According to TikTok, you can hack your makeup routine and use the same product on your eyebrows and your lips. The latest makeup trend to hit the app was started by TikToker Kenzie B., and now over 8,000 people have tried the look, including Charli D’Amelio and Addison Rae. Kenzie’s trick involves using your eyebrow pencil as a lip liner, patting blush in the middle, blending the two (this step is crucial) and topping it all off with a gloss. In what is perhaps the best makeup tutorial TikTok has ever seen (the angles! The accents!), Kenzie explains, “You’re taking two natural colors and putting them on your lips… It will always be the perfect lip shade.”
Dark lip liner isn’t new: Back in the ’90s it was seen on celebrities like Cindy Crawford, Britney Spears, and Naomi Campbell. Now, it’s beloved by everyone from Megan Thee Stallion to Kylie Jenner. It’s no surprise that dark lip liner has withstood the test of time — the contrast between the dark outline of the lips and the light middle of the lips accentuates them, making them appear more full. This lip liner trick is the latest to join the renaissance of ’90s beauty trends (i.e. thin brows, claw clips, and the mullet) — it is called the ’90s supermodel lip for a reason. Even Ashley Graham is a fan of the look — in her makeup tutorial on Instagram, the model said it’s her secret to getting people to think she’s had lip injections (plus it’s quick and easy). So if you’re wondering how to try this look out for yourself, grab your brow pencil and blush and keep reading — no lipstick needed.
So, how exactly does this hack work?
Start by using your eyebrow pencil in the place of your lip liner (this one from Benefit Cosmetics is ultra-precise and super sturdy, and this one from Addison Rae’s own beauty line, ITEM Beauty, is long-lasting and smudge-proof). Place blush in the middle of your lips — cream or liquid blushes work best in this case — and blend, blend, blend!
The dark contrast to the inner lip color is reminiscent of the ’90s supermodel look, but carries over into 2022’s contouring trend without being as extreme. “This latest trend goes back to when I first started doing makeup, only now, it’s not quite as obvious as it was back then with the brown liner and pale lip look,” film and television makeup artist Patty Bell tells Her Campus.
It takes a bit of color knowledge to understand what makes this hack effective. Makeup artist and co-founder of Just B Cosmetics Bina Khan tells Her Campus, “Lip liners tend to skew orange, which will affect color rather than create contour, which is essentially what this trick is leaning into. It’s basically creating depth and contour when you mix that contour color with a brighter pop of color.”
It’s also all about the use of an eyebrow pencil particularly. ”The point of the brow pencil is more precise, which gives the lips a crisp definition,” Bell says. Overall, eyebrow pencils seem to have more staying power. “Brow pencils as lip liners last longer because they’re not as creamy as traditional lip liners. Creating a barrier with lip liner will help hold in the lip color,” Bell adds. She also pointed out that the spoolie on the end of your favorite eyebrow pencil (her pick is the Claim To Fame pencil from LimeLife by Alcone) can double as a tool to exfoliate dry, flaky lips!
Don’t forget the gloss.
Matte had its moment in 2014, and now gloss is all the rage. As the TikTok obsession with Dior Lip Glow Oil shows us, creating and/or emphasizing full pouts is in. Plumping glosses like the Dior Addict Lip Maximizer give you a fuller lip effect, while clear glosses like the Fenty Beauty Gloss Bomb highlight your natural lip shape.
You can try it out without breaking the bank.
Luckily, this viral trick uses products you probably already have in your makeup bag! An eyebrow pencil, blush, and lip gloss are all you need.
The eyebrow-pencil-as-lip-liner concept is universal. This means that, no matter how light or dark your hair is, it’ll look amazing on you. Many begin unsure if it’ll suit them, but turn out to be pleasantly surprised. If you’re uncomfortable with a stark contrast between your lip liner and main lip color, you can opt for an eyebrow pencil that’s a few shades lighter than the one you use on your eyebrows. Bell advises that taupe shades look more natural, especially on lighter skin tones, and yellow/blonde pencils should be avoided at all costs. Darker skin tones should go for a dark brown pencil, not a black pencil, which would be too harsh.
The ’90s nostalgia is real in this TikTok trend, and it’s clear to see why. Everyone who has followed the original video’s instructions looks absolutely stunning with it on. So, go forth and channel your inner Spice Girl.