L’Oreal’s Ballerina Shoes Lipstick Breaks All My Beauty Rules

The Balletcore trend may have peaked a few years ago, but in my house, it’s still going strong. Growing up, I danced for 15 years, and recently I’ve been reconnecting with my inner ballerina. I was an early adopter to the ballet flat trend, I’ve been taking monthly ballet classes, and I’ve been stalking the New York City Ballet website for cheap tickets. Perhaps it’s just my personal algorithm, but this ballet fever has also spread to my TikTok feed—every day I’m treated to videos of other women returning to the art form, and my Instagram is full of snippets from Swan Lake and Giselle.

But ballet has also been appearing in less obvious ways—namely, L’Oreal Paris’ ultra-viral Ballerina Shoes lipstick. Of course, I was instantly pulled in by the lipstick’s adorable name, but the frosted pink formula also caught my eye. In a sea of blurred lips and neutral liners, its baby pink color and silver sparkle stuck out with some Y2K flair. But as I scrolled deeper and deeper, reviews for the shade were mixed.

In the name of journalism, I decided to put the lipstick to the test. Read on for my honest review.

The Hype

The first time I saw this lipstick was in user @maggiethefairy’s video, where she’s applying the lipstick to finish off her gorgeously frosted makeup look. (Also of note: Her very on-trend Bambi jacket.) I was instantly captivated not just by her glamorous vibe, but by the lipstick’s pearly shimmer and early Pam Anderson look. Though she mistakenly identified the lipstick as Revlon not L’Oreal, from there Ballerina Shoes took hold. Since the lipstick went viral—Haley Sluss’ video on the shade currently has 2.4M views—L’Oreal shares that it’s become the number one shade within the full line of Colour Riche Lipsticks.

However, thoughts on the lipstick are mixed. Some users are praising the lipstick for letting them live out their early 2000s dreams—the shade would look right at home on Britney Spears or any of The Girls Next Door. Others, however, are simply not ready for the return of frosted lips, and think the shade looks “grandma.”

The Formula

Ballerina Shoes is part of L’Oreal Paris’ Colour Riche Satin Lipstick line. The brand describes the shade as an “alluring cool toned pink shimmery shade,” and is one of nine other frosted shades in the lineup.

As the name suggests, the rest of the shades have a natural satin finish. No matter the finish, each shade is enriched with vitamin E and argan oil for a hydrating effect.

My Review

While I was instantly intrigued by this lipstick as a former ballerina and someone who predicted the return of frosted lips, I’ll admit I was a little skeptical of how it would translate to an IRL experience. I love the frosty effect in theory, but it kinda feels like it only looks good if you have some fresh filler in your lips. So, I was interested to see how it would look on me, someone who has not gotten fresh filler in over two years.

Applying the lipstick was a lovely experience. It has that super classic violet vanilla smell that I would love to cover my whole body in. As for the formula, it feels silky and smooth, and the frost doesn’t feel gritty or thick. It felt really comfortable and hydrating, and I would love to stock up on this formula in some more neutral shades.

Now, as for the color itself…is it the most flattering? Not really, on me at least. It’s a little icy on my warm toned skin, and the frost does give it a bit of a dated look. But that’s the point! Sometimes, it’s not about looking hot or effortless or “bunny pretty” or whatever TikTok word vomit du jour. Sometimes it’s about wearing a pink sparkly lipstick because it’s fun and makes you feel like a ’90s baddie. Or you like the name of the shade. Or you want to wear something that might make a man ask “Wait, why are your lips like, metallic?”

But if you want to make the shade feel a little more wearable, you have some options. I think it looks great paired with a deeper lip liner (especially on darker skin), and I honestly see myself wearing this more as a topper patted in with my fingers for just a touch of shimmer and shine. The brand also offers some other frosty shades like the nude Caramel Latte or the aptly named Mauved if you want to dip a toe into frost but keep things a little more neutral. But honestly, I encourage you to to strap on your Ballerina Shoes and give it a try.