We’re Obsessed With Anne Hathaway’s Hairpin Lip Hack

Anne Hathaway is in her TikTok era right now. Amid news that a The Devil Wears Prada sequel has been given the green light by Disney – with Meryl Streep and Emily Blunt both onboard, of course – the internet has set its sights on the real-life Andy Sachs. And while there’s no news on Hathaway’s return to the world of Runway, we’re enjoying small glimpses of her life (mainly film premieres and photoshoots) online. But the actress’s latest video, which involves using a hairpin to plump up her already-flawless lips, has our interest piqued. Does Anne Hathaway’s lip hack work? Let’s find out.

Anne Hathaway’s Hairpin Lip Hack, Explained

It’s not uncommon to want plumper, juicier lips, but between the fillers, tingly plumping oils and hyper-pigmented lip liners, we’re at a bit of a loss on where to start. If commitment isn’t your thing, then a quick, no-fuss lip hack should do the job – and this one is Anne Hathaway approved.

The Oscar-winner took to her social channels earlier this summer to share what she dubbed ‘a little tip on LipTok’, where she showed her followers her personal hack for enhancing the appearance of her lips. Prepping for a photoshoot with Shiseido, Hathaway is seen getting her hair done by stylist Adir Abergel, before pulling out a hairpin.

@annehathaway The more you know 🌠 #liptok ♬ Lips Are Movin – Meghan Trainor

‘We get on the set, and I take a look at the monitor, and I noticed — I thought my upper lip looked a little, I don’t know, just a little wilted,’ she says in the now-viral TikTok video. ‘So I asked Adir for a hairpin. I went in and I sort of stimulated my lip to try to get some blood flow back there, to get some circulation.’

None of the C&TH team have heard of this hack before – and it seems neither did Hathaway’s. ‘Everybody looked at me like I had three heads,’ she says.

Tutorial: The Anne Hathaway Lip Hack

This is a pretty simple beauty hack: just gently press your lips with the ends of your hair pin. You should only need to do for around 30 seconds to start seeing results.

You don’t need to go all in with Anne Hathaway’s lip hack – remember, you don’t want to hurt yourself, only stimulate the skin a little bit. ‘Safety disclaimer: you can overdo this,’ the actress warns in her video. ‘You can push too hard. It’s meant to be a gentle, gentle thing that you don’t do for longer than 30 seconds. Don’t stab yourself… If you’ve drawn blood, you’ve gone too far.’

 

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A post shared by Anne Hathaway (@annehathaway)

Does It Work?

For the most part, yes, Anne Hathaway’s hairpin lip hack does work. If done correctly, it should give your lips a slightly rosier and plumped-up look. ‘The old hairpin trick is great when you want to naturally plump your lips,’ says makeup artist Sophia Brad. ‘The small plastic balls on the end of the pin are soft enough for your lips (just remember to be gentle) and serve almost like an acupressure device.

‘By gently tapping it on the lips, you allow more blood flow to your lips, making them appear darker in colour and plumper,’ she continues. ‘It’s a bit similar to how, in Jane Austen’s time, women would pinch their cheeks to deliver a natural blush and run their teeth over their lips. The hairpin trick is a gentler version of that.’ So, it’s MUA-approved – hat’s off to Hathaway.

But there’s more benefit to this simple hack than we think, says Brad. ‘I live for all these natural solutions, as they look fantastic when you’re focusing on your natural beauty,’ she tells C&TH. ‘It could also be very helpful when you’re trying to determine what shade of lipstick suits you the best. By seeing the flushed version of your lips or cheeks you can see what shade will be the most natural and most flattering on you.

‘Just when I thought I couldn’t love Anne Hathaway more.’

There you have it. Time to track down those rogue hairpins on your dressing table and add them to your makeup bag.

Featured image: Darren Gerrish/WireImage for British Fashion Council