Despite being a beauty journalist, there are only two make-up products that I won't leave the house without: a pressed powder and a lip liner, AKA the ultimate on-the-go touch-up duo. The latter is perhaps the single product I am unequivocally wedded to thanks to my obsession with a brown 90s lip, which casts lip liner as the main character. Given its enduring status in the make-up world, it's hard to think how lip liner could ever be reinvented and made anew, but Refy, the breakout beauty brand turned viral sensation, has just done that with its latest launch, theBlur Liner, £16.
Ever determined to shake up the beauty space by offering up a more simplified approach to beauty, since launching in 2020 with co-founders Jess Hunt and Jenna Meek at the helm, Refy has redefined our make-up kits with stripped back yet innovative products. Case in point, Refy's budge-proof Lip Sculpt(which included the first-ever lip liner setter) and the Bella Hadid-approved Brow Sculpt which quickly fakes a laminated brow look at home.
What is Refy's Blur Liner?
The new Blur Liner continues Refy's penchant for developing inventive and often world-first products. Created with the single aim of instantly creating fuller-looking lips on-the-go, the newcomer certainly delivers on that front. In fact, according to the brand's clinical trials, 93% of respondents agreed Blur Liner helps lips appear naturally fuller, while 100% agreed Blur Liner was easy to use and apply.
The Blur Liner flips the script on what we know and love about lip liners, by intentionally minimising and blurring (not defining) the natural lines of the lips to create a soft contour effect, all with the help of the brand's Blur-Gel Technology and a complex of Moisturizing Oils. The results? An enhanced, natural-looking pout which boasts a no make-up make-up feel.
The Blur Liner's mechanics certainly help with that, larger than your average liner with a domed (not pointed) applicator to hug the inner and outer lip lines, it functions like a creamy lip crayon which doesn't require any precision making it fool-proof while you are on the move. The six true-to-tone shades available also add to the 'your lips but better' experience offered by the liner, having been inspired by real lip tones meaning everyone can find a Blur Liner that suits them – ergo there are no vibrant reds here, strictly nudes.
Our honest thoughts on the Refy Blur Liner
It takes a lot for me to swap out my trusty 90s brown liner for something new, but the Blur Liner slotted in with little fuss. Thanks to its focus on all things natural, the shades are perfect for those who love neutral, muted tones. I reached for the shade Umber and found it complemented my medium skin tone and medium pinky-brown toned lips. The applicator, while larger than regular liners, goes a long way. A cross between lip liner and chubby eye sticks, it's super easy to use, whether your (quiet literally) walking down the street or sat at your office desk, sans mirror.
Do you need it? That comes down what you require from your products. Refy has already launched brilliant new-gen products in the lip category, from the Lip Sculpt, £18, to the Lip Blush, £16, but the Blur Liner definitely offers something fresh. An evolution of what we've always known, it 'defines' lips in a wholly new way, by diffusing and blurring the lines for a demure yet high-impact effect. I'm sold.
Shop: Refy Blur Liner
refybeauty.com
Enter the soft contour effect, which seeks to diffuse lips, not define them for a fuller, natural-looking finish. Creamy and larger than your regular liner, this glides over without the need for precision or a mirror, so you can enjoy a high-impact look on-the-go.
Sameeha Shaikh is Grazia UK's Beauty Writer, working across all categories to bring you insights on the latest trends, industry news and the products you need to know about, viral or not (most probably viral).
