Impossible to forget Pamela Anderson’s glossy lips: pale nude, pearly reflections, almost white center that catches every flash. Thirty years later, this 90s look is coming back everywhere under a new, very TikTok name: pearl lips.
Between Y2K nostalgia and fed up with the clean girl aesthetic, frosted lips are resurfacing on fashion shows and especially on TikTok, where the hashtag “frosted lip” exceeds 70 million views. The question now is how to wear those pearly lips without looking like you just walked out of an old prom.
Why Pamela Anderson-style pearl lips are coming back
For MAC pro makeup artist Louise Ridsdale, it’s not just a flashback. She explains it for Elle UK: , before adding: .
The media remind us that this pearly finish spans the decades: iridescent reds of Marilyn Monroe and Elizabeth Taylor in the 50s, glossy lips of Twiggy in the sixties, then the Y2K explosion with Pamela. Today, MAC Gel, Angel or Color Riche Ballerina Shoes are relaunching this more chic pearly nude.
Pearl lips: the 2026 version of frosted lips
Pearl lips take on frosty lipstick, but with ultra-fine pearls and nude champagne or milk pink tones, far from grandmother’s neon pink. To stay modern, we adapt: pearly peach for warmth, very cold pink for 2000s pop star energy.
To recreate this finish, Louise Ridsdale relies on MAC classics. She details: . Then she specifies: .
How to wear pearl lips now
To stick to the spirit of Pamela Anderson without freezing her face in 1998, the key remains the contour. A brown, taupe or smoky beige pencil outlines the mouth, slightly beyond the natural edge, then fill in the center with a frosty champagne red or milk pink and a little transparent gloss.
For more mature lips, the makeup artists cited by Byrdie rely on very fine pearls and moisturizing formulas, in order to prevent frost from marking fine lines. You can also create your own pearly lips by tapping a champagne shadow or highlighter in the center of a cream lipstick.
How to reproduce Pamela Anderson pearl lips?
Draw a darker nude outline, then fill in the center with a frosty red.
What shades to choose for frosted lips?
Fair skin prefers milk pink, warm skin tones prefer golden peach.
Are pearl lips suitable for mature lips?
Yes, with fine pearls, very hydrating textures and well-prepared lips.
