As the أم دميعة of the family (direct translation from Arabic: mother of tears, i.e. someone easily moved by emotion), this look is practically my signature. Crying makeup had its moment back in 2022, and the no-mascara trend—arguably a subtle nod to the post-cry aesthetic—had its moment, but no one ever talks about the unsung hero of it all: the lips.
No matter how religiously I moisturise or how advanced the formulas become, nothing quite replicates the soft, pink, bruised fullness of my bare lips after a good cry. That natural flush, that perfectly undone pout? It’s the stuff of dreams.
The closest I’ve come to achieving this look without actually turning on a sad playlist is the Make Up For Ever Aqua Lip Waterproof Lip Liner Pencil in shade 14C. The trick, however, lies in the application. Lightly feather the product onto the borders of your lips—barely touch them, like you’re trying not to get caught. The goal here isn’t perfection—it’s creating the illusion of lips that have just been through a moment, kissed by tears, but in the prettiest, most polished way possible. Overdo it, and the illusion crumbles.
Now, I’m not saying gloss is off the table entirely, but let’s keep the vibe true to its roots. A touch of lip balm for a healthy sheen is fine—a glisten, not a glaze. Personally, I’d stick to matte for that understated, “just finished crying in the bathroom” authenticity.
And as a die-hard brown lip liner devotee, I don’t say this lightly: this is the only pink-based lip liner I’d willingly pick up. (Okay, maybe one other exception, but let’s not get carried away.)
Deem x