The $24 Lip Stain Behind Alysa Liu’s Winning Smile
The newly minted champion was spotted re-applying a layer before the medal ceremony.
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We all love a comeback story, and Alysa Liu made a historic return to the rink for the women’s free skate at the 2026 Milano Cortina Winter Olympics. The 20-year-old became the first American to win a figure skating gold medal in 24 years, ending a medal drought that had persisted since 2002.
In true Gen Z fashion, Liu made the Olympic stage her own, sporting her symbolic zebra-striped hairand “smiley” frenulum piercing while dressed in an all-gold ensemble. However, as she headed to the rink for the medal ceremony, Liu was focused on one thing: keeping her trusty lipstick in tow. Our editors quickly identified it as Rare Beauty’s $24 lip stain.
Right before the medal ceremony (and one of Liu’s biggest photo ops of her life), she could be seen racing back to grab her lippie from the Kiss and Cry section. “Wait, my lipstick!” she shouted.
In a sea of coaches, loved ones, and media surrounding the figure skater, it’s tricky to confirm which of the eight different Rare Beauty shades Liu is sporting. But based on the blink-and-you-miss-it moment—and her contagious, rose-tinted smile—it appears to be either Serenity, a warm, rosy shade, or Delight, a pinky-brown hue that’s slightly deeper.
Formulated with jojoba seed oil and sunflower seed oil, this lip stain claims to nourish lips with long-lasting hydration while leaving behind a buildable wash of color and a glossy shine. “When applied, it goes on like a jelly but transforms into a hydrating formula,” founder Selena Gomez previously told ELLE. “On its own, it’s long-wearing and leaves lips with a soft stain for all-day wear.”
Shop Liu’s gold medal-worthy lip stain—alongside other popular lip products from Rare Beauty—below.
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