose on others.

I also think it stays popular because it’s realistic. It’s not a mysterious custom blend locked away in a studio archive. It’s a straightforward, mass-market lipstick that’s still talked about because the color does something special: it is more glamorous and brighter than nude lipstick but much easier to wear than red lipstick. It well and truly is a winner!

As a dupe, it’s a popular option for 3 main reasons:

Availability: you can still track it down without hunting vintage makeup.
Price: it’s not an investment lipstick, so you can actually wear it and replace it without feeling guilty.
Shade behavior: it’s a really unique and beautiful shade, even when comparing it to what’s on the market today in the makeup world.

The Original Audrey Hepburn lipstick holder

One of my favorite twists in the Audrey lipstick story comes from makeup artist Lisa Eldridge. She bought Audrey Hepburn’s lipstick holder at an auction, and inside was the used lipstick, basically a time capsule of what Audrey actually carried and wore.

That should have ended all debate, right? Not quite. Lisa never publicly revealed the exact shade and brand from the holder. From what’s been shared, the original product was discontinued anyway, so even if we had the name, we wouldn’t be able to buy it new.

Instead, Lisa did something more helpful for makeup lovers and Audrey Hepburn fans: she created her own range of lipstick shades inspired by Audrey Hepburn’s lipstick holder lip color. The first was a limited-edition lipstick called Golightly, a soft salmon-pink meant to resemble the Breakfast at Tiffany’s lipstick. It sold out, which only added to the interest.

More recently, she released another similar shade called Audrey, and it’s widely seen as a very close modern alternative for the original Holly Golightly lipstick. I like this approach because it focuses on what we actually want when we search “Audrey Hepburn lipstick”: a lipstick I can wear and enjoy everyday without worrying that it will be discontinued.

When I think about Audrey Hepburn lipstick, I think about two distinct moods: Holly Golightly’s 60s chic little black dress look in Breakfast at Tiffany’s, and the brighter, 50s style glamour in Funny Face. It’s easy to see why Audrey Hepburn remains such a prominent style icon today.

These are my top 3 Audrey Hepburn lipstick recommendations that are still available today and most like the original lip colors she wore in her films.

Revlon Pink in the Afternoon for the Breakfast at Tiffany’s theory
Lisa Eldridge Audrey (and the earlier limited Golightly) for a modern tribute shade
Revlon Fire and Ice for that Funny Face bold lip moment

If you try one, I’d love to know which you chose and what you think. My personal favorite is this one.