The Bedhead Version Of Lipstick Is Here — & It's Good

If you ask us, most lipsticks looks best long after they've been applied. We're talking about the subtle, cool stain that's left behind after you've been wearing the same shade for a few hours. It's an effortlessly cool, soft, and flattering way to wear colour — and hard to fake. Over the years some have called it "lipstick nirvana," but we call it the "blurred lip."

Unlike typical lipstick application, which usually involves carefully coating your lips to achieve crisp, opaque colour, a blurred lip calls for nothing more than a layer of sheer, matte lipstick with perfectly imperfect edges. Makeup artists frequently use a variety of techniques to get the effect, minus all-day wear. Think: Blotting, patting, layering, and the like.

See, the concept of smudgy, soft lip colour isn't new — makeup artist Pat McGrath played with the texture on the runways back in 2013 and South Korea's ombré lip trend made the rounds a few years back. It's even been taken to the extreme this past season. What is new, however, is the onslaught of lipsticks hitting the market that have bottled that lived-in effect in one singular tube — no tapping or smudging necessary.

Want to nab one for yourself? Check out our favourites — plus exactly how to wear them — in the following slides.