I tried rom-com lips, and now I think I’m the main character

Lately, I’ve been feeling like I’m in the wrong genre. Everyone around me is deep into their Villain Era—slicked-back buns, precision lip liners, cheekbones you could cut glass on. And then there’s me: no defined jawline, an intimate relationship with lip gloss, and the emotional range of a Nora Ephron film. So, when I heard that “rom-com lips” were back for 2025, I felt... seen.

According to the beauty powers that be (and yes, TikTok counts), rom-com lips are the soft, blurred, just-kissed kind of pout you’d see on Julia Roberts as she spills coffee on Hugh Grant and accidentally falls in love. They’re not about being sexy or mysterious or even particularly competent—just emotionally available with a touch of upper lip tint.

What even are rom-com lips?

Imagine you applied your lipstick half-asleep, then kissed someone in a rainstorm, then dabbed off the excess with a tissue you found in your pocket. That’s rom-com lips. They’re hazy around the edges, a little balmy in the middle, and the exact opposite of anything that requires a ruler and a lip brush.

Think soft, blurred, lived-in. Translation: you want lips that say “I just shared a matcha and my life story at a nearby café”, not “I spent 45 minutes doing lip contour and haven’t eaten since”.

Why now?

Rom-com lips are the latest in a string of anti-perfection beauty trends—joining the ranks of skin that actually looks like skin (hi, skinimalism), smudgy eyeliner that says “I was out too late” instead of “I used a stencil”, and blush that’s deliberately all over the place, like you just ran into your crush at the gym. Blame the ’90s revival. Blame the clean-girl fatigue. Blame the fact that we all just want to look like we’re in love.

I tried them—here’s what happened

I scrubbed my lips like they owed me money; the blur won’t work if your lips are crusty. Then I slapped on a balm (Laneige Lip Sleeping Mask) and reached for a lipstick that used to be my favourite everyday pink—MAC’s Mehr.

Here’s the trick: don’t apply from the bullet. Dab with your finger. Tap-tap-tap it into the centre of your lips. I tried to use a brush, and it looked like I was playing dress-up. I tried a lip liner, and suddenly I was back in Villain Territory. The finger knows. Trust the finger.

I almost reached for a gloss—out of habit, mostly—but remembered this look is more nonchalant. So instead, I dabbed the tiniest bit of balm in the centre, just to keep things soft and hydrated, not shiny.

Rom-com lips aren’t about being perfect. They’re about pretending you didn’t try when you actually tried just the right amount. So yes, I’m the main character now. And no, I will not be taking questions. Except maybe: “What are you wearing?” To which I’ll reply, “Regret, hope, and a little tinted balm.”

Want in? Here’s what to buy

Saie Lip Blur in Classic: A weightless, soft-matte formula that diffuses like a dream and gives that lived-in, blurred-out finish without drying your lips

Clinique Almost Lipstick in Black Honey: A cult-favourite sheer tint that adjusts to your natural lip colour, giving you a flushed, just-bitten effect

Rom&nd Zero Velvet Tint: A Korean bestseller with a powdery velvet texture that glides on smooth and fades into a blur

Fwee Pudding Pot in Cherry: A jelly-like pot tint with a soft matte dry-down that mimics the effect of stained lips after fruit or a make-out session

Diam Beauty Soft Filter Blurring Pot Lipstick in Double Tap: A whipped, mousse-like formula that applies like a balm but sets to a blurred, filtered finish—no liner needed

MAC MACximal Matte Lipstick: My favourite everyday pink that gives a silky matte finish