I Tried the Viral Peel-Off Lip Liner Stain That Lasts for 2 Days—and Haven’t Stopped Wearing It Since

I’ve been wearing lip liner since I was 12 years old. It was a pinky-nude Mary Kay pencil that I stole from my Mom’s stash and it made me feel instantly cool. All these years later, the right lip liner—one that adds definition and contour to my natural lip shape—has the same effect. I love a ’90s brown with a pink gloss layered over the top of it. My one beef with liner is that between my morning iced latte, my lunchtime Diet Coke and Chopt salad combo, and my toddler’s kisses, I have to reapply it often. Then I heard about this viral (2.5 billion views on TikTok), peel-off lip liner stain.

After 18 years in the beauty industry, I rarely (OK, never) buy beauty products. It’s my job to review them, so companies send me samples. But during a recent scrolling sesh, I saw an influencer peeling off her lip liner and was so intrigued that I spent $15 for a pack of three of Sacheu’s lip liners (available in nine shades).

Brace yourself before opening the tube, because the spongey applicator is covered in a super dark, almost black stain. Yes, you’ll feel weird putting it on—I did! But use it to carefully line your lips. If you want a fuller pout, slightly overline them. I like connecting the Cupid’s bow to create instant fullness. If you mess up, just grab a cotton swab to quickly fix your mistake. Then, you wait. The company recommends waiting 10 to 15 minutes. If you want a darker stain, feel free to extend the window a bit; if you are going for a subtler look, peel it early. The key is waiting until the liner is dry so you can actually peel it off. I do the rest of my makeup while I wait. Then, once it’s dry, move your lips to create a little edge at the outer corner. This is when the fun starts! Using your fingertips, grab the edge of the dried liner and slowly peel it off (you can see the pic of me doing this step, below). This just must be the most satisfying thing on the planet.

What you’re left with is a gorgeous lip liner stain (I like the shade HEY-zel 04; a golden brown) that lasts about two days! I like to blur and soften the line with my fingers, then apply a pink gloss on top of it. You can also color in your lips for an allover stain but I really love the lasting definition this gives as a liner. Also, long-wear lip products are notoriously drying. This one is not. There’s no crusting or cracking, and it doesn’t leave my lips feeling or looking chapped.

While the peeling part is fun, the staying power of the liner that’s left behind is a total game-changer. It legit lasts through my coffee and lunch, plus it’s napkin- and kiss-proof! And even at night, when I wash my face, I love that my lips still look a little done. It’s the perfect in between of regular lip liner that fades fast and the professionally done, permanent lip liner that lasts years—I’m just not ready for that kind of commitment. So, while the application is a touch high maintenance (the waiting; the peeling), the end result is—chef’s kiss—worth it. You’ll have defined, rosy lips with color that lasts for days.