Charli XCX's Pale Nude Lipstick Is So Utterly '90s

With the launch of instantly viral products like Rhode’s new Peptide Lip Shape and Sacheu's Lip Liner Stay-N, lip shaping and contouring has practically become a can’t-miss part of everyone’s makeup routine. And perhaps that’s what makes Charli XCX’s latest beauty look so noteworthy. The Brat singer is the cover star of W Magazine’s February issue and the most interesting aspect of her makeup just might be the absence of product. Or is it? Although Charli at first glance appears to be sporting totally naked lips, she’s likely wearing a ‘90s-inspired pale nude lipstick sans liner (gasp!) for the most barely-there effect.

The “365” singer was shot by French photographer and former Creative Director for Dior and Saint Laurent, Hedi Slimane, who captured Charli in all her brat-tastic glory: Sporting babydoll dresses on one page and devil horns the next. And to keep her true to her party girl persona, hairstylist Esther Langham perfected that artfully disheveled bedhead and makeup artist Aaron de Mey added her quintessential softly smudged cat eye with seemingly not much else on the face. In fact, her lips were just barely pinker — and no deeper — than her fair skin tone, leaving fans and makeup lovers alike wondering exactly what (if anything) was on them.

It’s worth noting that Charli is a Valentino Beauty ambassador, having appeared in the brand’s Spike Valentino Buttery Matte Lip Color campaign. Her touring makeup artist Yasmin Istanbouli has featured the British pop star wearing quite a few of the shades, including a soft red lipstick and even rosy-nude that also feels distinctly ‘90s. However, her new nude lips don’t match any of the brand’s colors, which could be more evidence that Langham employed the controversial “concealer lips” hack that’s been co-signed by celebs like Sofia Grainge and Kate Moss.

The technique involves dabbing on a shade of concealer that’s close to your exact skin tone. Sometimes this is done just in center of another lipstick shade (something deeper or more pigmented) for the illusion of fullness. Or it can be used in tandem with some kind of liner for added dimension. But here, Charli’s ultra pale lips are intentionally undefined, with perhaps just a slick of sheer pink balm or gloss (like YSL Beauty’s Candy Glaze Lip Gloss Stick in 02) on top of the concealer.

That said, there are some pale nude lipsticks you can try for a similar effect if you’re not into the concealer trick. For instance, Lily Rose Depp’s viral nude lip was created using Rouge Coco Flash Hydrating Vibrant Shine Lip Colour in Casual, and both M·A·CXIMAL Silky Matte Lipstick in Acting Natural and Prada Beauty’s Monochrome Hyper Matte Refillable Lipstick in Alabaster could create a comparable look on skin tones as fair as Charli’s if you’re into a truly naked (as opposed to classically nude) ‘90s-era lip.