From applying cinnamon oil concoctions to straight up just glueing your lips, there’s nothing TikTok loves more than a good hack to give you the appearance of fuller lips – and now, there’s another method going viral.

This latest trick involves using self tanner to give yourself temporary lip liner. It’s pretty simple. First, take a small brush, for example a thin lip brush, and dip it into your fake tan. Carefully, with a steady hand, apply the fake tan just outside your lip line in the same way you would with a regular lip pencil. Leave on for a couple hours and then wipe away for a temporary new outline around your lips. The darker colour of the tan will create the illusion of shadow in the same way contour does, giving the effect of fuller, more defined lips. Complete the look with a nude or neutral lipstick and if you really want to go for it, add a highlight to the middle of the lips with a lighter shade and then add gloss.  

The trick went viral after users including @mee3zz and Alexa Almraz tested out the method. “Trying fake tan lip liner bc I’m white,” @mee3zz captioned her video which has been viewed over eight million times. She later used the same technique to create faux freckles by taking a make-up brush and dappling it across her nose and cheeks. 

For anyone who doesn’t feel ready to commit to the fake tan just yet, try out a favourite trick from make-up artist Isamaya French. Rather than overlining your lips with self tanner, use a slightly darker contour powder instead and trace it just outside your natural lip line particularly under the midpoint of your lower lip. This technique will create the same shadow illusion as the fake tan but is much easier to wipe off if anything goes wrong. 

For everyone who is ready, try out Tan-Luxe which offers great options specifically for the face or check out our other recommendations here.