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Ballet has long been a muse for beauty, but the trend has had an especially prominent moment as the clean girl aesthetic took off over the past few years, from ballet blush to balletcore nails. Now, people are dialing in on the lips. Ballet slipper lips, the dreamy, barely-there blush tone that mimics the pale satin pink of a pointe shoe, are taking center stage.<\/p>\n
\u201cClean-girl beauty focused on simplicity; with glowing skin, neutral nails and slick-back buns,\u201d says Fresha beauty expert Annabelle Taurua, who reports searches for \u201cballet\u201d have shot up in recent months. Now, ballet beauty \u201ctakes that same polished base but adds something softer and more romantic. It\u2019s all about the details like soft pink tones and glossy finishes.\u201d Ahead, we’re diving into ballet lips, from what they are to how to get them.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\u201cBallet slipper lips are a soft, diffused lip built in the pink tone family. The liner is blended out so there are no harsh edges, paired with a pink\u2014sometimes slightly frosted\u2014gloss layered on top,\u201d explains celebrity makeup artist Judi Gabbay. \u201cThe finish should feel light, dimensional and polished rather than overly defined.\u201d<\/p>\n
Celebrity makeup artist Natalie Dresher is very much here for the trend. \u201cA cool-toned pink lip that has a somewhat reflective property? Talk about my dream lip!\u201d she says. Gabbay feels the look is \u201ctrending because it hits a few shifts at once. There\u2019s a clear move away from anything overly heavy or harsh toward softer, more diffused finishes. At the same time, it nods to that early 2000s frosted pink lip, but in a more refined, modern way.\u201d <\/p>\n
While ballet slipper lips are aligned with the clean girl look, they’re not one and the same. Gabbay thinks they\u2019re resonating right now because they sit somewhere in between aesthetics. \u201cIt\u2019s not fully \u2018clean girl,\u2019 but it\u2019s also not traditional glam. It\u2019s wearable with a slightly edgier undertone\u2014polished, a little nostalgic and intentional without feeling overdone.\u201d<\/p>\n
According to Gabbay, the key to achieving the ballet slipper lip look is layering. \u201cStarting with a more malleable, softer liner like the Makeup by Mario Lip Sculpt Suede Lip Liner ($26) helps create that diffused shape without anything reading too sharp.\u201d She urges that you must blend any harsh edges to nail the look. Dresher\u2019s favorite liner option for this look is only available abroad\u2014 Sephora\u2019s lip liner in Pink Frosting\u2014but she says NYX Line Loud Lip Pencil ($8) in Fierce Flirt is a great dupe.<\/p>\n
\u201cFrom there, a pink-toned lipstick adds a soft base, and a touch of gloss or balm is tapped into the center for dimension. Formulas that feel lightweight are ideal,\u201d like MAC Cosmetics Lipglass ($24) in shades Oyster Girl, Cultured or Candy Box. Dresher and Gabbay both recommend the shade Snobbish for MAC Lipglass Air ($25), which is even more weightless. Gabbay says the shades Frozen and Frosting for Lipglass Air also translate well for this look. For another option, Dresher recommends Glossier\u2019s cool-toned Lip Glaze ($22) in Frosty.<\/p>\n
Pro tip: \u201cIt\u2019s important to be mindful with frost\u2014too much can start to read dated, so keeping it soft and balanced is what keeps the look current,\u201d says Gabbay. The look should feel \u201cfemme, soft and girly\u2014the pretty girl vibe without trying too hard.\u201d Consider that your cue to stock up on pink gloss.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n