Kosas' New Plumping Duo Gave Me Instantly Luscious Lips

Come June 1, I don't want a single matte product touching my face. Summer beauty is nothing if not the season of juicy, dewy, and utterly glowing skin—and few things stack up to the power of the perfect warm-weather gloss. True glossheads know, though, that the product is not without its downsides, namely a propensity for migration and stickiness in the heat.

Kosas founder Sheena Yaitanes has always been a fan of that juicy, plumped-up lip look but understands how tricky it can be to nail. But considering Kosas might be one of the most summer-friendly brands out there, it makes sense that Yaitanes would be the one to develop the perfect solution.

Today, Kosas launches the first new product in a two-part pairing designed to define, sculpt, smooth, and plump lips while depositing rich color and plenty of light-catching shine. The Hotliner Hyaluronic Acid Contouring Lip Liner ($19) is the first step in building a stay-all-day lip look, part of a trio Kosas is dubbing the Plump & Juicy Lineup.

The Products

Kosas's new Hotliner lip pencil is a retractable liner available in six distinct, highly versatile shades that include plenty of warm, cool, and neutral tones to flatter everyone. But while the pretty colorways and lush, gradient blue packaging are lovely to look at, it's how this lip liner feels on the skin that sets it apart.

"I was obsessed with getting just the right amount of glide on a lip liner," Yaitanes explains to Byrdie. "It couldn’t tug or be too drying, but I also didn’t want it to be so creamy that it wasn’t long-wearing or didn’t have [enough] grip to contour the lip." Delicate lip skin is actually one of the most sensitive areas of the body, so it was crucial for the team at Kosas to include nourishing ingredients like jojoba oil and hyaluronic acid in the formula. Equally suited for full application as it is subtle definition, the mess-free, twist-up Hotliner packaging makes the product refreshingly portable, too—there's no living in fear of a snapped-off pencil tip floating around the bottom of your bag here.

Of course, the Hotliners are just one piece of Kosas's Plump & Juicy Lineup. The next step's star product is the Plump & Juicy Lip Booster (available on June 28). Described by Yaitanes as the foundation of the entire lip lineup, it's a "hard-working treatment for full, cushiony, healthier lips." The Lip Booster looks very much like a traditional lip balm, complete with a happy-go-lucky pink tube and thick, comforting formula.

Finally, the last component of the lineup is a product you might already be familiar with. Kosas's Wet Lip Oil Treatment Gloss ($22) is an existing best-selling gloss available in eight high-shine shades. The Hotliner and Lip Booster are designed to be used before the gloss. Together, the three-step recipe spells out plumped, moisturized lips bathed in color and reflective shine.

The Formulas

As Yaitanes points out, wrapping fragile lip skin in hydration and moisture is important—not only does added nourishment feel good, but it teases out the lips' best-looking form by smoothing lines and increasing volume. The Hotliner formula comes complete with three central ingredients: Jojoba oil, hyaluronic acid, and konjac root to ensure a drag-free glide for plenty of definition while soothing, softening, and guarding lips against environmental damage.

The Kosas Lip Booster also boasts a formula built around health from the inside out. Because it can be used on the fly and as a lush overnight treatment, the treatment's top-billed ingredients are maximally-enriching by nature. Here, concentrated fatty acids flood dry lips with moisture while collagen-boosting peptides work to sculpt and smooth. Hyaluronic acid keeps all that added hydration locked in, and oleoactif (a patented, oil-based active) helps lips appear fuller.

How To Use Them

Kosas developed the Plump & Juicy lineup to be used together, so the application method is mercifully simple. "Outline lips, overlining at the cupid’s bow and center of the bottom lip for the plumpest look," Yaitanes says, adding that you can smudge it out with a fingertip. Next, it's time to nourish your skin with the Lip Booster. Yaitanes advises waiting until the product is fully absorbed before topping it with gloss for cushiony, nurtured lips that don't look washed out.

The Review

"Normally, I'm not one to switch up my makeup routine, but for Kosas, I'm willing to give it a shot. I've long been a liner devotee—nothing pulls a look together like a strongly outlined lip—but I don't usually spend quite as many steps hydrating, glossing, and plumping as Kosas recommends. This three-step routine can probably be combined into two (personally, I've been using the Hotliner and booster without a finishing gloss to great effect), but I do love how the liner and plumper work in tandem to define, smooth, and hydrate. Plus, the wide range of shades means this look can be dialed up or down depending on the occasion: choose natural color for the perfect "gym lips" or opt for a darker, dramatic hue to make an impact.

"With lip combos trending on TikTok and all things glossy taking over this summer, Kosas' new collection is perfectly timed. I have a feeling I'll be reaching for these Hotliners all (hot girl) summer long." - Madeline Hirsch, News Director

Kosas Hotliner Hyaluronic Acid Lip Liner is available online June 14 and July 8 in-stores; Kosas Plump & Juicy Lip Booster Buttery Treatment is available online June 28 and July 8 in-stores.

Kosas Hotliner Hyaluronic Acid Lip Liner $19.00

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