This Lipstick Trend Gives You That Cool French Girl Look in 2 Seconds
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As someone whose lipstick uniform has been a bold, rich red for literal decades, it takes a lot to convince me to stray from my beloved crimson matte finish. But lately, my red liquid lipsticks have been collecting dust. I’m not exaggerating—it’s the first time in years I’ve gone this long without reaching for my signature shade. And it’s all thanks to the French. Or more specifically, the effortlessly cool, just-bitten lip trend that’s practically synonymous with French beauty.
There’s something undeniably alluring about imperfection when it comes to French makeup. While many of us have been programmed to draw sharp lip lines and wear intensely pigmented and glossy finishes, the girlies in France have long embraced the smudged, softly blurred look of a lip they refer to as “bouche mordue” or “just bitten.” (It may be cliché to call that “chic,” but, hello, that is absolutely CHIC!)
While the look isn’t particularly new (it’s also referred to as blotted lips or blurred lips), it’s managed to rack up millions of views on TikTok. French beauty brand Violette_FR helped popularize the just-bitten lip trend with its cult-favorite Bisou Balm.
Violette Serrat, makeup artist and founder of her eponymous brand, has said the product was inspired by the way French women “apply lip balm, add a touch of lipstick, and then kiss a tissue to remove excess shine,” leaving behind a tint that resembles natural lips. Other beauty brands have followed suit with their own takes on the just-bitten lip, which coincide with the more intense lip stain trend.
My recent foray into the irresistible world of bouche mordue actually started with my hair. I returned to my “natural color” of pink and, for the first time in my red lipstick-wearing life, I felt I needed to balance it out with a more subtle lip. Enter the French blotted lip: effortless, undone, and much, much more natural of a look than I’ve ever worn. And while I’ll never fully part with my matte lipsticks, I love that there’s now an in-between option—something softer than a liquid lip, but not as high-shine as a gloss—that still gives my lips a ‘lil je ne sais quoi.
Ahead, we rounded up the best products to help you give your lips their own bouche mordue makeover.
