February 11th 2026
Volumizing ‘Halo Lips’ Trending This Spring
“Crisp, hard-lined lips are out, and soft, pillowy, blurry lips are in.” That is, according to Katie Jane Hughes, makeup artist, founder of the eponymous brand KJH Brand, and the person responsible for some of the most spectacular looks of Dua Lipa, Lily Allen, and Hailey Bieber.
Makeup Artist Nina Park has been doing just that with ‘blurred lips’ since winter of 2025 and just before. This technique is used for all of her looks. A great example of blured lips would be the makeup look she did for Emma Stone’s “Bugonia” NY premiere.
Both Blurred Lips and Halo Lips achieve a more volumizing finish to lips. For those of us with thinner lips or with asymmetrical lips, this technique will feel like a blessing from the universe because it not precise lining of the lips.
It’s an aesthetic directly inspired by the ’90s, but revisited with an undeniable modern touch.
Halo lips are achieved by blending color outward from the center of the lips into a gentle, soft halo around the edges. Instead of tracing a bold border, the technique uses tools like a soft brush, a matte cream bronzer or contour crayon, and careful color blending to create dimension. The result is a more three-dimensional, fuller-looking lip that appears cushioned and natural, with a hint of shadow above the cupid’s bow and lower lip rather than stark contrast.
Makeup artists suggest starting with prepped and powdered lips to help colour stay all day, lightly outlining the mouth with bronzer or contour, then applying your chosen hue in the centre and blending outward. The key is no harsh edges — the softer gradient gives a subtle glow and makes lips look naturally plush and pouty without heavy liner or high shine.
I went through lots of different tutorials, and some differ in technique, but honestly, I found German makeup artist, Vivien Wagner to have the best tutorial and technique for this. Vivien owns ViVian Makeup Studio and you can find out more about her at https://www.viviencosmetics.com/.
Prep The Lips
I can not state this enough, prepping the lips can fix problems before they even arise. A little bit of lip scrub to get rid of dry flakey skin, and a little bit of lip moisturizer to add in hydration and plump the lips can make a big difference.
Step One: Contour The Lips
This takes some getting used to for those of us who are used to using precise lip liner. Your going to take a cream contour shade or contour crayon, one to two shades darker than your skin tone, and blur a little under the center of the bottom lip and just above the cupids bow. Keeping mostly to the center.
Step Two: Line The Lips
Using a shade close to your natural lip color, line the lips slightly over lining the center of the lips. Keep the focus on the center of the lips.
Optional- Step Three: Highlight The Lips
Using a highlighter, highlight the cupids bow in the center
Step Four: Fill The Lips
Use a liquid color similar to your lip tone and fill in the center of the lips. For this step, Vivian depots some of the liquid color on a palette and uses her finger to blend and blur in.
Step Five: Gloss The Lips
Use a clear gloss over the lips for a soft, romantic finish