Skip Cream Soda Lips
💄HG Reality Check: Dark liner with peachy lips is so 2003 (and not in a good way)
Hello, Gorgeous!
As I ease into the weekend, I have a tiny bit of crankiness to share: Cream Soda Lips. More on that in a minute, but first, in case you’re looking for the weekend roundups, they’ve moved to Thursday.
Welcome to the second edition of Hello Gorgeous! Reality Check (HG Reality Check) where I break down sometimes dubious sometimes magnificent trendy topics.
You had a LOT to day about Russian Manicures last week, and since that posted, you beauties have been in touch in a big way about your gripes or hype. Also, I am excited about how many of you have written in after this post about featuring some of you. I’m working on a Google docs form for you to more easily share your beauty tips and advice with other Hello Gorgeous! readers.
But back to Cream Soda lips. Is it even a trend, or newsletter clickbait from MAC riding the coattails of every clickable trend from Glazed Donut and Tomato Girl to Vanilla Girl and Clean Girl (and the very short lived Strawberry Girl!).
Hint. It’s the latter.
Cream Soda lips flatter no one (except for Beyonce)
Every season we’re treated to a new silly trend that’s not really a trend. Glazed Donut Lips, they said. Because Hailey Bieber was all about the slightly shimmery brown tinted look. Tomato Girl they said, as if anyone looks good with overflushed cheeks. I won’t even dignify Vanilla Girl with an explanation, though Clean Girl had legs for a while (and still does tbh). As for Cream Soda Lips, a reader named Tracy forwarded a MAC newsletter to me extolling the virtues of pairing deep brown lip liner with light peachy lipstick.
Shared with Tracy’s permission:
“Rachel, help settle an argument. My college freshman daughter says this look would look great on me. I’m 43 with significant sun damage and bleached blond hair grey roots. I think I’d look scary. Who’s right?”
Well, you are Tracy. Of course you are.
Let’s be honest. This is the same trend we’ve been seeing for the past few years rebranded and slightly updated. But not in a good way.
If you grew up in Brooklyn in the ‘80s (🙋🏻♀️), chances are good you previously embraced heavy Cleopatra eyeliner (🙋🏻♀️)at one point and dark lip liner with any shade of lipstick (also🙋🏻♀️). Sometimes simultaneously (Nah. That wasn’t my thing).
And I mean this with great love, Tracy, and everyone else, your 40+ skin doesn’t need to chase every variation of natural lips with a twist. Because if you have even the slightest hint of marionette lines near your mouth (I know. We all hate that expression), this lip look will only draw attention to them.
So wear natural lips if you love the look. It’s the harsh contrast part you should feel free to skip.
One reverse caveat - if you have beautiful bronze, brown, black, or more melanated skin tones, this look could be stunning on you. Just try to make sure the liner enhances the lipstick or gloss. With apologies to MAC, this peachy and tobacco combo makes me a bit queasy.
One more thing. If you’re looking for a natural variation of Cream Soda Lips that will flatter without distracting, try Laneige Glaze Craze Tinted Lip Serum in Chocolate Frosting (On sale for $16.50 on Amazon). or Hera Sensual Nude Lip Gloss in #462 Speechless ($34.50, Amazon) which has the slightest bit of volume without a lot of pinch. If you absolutely love the darker liner look, here’s a fun way to create a variation of the look. Apply lip serum or gloss and then apply liner *on top* of your shiny lips, but only on the very inner lines of your mouth. Don’t go outside the lines and don’t try to enhance your shape. This is a natural look with a tiny bit of contrast.
Do you glom onto these new micro-trends or do you automatically skip ‘em? Let’s meet in the comment section to discuss!
Rachel, Your beauty concierge 💋