New research from Mintel says the lip cosmetics market in the U.S. will reach $1.4 billion this year – and has posted gains of nearly 9%. This is a ‘comeback’ story – between 2011 and 2013, the lip segment declined 2%.

The lip segment accounts for the smallest percentage of total cosmetic sales overall, but, according to Mintel’s research, it is currently the strongest performing segment in terms of growth. In comparison, facial cosmetics grew 6.4% and the facial cosmetics market grew 4.2% during the same period.

Shannon Romanowski, beauty and personal care analyst at Mintel, commented:

“Lip cosmetics have the highest overall reported use among color cosmetics. Lip balm, lipstick, and lip gloss all have similar rates of penetration, suggesting that many women rely on a suite of lip products depending on the occasion or desired look, The addition of skincare benefits including moisturizing and softening also provide some added functional benefits. Sales of lip products are on the rise, as more women may be returning to the segment.”

The research company attributes this growth to trendy colors, making some lip products a “must-have” item for consumers.

So what’s trending now? Bold colors, according to Mintel’s study.