Maison Margiela Made a Strong Case for Negative Space Lipstick

Some beauty trends really try—see squiggle brows, squiggle lips, and flare highlighter for reference. For what it's worth, we appreciate the effort, but their wear is usually limited to the Instagram post that birthed said trend, prompting it to go viral in the first place.

Then, there are other unconventional trends that are both bold and eye-catching, and with a little tweaking, can actually be worn in the real world. Case in point: the negative space lips that took the runway at Maison Margiela's Spring 2018 show at Paris Fashion Week.

Created by makeup artist extraordinaire Pat McGrath, both ends of each lip were covered in her MatteTrance Lipstick in Full Panic ($38; sephora.com), leaving the space between open. Viewed directly from the front, it gives off the appearance of two lips about to make contact, somehow triggers memories of the spelling skit from The Electric Company for us.

The look was finished with clean skin, and handfuls of thin, dark feather accents, which almost look like lowlights from a distance.

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Bold enough to test-drive it in the real world? Start by creating a flawless finish, then dab the remainder of your foundation directly onto the lip—if you look closely, the negative space has been muted out and perfectly matches the rest of the model's complexion. Though makeup artists backstage seemed to apply the shade straight from the tube, a lip brush will help you get a more precise shape if you have trouble keeping a steady hand.

Trace the curves on the interior portion first to ensure they line up correctly, then you can continue to fill the empty space either using the brush, or the lipstick itself. A separate brush dipped in concealer can help to clean up around the edges.