By contributor Arden Andrews.

“Lip liner has been on the rise,” says Omayma Ramzy, who clients like The White Lotus’s Sydney Sweeney and Haley Lu Richardson call for the kind of balmy, born-with-it makeup that’s always actually cool.

I just told her that I’m testing the new RMS Beauty Go Nude Lip Pencils, a product genre I never thought I needed for my entire life yet suddenly all I want is one great nude pencil (their Daytime Nude shade is right for my pearlescent skin) and one perfect red (they only make Palva Red, no overthinking).

It all started a few months ago when I saw Seek founder and podcast queen Sara Klausing applying a nude liner walking to a Manhattan appointment. The way she did it inspired me: Just a little on the cupid’s bow, so subtle, so pouty, so cute. (Sara reminded me that I remarked on the “gym lips” trend that day, which is basically a TikTok sensation about the chill yoga look of nude liner and lip gloss).

According to Omayma, part of the reason people are starting to get into liner is because it’s “easy.” Like Sara drawing on a polished 3-second enhancement or me blurring red edges for the worn-in effect Gucci sent down the runway, we know how to use a pencil. RMS’s are made with ingredients like jojoba oil and shea butter, so they’re hydrating and promise not to feather.

5 DIY Pro Tips

Let the expert guide the way. For “an upgrade to a balmy, glossy or full-color statement lip,” Omayma shares her 5 pro tips for making lip liner work.

1. Match

“Choose a shade that matches your lip color or is ever so slightly darker to contour,” Omayma says. It’s part of the optical illusion of depth with “a little extra definition and shape.”

2. Shape

Unless you’ve just unboxed it, “keep it sharp!” she enthuses of a makeup artist rule. “Use the sharpener that comes with the pencil,” and then “create the shape around the center — for a slightly fuller lip, make the lip liner softer or less obvious in the corners of the mouth.”

3. Blend

Sometimes a super-defined lip is a power move, and sometimes French-girl blurry edges give a “bitten” effect. RMS’s pencils are equipped to do either. “Blend your lip liner using the brush tip on the other end,” says Omayma. “Because it’s angled, you can get your edges looking sharper or use it to soften inwards.”

4. Gloss

Once you’ve shaped and blurred, “add in a nude balm or gloss over for extra pout!” says Omayma. “I love the RMS Beauty Liplights Cream Lipglosses that match their colors perfectly,” she adds. Or, top with whatever lip balm you have in your pocket.

5. Lock

While lip liner has become a solo star lately, remember its multitasking potential. If you’re going for a statement mouth, “the wax content in lipliner will make your lipstick last longer,” says Omayma. “Start with your lip liner and follow with lipstick for a long lasting effect.”