Is This K-Beauty Pigment Powder the Future of Lip Color?

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(Image credit: Design by Betsy Farrell)

published 27 January 17

Is there anything more tried-and-true than a shiny tube of lipstick? It's literally recession-proof (opens in new tab). But while we'll always have a million tubes in our repertoire, a new approach to lip color has us rethinking everything. Enter, the K-beauty-bred trend of pigment powder, which leaves the color chemistry to you i.e. you can decide on the hue, how saturated it is, and even control the finish. I know, I know. Extra steps...patience...trial and error...But with beauty more individual than ever before, customizing a lip shade is so enticing.

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One of the most popular offerings in this category is the RiRe Lip Manicure Powder, which is housed in a nail-polish-like bottle and comes in fruity, universally-flattering shades like Orange Pop, Hot Plum, Sugar Rose, and Fashion Red. You can apply the powder straight out of the bottle (or mix different color powders on a palette beforehand) to naturally-moist lips, building the color as desired. You can also fuse it into a lip gloss or balm.

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While it sounds like it might feel dry as a bone, the powder is super lightweight and infused with essential oils, like peppermint and rosemary extract, so that it melts into the lips and keeps them nourished. The consistency leans more fresh and light, as opposed to super-saturated, which makes it especially great for a gradient lip (opens in new tab).

Made in Korea, you'll have to go the Amazon route to nab the powders, but we're convinced—they're worth the extra international shipping.

RiRe Women's Lip Powder, $6; amazon.com (opens in new tab).

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Lauren Valenti

Lauren is the former beauty editor at Marie Claire. She love to while away the hours at coffee shops, hunt for vintage clothes, and bask in the rough-and-tumble beauty of NYC. She firmly believes that solitude can be a luxury if you’ve got the right soundtrack—that being the Rolling Stones, of course.