As 2026 approaches, the beauty predictions keep coming and one thing comes up everywhere: this softer, blurred halo mouth, presented as one of the future stars of the 2026 beauty trend. Behind this shift, celebrity makeup artist Katie Jane Hughes, who works in particular with Dua Lipa, Hailey Bieber, Ashley Graham and Lily Allen. A promise is already emerging: fuller lips, but almost impossible to detect at first glance.
A soft, fuzzy mouth, very 90’s
The principle of Halo Lips remains ultra simple: the color concentrates in the center of the lips, then diffuses outwards without a clear contour. The outline fades, the mouth gains suppleness and retains a “natural” air. The aesthetic is clearly inspired by the 90s, but revisited with cream and satin textures that develop a patina over the hours rather than setting the mouth.
This blurred mouth arrives as a direct response to the ultra-shiny lips, perfectly highlighted with lip liner which have dominated the last few seasons. Blurring becomes an accepted choice: the mouth wants to be more alive, more sensual, less fixed. The Pinterest Predicts 2026 report goes in the same direction by announcing a more personal and imperfect beauty, driven by the Glitchy Glam trend where we deliberately break the idea of perfect makeup.
The makeup artist who changes the rules
It was at the start of her career, during a photoshoot, that Katie Jane Hughes says she discovered this style of mouth with melted contours. “It seemed incredibly natural“, she explains in a video on Instagram. Since then, the founder of KJH Brand has presented the halo mouth as a way to “gain volume imperceptibly” on all lip shapes, far from the overdrawn mouth effect.
In her tutorial, the pro emphasizes one key: blending. She starts by applying a cream bronzer around the mouth, with a brush, to create a warm veil: “Apply it delicately to the lip contour to create a tanned and warm halo“. Next comes a pencil placed just inside this halo, blended with a brush to give depth, then a touch of color placed in the center of the lips.
An easy technique to reproduce at home!
Good news for non-professionals: this halo mouth remains easy to reproduce. A nude base, a little very diffused bronzer around the lips, a discreet pencil placed inside then blended, and a more intense color patted in the center is enough. Cream or satin textures are ideal for blending in with the warm halo and following the movements of the mouth without marking fine lines.
For an everyday look, makeup artists recommend pairing these blurred lips with a light “real skin”-style complexion, already announced as a priority for 2026 looks, and with simple eyes, fine liner or a discreet metallic halo. In the evening, the same technique works with a deep red or an after-dark plum, in the spirit of the trends identified for 2026: more contrast, more character, but always with this controlled blur which makes all the difference.
Our selection of lipsticks to achieve this lip make-up: