My Favorite Liquid Lip Liner Is Perfect For Creating A Cult Lip Look

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Earlier this year, I spent a few days in Seoul, South Korea. My trip was mostly dedicated to exploring Korean fashion, but, obviously,I spent some time shopping around for K-beauty products to bring back home with me, too. Seoul is essentially a beauty mecca—how could I not?

Any free time I had in between meeting with designers was spent making visits to Myeong-dong, a shopping district filled to the brim with K-beauty shops and department stores, and people-watching for beauty trends. And there was one look—as seen in the K-beauty campaigns that filled each shop and basically on any cool girl that walked by me on the street—I really fell in love with. It was the popsicle-stained lip—a bold pop of color in the center of the lip that fades out to a subtle stain toward the edges. I decided that this was the look I was going to bring back to the U.S. with me.

Ever since my return—and, the inevitable moment I ran out of the K-beauty lip stains I snagged in Myeong-dong that aren’t available in the U.S.—I’ve been looking for the perfect alternative for achieving this look. And luckily, Dior’s newest lip liner, the Rouge Dior Ink Lip Liner, made its way to my desk.

This new liner is essentially a lip stain in the form of a thin, felt tip pen. I know what you’re thinking—lip liner? For a buffed-out, softly stained lip? Well, I’m all for using products unconventionally, so I figured I’d give this one a try. To my delight, it ended up being just as good as the K-beauty ones.

The ink-like formula is highly pigmented and, when wet, is easy to blend and buff. All you need to dab in the center of the lip and use your finger to buff it outward for a subtle wash of color around the edges. Your lips mimic the look of having just finished off a fruity ice pop on a hot summer day.

Do note that, once applied, it dries relatively quickly, and, once it’s dry, it’s not moving. The formula is super-long-lasting (guaranteed for 12 hours, according to the brand), so your look remains intact and flawless all day long.  

And, of course, I guess if you’re trying to, you know, use the liner traditionally—lining the outer edges of your lips before applying lipstick—it works pretty damn well for that, too.

You can snag a liner of your own for $32 a pop at Dior.com.