This Is Not A Drill: Concealer Lips Are Back
The Y2K aesthetic is back, and it's in full effect. Over the last couple of years, we have been seeing a resurgence of the most popular 2000s looks, from creating a low-commitment way to get thin, ever-trendy brows, to the re-emergence of low-rise jeans. It is safe to say everything that made the new millennium both nostalgic and fun is making a reimagined comeback, and we are here for it.
However, for every trend that we are happy to see make a comeback, there are some that we thought we would never see again. And yet today, makeup gurus are rediscovering concealer lips in place of their nude lipsticks.
In the early 2000s, it was very on-trend to have a muted lip, making the style a favorite among the makeup crowd. With the array of lip colors that are available now, you'd think we would be well past the obsession with nude lips. But with concealer lips getting a new facelift and a touch of lip gloss, it may actually be worth trying this look again.
Where did the trend come from?
There are multiple theories on where the concealer lips trend came from. One theory cited by Pure Wow posits that the trend arose from the scene era of the early 2000s. The scene aesthetic was popular amongst young teens of all ages and genders with the goal of getting a more edgy vibe. In order to get the look, people would have fringe hair, thick black eyeliner, and pale lips. Eventually, other communities adopted the trend, making it one of the best ways to embrace scene beauty in the most subtle way possible.
The trend was later adopted by popular celebrities like Kim Kardashian, who was new to Hollywood at the time. People loved her signature smoky eye that was paired with subtle nude lipstick. While there were lipsticks that could give the barely-there look, people opted to swipe concealer on their lips to get a similar Kardashian effect instead.
In the 2020s, the resurgence of the concealer lips trend seems to have come from the place all beauty trends do: TikTok.
How to use Concealer lips today
While the idea of concealer lips coming back can lead to shivers down your spine, its new take might be one to watch. In a video with thousands of likes, TikTok user Kyra Nikole reaches for a concealer as a hack to create the perfect nude lipstick for her tone. She starts off by applying light powder on her lips to create an even base. Then she applies a darker concealer around the perimeter of her lips to use in place of a lipliner. Then she dabs a concealer in the middle of her lips that is a shade lighter than her complexion. Afterward, she finishes it by adding lip gloss, for a stunning nude lip.
Another TikTok user by the name of @charrhyatt offers a more stripped-down take on the concealer lip trend. Instead of using multiple products on her lips, she dabs just a small amount at the center of the lips to add dimension and create the perfect nude lipstick.
If you're tempted to revisit this old trend, try using Gen Z's modern upgrades — otherwise you may end up channeling the 2007 version of you.