TikTok Trend Promotes the Use of a Sharpie as a Lip-Liner, but is it Safe?

Getting that perfect fresh makeup look can be challenging. Especially when there are so many tips and tricks out there and it's hard to figure out which one works best with your face and the look you're aiming for.

Luckily, tutorials abound and makeup enthusiasts and professionals the world over are quick to offer their experience, for free, on TikTok.

Even though it's one of the oldest types of makeup, lipstick and lip-liner can often be the most frustrating to work out, because everyone's lips have different shape and textures.

However, a new TikTok trend is promoting the idea that there's a very popular non-makeup item that may solve all your lip-liner dilemmas: a Sharpie pen. Here's what you need to know about the trend.

If you search "lip-liner Sharpie trend" on TikTok, you'll come up with dozens, if not hundreds, of videos of people trying the trend out. But one of the most prominent makeup enthusiasts to promote the trend is @RachelMadisonCarlisle.

In her videos, she shows how easy it is to slightly over-line your lips with a Sharpie pen, blend into lipstick, and walk away with a stays-put look that gives you the crisp edges you're looking for.

But is it safe? The jury seems to be out on whether or not Sharpies are safe for skin. While they are generally considered non-toxic, Sharpie itself has addressed the use of their markers on products that might touch the lips or food, such as cups.

In a statement about using a Sharpie on cups, the brand explained, "While Sharpie markers are AP-certified non-toxic, we do not recommend using them on areas of items that may come in contact with food or the mouth."

Aside from the concerns of possibly absorbing any unhealthy chemicals through the skin, there's a specific ingredient that is present in Sharpies, a solvent known as xylene (per eHow).

One study published with the National Institute of Health notes that in high enough concentrations, xylene can cause nervous system depression, headaches, dizziness, and worse symptoms over time. However, it does not appear to accumulate in the lungs and is generally reversible.

So is it safe? It seems to be moderately safe, but as Sharpie themselves warn against using it on even products that can come in contact with food or your lips, putting it directly on your mouth is not advised.

It's unsurprising, then, that people are so divided over the use of Sharpies as lip-liners.

In the comment section of one Rachel Carlisle video, users praised her ingenuity and vowed to try the hack themselves. But one user wrote, "It works for sure, just doesn't seem healthy."

While another scolded, "this is dangerous to promote."

As with every TikTok trend, each user should do their own research, sticking to .edu and .gov websites for reputable research on the safety and efficacy of certain products. Don't trust influencers to have your best health and interests in mind, and practice skepticism.

But if you feel like slapping some Sharpie on your face once in a blue moon, just be careful.