I waited over two weeks to get Candy K, my first Lip Kit, in February. Yes, the rosy Kylie Lip Kit was totally worth the wait. Later in the month, I was able to successfully buy another Kylie Lip Kit, nabbing Koko K, the soft pink shade named after Kylie Jenner's big sister Khloe Kardashian, during one of the restocks. While Candy K took her sweet time —literally, since the KLKs have a slightly floral scent— making her way to my hands (and my lips), it only took a week for Koko K to arrive. Now that I have spent time painting my pout with two different Kylie Lip Kits in all their suede-like, mega matte goodness, I crush harder on Koko than Candy. #SorryNotSorry. I also wondered how the super soft Koko would look if I used the shade without the accompanying lip liner.
Kylie Lip Kits come packaged with a creamy, matching liner, so that you can rock that super defined, Jenner-approved pucker. The pairing also justifies the $30 price tag, since you are getting two items. The liner certainly allows you to trace (and exaggerate) your pout and gives the liquid lipstick something to adhere to.
However, since the Kylie Lip Kits have an eye shadow-like texture and dry quickly, they don't really need a liner base to stick to. They do a good job of hugging lips on their own.
Here's Koko K with matching liner. My lips are naturally super pink and Koko is close to my own color, but punched up.
Once more, with feeling! Koko K totally enhanced my lips.
Here is Koko K in different lighting!
I don't do sharp lines when tracing my lips. But I admit that I like having the liner as a guide. Since the Lip Kits are intense, the liner keeps things in check.
I like that the liner gives me parameters to stick within. But since Koko is so pale, I figured it would be easier to try it sans the liner.
While at a work event in Brooklyn yesterday, I didn't have access to a mirror nor did I have time to apply liner and lipstick, so I did Koko K a la carte. There's not a maaaaj difference so you can totally forego the liner if you are in a rush or can't carry two lip products in your tiny bag during a night out.
I tried Koko solo again this morning.
The verdict? If you are okay with a softer lip look, then you can totes get away with foregoing the lip liner with a lighter Kylie Lip Kit. It's all a matter of preference. I don't see much of difference with or without liner when it comes to Koko K. But I can imagine the fire engine red Mary Jo K or the deep True Brown K need the matching liner for balance and clean lines.
The rosier Candy K is fine without the liner too, although I don't prefer it. When the Lip Kit hue is darker, it looks better when you trace and fill.
I will keep using Koko with the liner moving forward, though!
Images: Amy Sciarretto (10)
