TikTok stars shock with lipstick color illusion — and are called ‘liars’ for it
A pair of TikTokers are putting color theory to the ultimate test, but with lipstick.
Monica and Jazzi, who are known as @makeupbymonicaa and @jazlmao on TikTok, have gone viral in a clip showing the duo wearing the same shade of lipstick — yet it appears as two entirely different hues.
In the video with more than 17 million views, the two apply Pixi Beauty’s “Evening Rose” lipstick. On Jazzi, it appears as a darker-hued mauve, but on Monica, it’s bright pink.
“It’s color theory,” reads the text over the clip, which shows them applying the wand from the same container of lip color.
Shocked viewers watched in disbelief as the beauty gurus applied the lipstick, with some commenting they believe the girls faked it.
“Definitely different shade In the bottle. Wand looks darker going in than coming out of it,” said one mystified viewer.
“This just further proves the need for diverse representation in makeup ads,” chimed another, advocating for women of different skin tones in commercials.
“As a poc [person of color] I hate that this happens because my friend has a color I LOVE but it doesn’t look the same on me,” wrote another, adding to the chorus of other users who said the same happens to them.
“This is why I have to look up ‘xyz product on brown skin’ every time,” commented someone else.
Despite the nonbelievers, Monica and Jazzi are onto something: Skin tone plays a role in how makeup appears on your skin.
In a 2021 article for Byrdie, makeup artist Afton Williams and beauty editor Maya Allen explained just how to pick the right shade of lip color for yourself by analyzing warm or cool undertones in the skin, or even using a handy lipstick color wheel.
BuzzFeed even put that color theory to the test in a 2017 experiment that involved four women of varying skin tones. They tested six different brands and colors just to prove how different each shade can look on a variety of complexions.
Yet, under Monica and Jazzi’s videos, people continued to harp on the makeup enthusiasts, calling them liars and claiming it was all sleight of hand.
To debunk the skeptics in the comments, the pair created several other videos showing them dipping the same wand in the same tube of lipstick, then applying it — attempting to prove that it is, in fact, color theory at work.
“Talk again when you show the first dip, liar,” said one viewer in response, to which Monica created a follow-up video.
“We’re keeping it in frame, we’re not going to have any cuts,” Monica said in the clip, referencing the container of liquid lip color.
“We’re just trying to show you that it looks different on different skin tones,” Jazzi chimed in.
The duo even tried different brands of lipsticks in other videos, just to prove skin tones play a role in how makeup appears differently on a variety of visages. They even kissed pieces of paper to show the transfer color, which appeared to be the same hue.
In the clip, they explained the lipstick will look dissimilar depending on the color of the base — which are lips, in this case — as they tested different shades.
“This is why it’s so important for brands to make many shades of lipstick and show how they look on different skin tones,” the voiceover says.
Despite the constant need to prove they aren’t faking their lipstick trials, people who have struggled to find the right shade of lipstick championed the women in the comments.
“This series is phenomenal,” wrote one fan.
“This is why I can’t ever wear red, my friend looks flawless with it while I look like in wear clown makeup,” chimed in another.
“So glad to have found a channel like urs after taking YEARS to realize my makeup doesn’t always turn out as expected bc of my skin tone,” said another.
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