The TikTok Makeup Hack That Will Help You Select The Perfect Lip Color

The mega-popular social media platform famous for its entertaining story-times, beauty secrets, celebrity gossip, and viral dance videos, TikTok has provided the world with several buzzworthy beauty hacks over the last few years that people just can't stop trying. From rubbing frozen cucumbers on the face to using an unusual product to contour and applying lube as makeup primer — there really is nothing some people won't try to achieve a flawless makeup look.

This time, we're here to share a jaw-dropping beauty hack that's helped several makeup lovers online find the absolutely perfect lip shade. Spoiler alert: it's not that viral lipstick hack that circled around earlier in the year involving an eyebrow pencil and blush. It also doesn't involve figuring out your skin tone, undertones, or the specific shape of your lips. In fact, it's extremely simple. All that's needed to find your perfect lip color are the tips of your fingers.

In the one-minute viral video shared by famed beauty influencer Nikkie de Jager (AKA @NikkieTutorials ) to her 6.3 million followers, she can be seen pinching the tip of her finger, forcing the blood to rush to that area, revealing a reddish-pink color. "So when I do this," she says in the video while pressing down on the tip of her finger, "this sort of shade of pink right here is my color?" She then compares many lipsticks in her collection with the color her pinched finger produces, finally landing on the closest match.

"Mmm, yes, yes!" she says in the video after her perfect shade is applied to her lips "Now that is a perfect pink lip! I think it's a match, and I love it." This video originated in July by TikTok creator @Unbiden and collected over 567,000 likes, prompting several other creators to try the hack for themselves. TikTok beauty influencer @ryanmarcpayne was one of them – and he was obsessed with the results. "I think that's spot on! I love it!"

Finding the perfect lip shade is one thing, but what about applying it and making it last? There are tons of common lipstick mistakes that people make, resulting in a faded and unevenly applied pout. According to celebrity makeup artist Pati Dubroff, the beauty expert behind Dakota Johnson's frequently-discussed bold lippie routine, priming the area is an essential first step (via Vogue). "Prepping with a light balm is important but needs to be done in advance," Dubroff told Vogue, so that the balm has time to absorb into the lips, allowing for maximum moisture before any additional product is applied. However, any excess balm must be wiped off the lips so that the oils don't create a slippery base (per Self).

Then, going in with a lipliner as a base will help guide the lipstick application and allow it to last longer (via Byrdie). After that, apply any lipstick or gloss on top (being aware that gloss is infamous for wearing off fast), and throw it in your purse or bag for additional touch-ups as needed throughout the day. Be sure to use straws to avoid any lipstick transfer on cups, which will make your lipstick last even longer (per PopSugar). While it might feel odd for some to drink a hot latte from a straw, it's got to be done for the sake of beauty — but there's probably a TikTok hack for that, too.