In 2018, Kim Kardashian launched KKW Beauty with eight shades of nude lipsticks — they were creamy, long-lasting, and there was a shade for everyone. I remember trying on the darkest shade at the time, Nude 8, it was a deep chocolate brown that felt like a nude for me, not an ashy nude that made me look ghostly, what most nudes looked like on Black women. Call it my Roman empire: I still remember the day I finished that lipstick and I struggled to find another formula like it, and KKW Beauty was discontinued. (It was even being sold on eBay for over $100.) Thankfully now I don’t have to shell out that kind of money, Kardashian is launching new lip products under her skin-care line, SKKN.
What Is It?
It’s surprise, surprise makeup: Lipsticks, for $32, that come in ten matte nude shades, and lip liners, for $22, that come in 15 nude shades. “The heart of who I am is classic neutrals,” Kardashian told WWD. So I guess we won’t be getting any bold colors anytime soon.
With the new introduction of makeup under the SKKN umbrella, Kardashian plans to venture out even more, including a foundation (which is already in the works).
Do I Need KKW Beauty Lip Liners?
I tried these lip liners for over a week and say, yes, you do: They have a smudge-resistant formula that felt creamy and hydrating on my lips. Plus: The liners didn’t get on my shirt. The lipstick is also very nourishing and glided on seamlessly. Both products defined my lips, without having them look overdrawn. They claim to be long-lasting, but I admittedly wore mine two days in a row and did have to reapply after about six hours (so I wouldn’t say it lasts all day). But I didn’t have to worry about it smudging off my face, which is always a good sign.
As for the colors, the pigments of the shades are strong. I found my nude, shade 9, which is the chocolate nude. I’ve also been wearing shade 4, which is a peachier nude. It’s not something I’d normally go for, but I lined it with the deepest shade of liner, nude 15, and finished it off with a bit of gloss. I also wore it mixed in shade 9 and loved that pairing. The shades are all blendable and easy to mix and match.
Admittedly, SKKN skin-care products aren’t always the first thing I reach for on my beauty shelf, but since I got these liners I’ve been digging deep in the depths of my bag to find them. “My favorite thing ever is, even with Skims, is when someone gets a product and it’s ten times better than they ever imagined. That’s always the dream. You want to overdeliver,” Kardashian said in the WWD story. And that she did.
What Are People Saying?
Commenters note the price: $32 for a lipstick is expensive, but it’s not far off from other beloved nude lipsticks on the market like Charlotte Tilbury’s cult nude Pillow Talk ($35) or YSL Beauty’s viral candy glaze ($39). Nevertheless, TikTok has been flooded with people who were clearly sent the product early and were doing their own reviews. Influencer Mikayla Nogueira said she was a little nervous when she first saw the shades because they are so warm-toned, but she has a fairly cool complexion. After trying it on screen she said, “This is like my dream concealer lip,” adding that she liked the formula. Another influencer, Brianna Acevedo, tried an array of combinations with the liners and lipsticks and said they were very matte. Patrick Starrr also tested them and said they remind him of the original KKW Beauty lip liners because of their softness.
@mikaylanogueira A DREAM LIP COMBO RIGHT HERE OMG 😍 #skkn #kimkardashian #makeup #beauty
♬ original sound - Mikayla Nogueira
How Do I Get It?
The lipsticks and liners launched today on skknbykim.com and one of the lipstick shades have already sold out. There’s a wait list and the brand posted on X that they’re “working hard to restock.”