(Makeup)
The Halo Lip Is Replacing The Ultra-Glossy Look This Spring
All of your faves have endorsed it.
Hailey Bieber wears it. So does Dua Lipa. Even Kim Kardashian and Zendaya are fans. So, what’s the makeup trend celebrities can’t get enough of? It’s called halo lips (also known as blurred lips), and it’s the easiest way to create the look of fuller, plumper lips without getting fillers or injections.
Rather than relying solely on liner to add definition, the trend incorporates contour, too, resulting in more supple-looking lips. Gone are the harsh lines and overdrawn, obvious-looking two-tone lips, and in their place comes a feathery, soft-focus pout. Celebrity makeup artist Christian Briceno says the lip-shaping technique is often used in high-fashion editorials “to give the lips a soft, contoured, fuller look that, when photographed, don’t appear as heavily lined.” You may have come across the trend on social media. Makeup artist Nina Park uses it on her A-list clients, and Katie Jane Hughes (Lipa’s makeup artist) has shared tutorials on how to achieve it.
Plus, with more people looking for alternatives to filler, plumper-looking lips can still be had if you know how to use makeup to fake it. Ahead, TZR unpacks the halo lip trend, which works across the board for all lip shapes, and why it’s the secret hack for perfectly blended, pillowy-looking lips that look like they’ve been plumped when, in reality, they haven’t been.
What Is The Halo Lip?
The viral, of-the-moment halo lip focuses on a softly defined lip with a diffused wash of light color at the center that blends out toward the perimeter. “Instead of a prominent line, everything is buffed out, which creates that pretty, pouty look,” says celebrity makeup artist Ash K. Holm, who recently did the look on Lindsay Lohan. The result? The illusion of fuller-looking lips without any heavy or obvious overlining.
The key to nailing the look is to keep the lip borders soft, with no harsh lines or accentuated definition. Holm adds that the placement of color in the middle of the lip and ever-so-slightly overlining the Cupid’s bow and the bottom center of the lip is what creates dimension and fullness. “It feels reminiscent of the ’90s because that era often used contrast and deeper edges with lighter centers to shape the mouth,” says Briceno. “The modern halo lip borrows that idea but does it in a more toned-down way. Instead of a visible dark ring of liner, the structure is diffused and blended, so the lip looks sculpted rather than outlined. If the border is too crisp, the lip appears flat instead of lifted.”
So why are halo lips having a major moment? They create the look of boosted volume but without resorting to lip filler. And with lip fillers being dissolved faster these days than they’re being injected, the timing of the halo lip makes perfect sense. As Briceno explains, the technique also mimics the way naturally fuller lips catch light, with the center of the lip appearing brighter and rounder. “When done well, it creates volume through contrast rather than through thick products or gloss.” It’s also a quick and easy way to create a soft, pretty, sexy lip that complements the no-makeup makeup look well.
Who Should Try A Halo Lip?
The trend works for all ages and lip shapes, as well as anyone who prefers a more natural-looking, muted-palette lip and using minimal products. Briceno particularly likes it on lips that need a little more structure, such as flat lips, lips with little projection, or corners that tend to pull the lips downward. “The technique gives a subtle lift and rounds the mouth without the need for overlining,” he says.
According to Holm, the halo lip fits perfectly into a lived-in makeup look. “It pairs beautifully with glowing skin, cream blush, and softly defined brows. But it also looks great with a winged liner or a soft, smoky eye.”
What You Need For A Halo Lip
To create a halo lip, you’ll need a few products on hand, namely a cream contouring or bronzing pencil or stick, lip liner, a buildable matte or semimatte lipstick, and a small blending brush. Loose powder is optional.
Holm likes to start with clean lips free of dead skin. “Lip prep is key for any lip look because it helps eliminate creasing and removes dry flakes,” she says. Plus, fewer dead skin cells on the lips means each product will softly melt into the next without any harsh transitions. “I like to exfoliate the lips and then apply a hydrating lip mask, which stays on until I get to the lips.”
How To Do A Halo Lip
The first step in a true halo lip is to neutralize the lips with a few dots of concealer or foundation (the new NARS Natural Matte Longwear Foundation is a good option). This will also soften the corners of the mouth and knock out any natural undertones. “You can also use whatever is left on your foundation brush,” Holm says. Follow with a light dusting of translucent loose powder. She recommends placing it around the edges of the lips to give the look longer wear and staying power.
Next, build the halo shadow. Briceno recommends placing a light layer of matte cream contour right above the Cupid’s bow and beneath the lower lip, without making the lips look too dark or harsh. “If the corners tend to turn downward, apply a little there, too.” Blend the product well with a lip brush, an eyeshadow blending brush, or your fingertips until it’s blurred and almost invisible, so the lips appear more projected, but not bronzed.
Then, pop on a neutral-toned lip liner (Holm’s pick is Merit Signature Lip Liner in Sportif), and slightly overdraw the bottom center of the lip and the Cupid’s bow while following the natural shape of the lips to further accentuate the shadowing effect. Make sure to shade in the corners to tie everything together. “Blend and buff out the edges with a brush, and use it to bring some of the lip liner towards the center of the lip,” she says, which adds dimension to the lips, so they look naturally plump and full.
A bit of color can be added to the center of the lips and blended outward if desired. If you opt for lipstick, Holm suggests patting it onto the center of the lips and using your fingers or a brush to blend it toward the lip liner. Stick to flesh-toned pink and peach lip crayons and cream blushes for a less pigmented look. Satin lipstick, such as Guerlain’s iconic Satin Rouge G Lipstick, also works, as do matte formulas, like Simihaze Beauty’s Velvet Blur Matte Lipstick Balm.
One thing to skip altogether is lip gloss, since halo lips call for a more natural finish rather than a shiny, glossy one. “Gloss can collapse the structure of the halo if it’s applied everywhere,” Briceno explains. “When the entire lip becomes equally reflective, the dimensional contrast disappears.”
