From beauty faux pas to the ultimate modern nude, the beige concealer lip is back. Here’s how to wear it in 2025
While some trends age like fine wine, others—like the infamous 2000s beige lip—take a decade-long nap before making a grand re-entry. We’ve seen it in the likes of Paris Hilton, Dirrty and Stripped Christina Aguilera, Janelle Monae, and other Y2K it girls whose ghostly, skin-matching pout blurred into their foundation shade, if not even lighter. Whether it was actual concealer they put on or just an extremely pale shade of lipstick it could double as one, what we often got was a powdery and parched look that left an entire generation looking lipless. But that was then. The beige lip trend seems to have resurrected but with a modern, healthier, and more wearable twist this time around.
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MAC Cosmetics heard the call. Earlier this year, it permanently reintroduced its most iconic nude shades like Fleshpot and Peachstock, the same tones that once graced the supermodels of the ‘90s. Moreover, even Sofia Richie Grainge was spotted using a modernized version of the concealer trick, taking to TikTok to show her using a dot of product in the middle of her lips for soft definition. This only goes to show that even a then-pretty-now-odd trend can be relevant again.
How to Wear ‘Concealer Lips’ in 2025
How, now, do you resurrect this trend without looking dated? It’s seemingly odd to achieve in a time where pinks, reds, and browns are the go-to’s for keeping your pouts, fresh, and kissable, while downright concealer lips… not so much. However, ahead are ways women all over the internet are making them work and actually look coveted.
Lined and Defined… with Concealer
A subtrend that has emerged from this is the dark-liner-light-center trick. This is especially useful when no shade of lip liner or lipstick can seem to match your look. Achieve this by moisturizing your lips generously, then lining them with a darker shade of concealer before blending it out to remove harsh lines. Then, apply the lighter shade in the middle and diffuse. Top it off with some gloss to bring some moisture into the drying formula of the concealer and keep the look from looking dry and cracky.
Nourishing Nudes
We’ve learned our lesson from 2005—moisture matters. Swap the concealer for more moisturizing nudes like satin-finish ones. MAC’s relaunched classics nail the look, offering you different bare shades in creamy formulas. Local brands like Sunnies Face and Issy have also formulated lip products that—while not necessarily concealer-like in paleness—celebrate nudes. Remember to pair with a lip liner a few shades darker to avoid the lipless look. These are better alternatives that help revive the Y2K staple while avoiding looking dated.
The Sofia Richie-Approved Way
The quiet luxury sophisticate isn’t here for the full-throttle concealer lip of the 2000s either—she has a more chic trick up her sleeve. Instead of a full-on concealer (which can pose as a curse for those with already-dry lips), she starts with a classic nude lipstick, then dabs the tiniest bit of concealer at the center before blending it out with a fingertip. The effect? A soft-focus, subtly sculpted vision minus the chalky finish.
Concealer lips walked so today’s sexy nudes could run, but when we say nudes, we know better than to go back to the stale. We don’t have to erase our mouths into oblivion this time around, just a more pulled-back classic look for today’s times.
Featured Image and Photos: MEGA ARCHIVES, KEITA MOORE (via Instagram)
