Stepping out on the 2025 Met Gala red carpet, Zendaya stunned in a custom Louis Vuitton suit styled by Law Roach — and made a statement with a blurred lip liner look that rewrites the rules on how to use the makeup essential.

On top of defined cheeks and smoky eye makeup, makeup artist Ernesto Casillas created major dimension on Zendaya’s smile by tracing the “Challengers” actress’ lips with liner and topping them off with a nude gloss. This chiaroscuro effect gave Zendaya’s smile depth and fullness, and makes the case for a rebrand of the lip liner category as a whole — one where the product is used similar to a contour stick to shape the lips versus a colored pencil that simply extends the wear time of a lip look.

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Zendaya wears a blurred lip liner look while attending the 2025 Met Gala Celebrating “Superfine: Tailoring Black Style” at Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 5, 2025. Photo by Theo Wargo/FilmMagic

Charlotte Tilbury Super Nudes Lip Cheat Contour Duo in Tan

$26

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Price upon publish date of this article: $26

Two new Charlotte Tilbury products are behind the Golden Globe winner’s blurred lip look, including a new dual-ended lip liner and a plumping lip gloss. The lip liner — Super Nudes Lip Cheat Contour Duo — is tailor-made for the softer definition we saw on Zendaya, with one end of the pencil providing depth and the other offering a complementary, slightly lighter tone for blending into the center of the lips.

Zendaya’s contoured beauty look complemented her Louis Vuitton ensemble that references Diana Ross’ performance as Tracy Chambers in the 1975 film “Mahogany.” Photo by Savion Washington/Getty Images

At the Met Gala alone, we saw a similar blurred lip on stars like Doechii and Jenna Ortega. Off the red carpet, brands like Merit, Refy, Hard Candy, and Hailey Bieber’s Rhode have launched lip liners that prioritize an easy-to-blend, creamy texture over previous hallmarks for the category like a stiff texture and long-wearing pigments. And on TikTok, the term “blurred lip liner” has amassed over 62 million posts — where users gravitate towards subtly enhancing their lips with pigment versus committing to pricey syringes of lip filler. (A recession indicator? We digress.)

Doechii and Jenna Ortega wear variations on the blurred lip liner look at the 2025 Met Gala on May 5, 2025 in New York City. Photos by Taylor Hill/Getty Images

Perhaps best shown by Leighton Meester in a recent Vogue beauty secrets tutorial, the beauty of the blurred lip look is in its laid-back ease of application. These modern lip liners do not require Kylie Lip Kit-caliber levels of precision. A softer texture allows you to simply draw the liner on the vermillion border, then smudge it with your ring finger for dimension that looks real, not painted on.

Ahead, shop Zendaya’s Met Gala lip combination and more liners that are editor-tested and approved.

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Charlotte Tilbury Super Nudes Lip Cheat Contour Duo in Tan

$26

Buy Now at sephora

Casillas used the Tan colorway of this dual-ended lip liner to create depth around the perimeter of Zendaya’s smile for the Met Gala. The deeper shade is designed for the outer edges of the lips, while the lighter tone is meant to blend into the center of the lips for a contoured effect.

Price upon publish date of this article: $26

Charlotte Tilbury Big Lip Plumpgasm Lip Gloss in Nudegasm Diamonds

$26

Buy Now at sephora

For a high-shine finish, Casillas topped off Zendaya’s lips with Charlotte Tilbury’s newest plumping lip gloss. This nude lipstick shade has just a touch of warmth to it, plus gold flecks that catch the light for fuller-looking lips.

Price upon publish date of this article: $26

More Blurring Lip Liners to Shop

Merit Signature Lip Sheer Lip Liner

$24

Buy Now at merit

Editor testing and review notes: “Unlike most liners that create a fixed, almost stiff outline for your lips, the Signature Lip Liner has a hydrating, silky texture with sheer color payoff. It’s not transfer-proof by any means (and it doesn’t claim to be), but importantly, it fades evenly. This is a product you can trace onto your lips, tap to blend with your ring finger, then forget about while it continues to soften and subtly shape your lips throughout the day.” — WWD Shop contributor Claire Sullivan

Price upon publish date of this article: $24

Rhode Peptide Lip Shape

$24

Buy Now at rhode

Editor testing and review notes: “I count this as my top recommendation for those looking for a beginner-friendly lip liner. It has a creamy, soft-focus formula and the pencil itself is thicker than most liners, so you don’t have to worry about precise application. A built-in smudger — surprisingly done in silicone, versus the brush or felt tip that’s standard for a liner — allows for seamless blending.” — Sullivan

Price upon publish date of this article: $24

Refy Lip Sculpt

$26

Buy Now at refy

Editor testing and review notes: “This TikTok-famous beauty product strikes a perfect balance of being easy to blend and wearing well throughout the day. Many blurring lip liners require frequent reapplication, but this one is both easy to smudge and doesn’t fade after an hour of wear time. I appreciate the fine point tip for detailing the corners of my lips and my cupid’s bow.” — Sullivan

Price upon publish date of this article: $26

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Meet the Author

Claire Sullivan is a contributing beauty writer for WWD, where she writes and edits beauty, fashion, and lifestyle stories. She has over eight years of experience as a writer and editor for national media outlets including Martha Stewart Living, Martha Stewart Weddings, InStyle, and Byrdie. She’s tested hundreds of products during her time as an editor, so she’s well-versed in selecting the products that make a meaningful difference in your skin and hair. Sullivan regularly reports on red carpet beauty trends.

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