This summer, matte lipsticks are slowly leaving the spotlight, replaced by ultra-shiny lips that catch the light. On the red carpets, the lips of Hailey Bieber or Dua Lipa all display this same mirror finish. A trend promises a luscious mouth in just a few steps, and curiosity is growing.
Its name: glass lips. Inspired by the Korean trend, this makeup approach transposes the mirror effect onto the mouth without changing its natural shape. In May 2026, Italian brand Kiko Milano listed it among the top three lip trends of the season, as reported by Spanish magazine.
Glass lips: the mirror lip trend that dethrones matte
Behind this name, the idea is simple: glass lips, ultra smooth and shiny, almost wet. Where a classic gloss provides a slight shine, the result sought here borders on the mirror effect, without visible glitter. The shades remain nude or pink, to amplify the natural color of the mouth rather than mask it.
Beauty media like describe this look as the makeup version of going back to natural: goodbye ultra-defined contours, hello juicy finish. In July 2026, presents it as the easiest technique to visually multiply the volume of the lips with just two products, without going through aesthetic medicine.
How to make glass lips and boost volume
Why does a simple gloss give this plumping effect? Make-up artists explain that everything comes down to light: by concentrating the shine in the center of the lower lip, the eye perceives a more rounded area. Conversely, overly defined contours freeze the smile and flatten the relief.
Concretely, the method described by and taken up by boils down to just two products, for quick results on a daily basis:
- A creamy lip pencil, in a shade very close to your natural color, to define then lightly blur the contour inwards.
- An ultra-shiny gloss, transparent or pinkish nude, applied especially to the center of the lower lip to create the famous volumizing point of light.
Adopting glass lips every day: care and morphology tips
Makeup.com experts point out that the secret also lies in the preparation of the lips. A gentle exfoliation to remove small pieces of skin, then a generous layer of nourishing balm leaves the surface smooth and supple. In case of marked dryness, an overnight lip mask helps restore the moisture barrier.
To adapt the glass lips to each mouth, some guidelines emerge from the tutorials. On thin lips, a tone-on-tone pencil and a centered point of light avoid any artificial effect. In the presence of fine lines, it is better to choose a non-sticky, lightly loaded gloss, placed on the heart of the lips. A touch of highlighter on Cupid’s bow accentuates the relief.
What is the glass lips makeup trend?
This is an ultra-shiny lip makeup, with a mirror effect, created with a gloss on a natural base.
How to make glass lips with only two products?
Apply a nude lip pencil, slightly blurred, then a very shiny gloss concentrated in the center of the lower lip.
Which gloss to choose for successful glass lips?
It is better to choose a non-sticky gloss, transparent or pinkish nude, very luminous and without large glitter.
