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Nostalgia is leading the charge for 2026 beauty trends, and after revisiting the matte lips of 2016, we’re digging back even further in the archives. Enter “ballet-slipper” lips: cool-toned pinks and frosty finishes that are making a strong case for a Y2K beauty renaissance.
This winter, influencer Haley Sluss racked up nearly 2.5 million TikTok views trying out L’Oréal’s Colour Riche Lipstick in Ballerina Shoes. She paired the creamy, frosted formula with a glowy makeup look, complete with babydoll blush and a shimmery eye shadow. The lipstick started to sell out across the country and inspired plenty of re-creations. Flash forward to February, 2026, and ballet-slipper lips have emerged as a major trend.
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“The Y2K trend has definitely pushed this trend to the forefront and TikTok has exploded with it,” says Allan Avendaño, a celebrity makeup artist on the L’Oréal Paris League of Experts. In 2026, “This look also adds another dimension to other trends like glowing dewy skin and Douyin makeup,” he adds.
Ready for a throwback? Keep reading to find out how ballet-slipper lips can fit into your current routine.
What are ballet-slipper lips?
Ballet-slipper lips are characterized by their light, cool-toned base shade and icy, catching finish. To nail the look, the goal is to make your lips resemble the smooth, semi-reflective finish of pink satin. Most people opt for a frost or shimmer finish over a juicy gloss—think silky as opposed to wet—but a topcoat of clear glitter gloss can have a similar effect.
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How should I pick a shade for my ballet-slipper lips?
Even you don’t usually love a cool-toned or frosted lip, don’t write off the ballet-slipper look yet. “I am a firm believer that this could work with most skin and undertones, depending on the lip liner you choose to shift the color and also the actual color of the lipstick you choose,” Avendaño says. “However, if we’re just referring to a straight pink ballet-slipper look, I find that it often works best on those with cool and neutral undertones.”
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While L’Oréal's Ballet Shoes is the most popular out of the 70-plus shades of Colour Riche Lipstick, according to the brand, it’s not the only option to get the ballet-chic satin lip effect. For lighter skin tones with warm undertones—think golden, olive, or yellow—Avendaño recommends a warm rose shade, like Mauved. For medium to deep skin tones, he recommends a cool-toned mauve, like Mica.
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If pink lipstick isn’t your thing, you can tone down a ballet-slipper shade by pairing it with a neutral liner, or layering your go-to nude lipstick underneath it.
How to wear ballet-slipper lips in 2026
In general, lip trends are getting softer in 2026. “This coming year is all about the blurred lip line,” makeup artist Kelly Zhang previously told Glamour, referencing the celebrity-loved “cloud-lip” trend. “Instead of a sharp outline, we’re softening and diffusing the edges for a natural, lived-in finish,” she says.
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To modernize the ballet-slipper look, combine with the trendy “blurred-lip” technique. Create a soft outline with a cool-toned pink or nude liner, diffusing it out with your fingers wherever it’s feeling too harsh. “I like to fill in the entire lip with the lip liner and then apply the color on top for the lipstick to last longer and to achieve the shade you desire,” Avendaño says. This technique will add depth and fullness to your lips while keeping things soft and pillowy—the perfect base for a ballerina-coded satin lipstick.
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If your icy pink lip is feeling too dated, try adding a hydrating gloss on top; this will keep the shine while blurring down out that signature ’00s frost. As for the rest of your makeup? “Those who want to have fun can pair this look with Y2K-inspired eye makeup—obviously modernized, because we don’t want to look like we’re at a costume party,” Avendaño says. “In general though, pairing this look with a flushed cheek, a subtle glow, and a softly defined eye looks chic and sophisticated, and makes the lip look really stand out.”
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Grace McCarty is the associate beauty editor at Glamour.
