Paying attention to beauty trends on the red carpet is part and parcel of my job as a beauty editor, and it’s been obvious that all of the chicest celebrity looks over awards season have had one thing in common—blurred lip liner. Yes, while you might think of lip liner as being there to sharply outline your pout and add crisp definition, this season it’s all about taking a more soft focus approach to your makeup.
Slightly diffused and gently smudged, it’s makeup artist Nina Park who has undoubtedly been leading the charge with this blurred lip liner look. Known for painting the faces of everyone from Zoë Kravitz to Lily-Rose Depp, her approach to effortlessly cool “no makeup” makeup that never looks too try-hard is her trademark. And blurred lips are the epitome of walking that line between looking polished without the finished makeup feeling overly precise.
Even better, while I love the shift away from a super-defined lip for aesthetic reasons (honestly, it’s just so pretty!) it also appeals because I feel like I actually have a shot of recreating the look for myself at home. As someone who isn’t particularly skilled in the makeup department, the fact that blurred lips look actually wearable—and don’t require a steady hand—means that this is one trend I can see transitioning from the red carpet into real life with absolute ease. After all, it would look just as well with bare skin and a slick of mascara as it clearly does with a full face of glam.
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Ahead, all of the blurred lip liner inspiration you need, along with tips from a makeup artist on how to create the look at home.
I’ll be rushing to recreate Mia Goth’s juicy berry-bitten lip look for spring.
Emma Stone‘s softly blurred lip liner looks so chic and polished.
The combination of honey hues and balmy top coat make Zoë Kravitz’s lip look the perfect everyday option.
Gracie Abrams diffused nude lip feels oh-so-90s.
Sadie Sink’s dewy rose lip suits this pretty makeup look perfectly.
Characterised by a slightly fuzzy lip line, the blurred lip look is so popular right now because of how it creates the appearance of a full, volumised pout while still looking effortless. “It’s flattering because it works with how light naturally hits the face,” explains makeup artist Emily Wood. “Instead of pushing colour inward, which can make lips look smaller, a blurred lip is all about adding depth around the lips and keeping the centre of the lips lighter, which means lips look fuller, rounder and more balanced.” Wood points out that it’s not the same as overlining either. “It’s more about following but slightly enhancing the lip line,” she says.
Thankfully, the trend is fairly easy to recreate at home, too, as the beauty of this blurred look is that there is no need for total precision. Wood suggests starting with a lip liner that’s slightly deeper than your natural lip colour, a lipstick close in colour to your lip shade and a gloss or balm if you like a sheenier finish.
“Start by lining the lips following your natural shape, and you can slightly enhance this past your natural lip line if you want more volume,” Wood explains. “Then blur the liner inward using your finger or a brush so that there are no harsh lines at all.” Finish by applying your chosen lip colour on the outer parts of your lips, leaving the centre quite light, then add a gloss or balm to finish. “The key to this look really is blending,” says Wood.
Ahead, we’ve picked out the best blurred lip liners to help you recreate this trend. Wood suggests that lighter skin tones will suit “pinky nudes, peaches and soft mauves” best while deeper skin tones will look amazing in “rich browns, chocolates and caramels”. Keep scrolling for our favourites.
If you like a matte lip look, then this Refy liner is brilliant. It delivers a really fuzzy, modern finish and comes in six natural-looking shades catered to a diverse range of skin tones.
Rhode’s viral contouring lip shaper makes light work of creating a plump, volumised-looking lip in mere moments.
L’Oréal Paris
Blurfiller Blurring Lip Contour Lip Liner
An underrated gem comes courtesy of this blurring lip liner from L’Oréal Paris. It feels like more of a traditional liner than some of the others on the list, and boasts impressive staying power, but still gives that lovely diffused finish.
Merit
Signature Lip Sheer Lip Liner
Finally, Merit’s buildable lip liner makes for a versatile option thanks to the way you can use it to softly define the edges of your lips and for all-over colour without drying your lips out.
Revolution
Blur Lip Shaper
Wood rates this affordable lip liner for achieving that softly blurred look with ease. Enriched with peptides, hyaluronic acid and vitamin E, it has a really creamy texture and comes in eight wearable shades.
