It’s hard to deny the appeal of a well-defined pout, but right now, a softer lipstick trend is trending: blurred lips. Unlike the overlined lips and defined Cupid’s bows that dominated social media throughout the early 2020s, this understated style emphasizes softness, with a lived-in vibe that feels effortlessly cool. Best of all, achieving a blurred lip look is super simple, since it doesn’t require a precise lipstick or liner application. Ahead, we’ll explain what, exactly, the blurred lip trend is, share a step-by-step guide on creating the romantic look, and introduce you to some of our favorite blurred lip makeup products to nail the trend. Read on for all of the details.
What Is a Blurred Lip Look?
The blurred lip is a lipstick look made popular by Korean beauty trends. Unlike a traditional lipstick application, which is crisp and defined, the blurred lip feels soft and undone, with color focused at the center of the lips and softly blended outward. Done properly, a blurred lip should almost appear as if your lipstick has worn off around the lip line, with only a hint of color remaining at the center of your mouth. It’s similar in many ways to the popsicle lips trend that made the rounds on TikTok a few years ago, but with a slightly softer, more romantic feel.
When To Wear a Blurred Lip
One of the best things about the Korean blurred lip look is its versatility. It works just as well for daytime makeup as it does for more glam evening looks. It's especially well-suited for those who like their makeup to feel on-trend but unfussy.
For a soft daytime look, try pairing a subtle pink blurred lip with glowy skin, flushed cheeks, and wispy lashes. If you want to lean into your glam side for a special night out, consider opting for a slightly darker red or berry lipstick shade and pairing it with a soft smokey eye.
How To Achieve a Blurred Lip Effect
Creating a gorgeous, blurred lip look is super simple and only requires a couple of products—all of which you likely already have in your makeup bag. Here’s how to nail the on-trend look in four simple steps.
Step 1: Exfoliate your lips
Before applying any lip makeup, it’s a good idea to lightly exfoliate your lips to help remove any dead skin and ensure a soft, smooth application. You can do this with a lip scrub, but if you don’t have a scrub on hand, that’s okay. Just grab a soft washcloth and run it under warm water, then lightly rub the cloth onto your lips to buff away dead skin and smooth your pout.
Step 2: Line your inner lips
Lip liner is usually placed at the outer edges of your lips, but if you want to create a blurred lip look, you’ll need to do things a bit differently. Start by grabbing a lip liner in a shade slightly darker than the color you intend to use for your lipstick. With your mouth closed, lightly shade the inner rim of your upper and lower lips to create definition. This can help make your lips appear larger, and it’ll add depth to your blurred lip look. You can use any creamy lip liner for this, but for added volume, try a plumping lip liner, such as the Duck Plump Plumping Lip Liner.
Step 3: Dab on lip color
Next, dab a pigmented, creamy lipstick or balm onto the center of your pout, taking care not to drag the color too close to your lip line. To really lean into the Korean blurred lip trend, we suggest opting for a matte lip color rather than one with a lot of shine. Try the Smushy Matte Lip Balm, which comes in a dozen craveable shades that provide a buildable wash of soft matte color.
Step 4: Blend
The last step is to blend your lip color. To achieve the perfect lip blur, we recommend using your fingers or a brush to lightly blend the lip product slightly, diffusing any harsh lines to achieve a soft, blended gradient of color.
Blurred Lip Techniques: Tools vs. Fingers
Blending your lip color is a key element of achieving the blurred lip look, but different tools can create slightly different results. Keep reading to learn what to use to apply and blend your lip color.
Brush
A lip brush gives you more precision and control over the placement of your lip color. It’s especially useful if you want to layer different lip products or lightly contour your lips while keeping the edges soft. If you opt for this approach, use a clean brush to blend the lipstick pigment ever-so-slightly outward for a diffused, painterly look.
Fingertip
You can easily use your fingertips to apply and blend your lip color. Doing so is simple and allows you to create a soft, blended look with very little effort. Plus, the warmth from your finger can help melt your lip color into your lips for a natural, just-bitten look.
Cushion applicator
Often found on K-beauty products or lip tints, cushion applicators distribute color evenly with a diffused finish built in. They’re low-mess, easy to blend, and perfect for building layers of color while maintaining a soft-focus effect.
How To Apply Glitter Makeup Without the Mess
Blotted lips and blurred lips may seem similar, but they’re two different trends. With blotted lips, lip color is applied to the entirety of the lip. Then, the color is blotted, usually with a tissue, to create a faded, lived-in look. Blurred lips, meanwhile, see the color focused at the center of the lips. A blurred lip line that blends with the skin is a key element of the look, too—anything too sharp or defined can detract from the smudged, diffused feel.
Best Lip Products for the Blurred Lip Effect
For a classic diffused lip look, you’ll want to stick with matte-finish lip products. Creamy lip mousses, tinted lip balms, and stains are ideal, as they blend easily and offer buildable pigment while remaining comfortable throughout the day. Steer clear of anything overtly shiny or glossy—while a glossy lip certainly has a time and place, it’s not in line with the soft, lived-in feel that characterizes the blurred lip look.
The Smushy Matte Lip Balm is among our favorite products for a blurred lip look. The tinted balm is formulated with sugar ceramides and mochi rice powder and provides a soft, buildable wash of matte color without ever feeling dry on the lips. For lip liner, the Duck Plump Plumping Lip Liner gets our vote, thanks to its creamy feel and long-lasting formula.
For a slightly subtler take on the trend, you can swap the lip balm and liner for a long-lasting lip stain, such as the Lip I.V. Hydrating Lip Gloss Stain. Though it does boast a high-shine finish at first, the glossy sheen wears off with time, leaving a gorgeous matte stain behind.
Tips for Long-Lasting Blurred Lips
The products you use, your application, and what you’re doing can all affect how long your blurred lip look lasts. To enhance the longevity of your lip makeup, consider these tips:
- Prep your lips with a lipstick primer to provide grip for your lip makeup to adhere to.
- Consider applying a lip stain beneath your lip liner and lipstick (or balm) for longevity.
- Line your inner lips with lip liner to create definition without overpowering your blurred lip look. Avoid products with glossy or shiny finishes, as these tend to fade more quickly than long-lasting matte formulas.
- Avoid applying thick layers of product—build up the pigment gradually in thin, even layers.
Next: Lipstick vs. Lip Stain vs. Lip Gloss: What’s the Difference?.
Show off the blurred lip looks you create with your favorite NYX Professional Makeup products! Share a pic on social and tag us @nyxcosmetics.
PRODUCTS USED
Lip I.V. Hydrating Lip Gloss Stain
Lip gloss + long-lasting lip stain in 20 shades.
SMUSHY MATTE LIP BALM
A soft-matte buildable lip color infused with mochi rice powder and sugar ceramides in 12 shades.
Duck Plump Plumping Lip Liner
Plumping lip liner in twelve spicy shades.
Suede Matte Lip Liner
Matte Lip Liner Pencil
Butter Gloss Non-Sticky Lip Gloss
Fan Fave Buttery Gloss
