Meet Lip Blush: The Blurred Matte Lip Everyone's Wearing Right Now

When matte lipsticks first started popping back into my inbox, I winced. I already lived through the crusty liquid lip era of 2016. I'm sure as hell not ready to go back. My lips have just recovered. But trust me: The matte lips (and in general, all makeup) of 2026 are nothing like that. In fact, they even have their own name: Lip blush.

All the "it" girls are wearing it. Addison Rae, Daisy Edgar-Jones, Zöe Kravitz, Maddie Ziegler—their lips are diffused and soft, slightly lived-in and imperfect on purpose. Just like the blush on your cheeks, this advanced take on matte lips is soft-focus and fresh. There are absolutely no harsh lines, even if lip liner is present (and it usually is, to add dimension and help contour your lip shape, but it’s always blended out around the edges). Makeup artist Nina Park has helped popularize the trend, as she prioritizes a velvety, pillowy lip for her clients to match the rest of their minimalist makeup. Specifically, she

s known for blurring her clients' cupid's bow for a rounded lip look.

Important to note: There's no gloss. Shine isn’t out, per se, but with the new formulas below, you don't need it to offset the dryness. These lipsticks are just naturally hydrating on their own.

How exactly do you do it? Start with lip balm to hydrate your lips (I usually do this just before starting my makeup, so by the time I'm ready for lips, most has absorbed), then blot away any excess so you're starting with a soft—not shiny—lip. Then, build shadows using a brown lip liner. Cool tones help add contour, but anything deeper than your natural lip color works well here. Lightly sketch your lip line, overlining slightly but not so much that it looks unnatural. Then, immediately blur it out with your finger or a brush. Remember: No harsh lines. Finally, for lipstick, dab the color directly to the center of your lips and press it in; don't swipe. Using a clean finger or a brush, blend it all so the colors naturally fade into each other.

Need to see a few references? See below, including some shade variations you can make or ideas to make the lip blush mesh with the rest of your makeup vibes.

This article originally appeared on Cosmopolitan.com. Minor edits have been made by the Cosmo.ph editors.