Of everything Greta Lion makes, one product outsells the rest: Lip Pencil "MOM", with more than 1,100 reviews and an average rating of 4.9 out of 5. It started with one shade, Cocoa, and no launch campaign behind it. Today it comes in three shades, Cocoa, Smoke Pink and Cendré, and it keeps ending up in more carts than any other product we make. This is the story of why: the memory the name comes from, and the formula that earned the reviews. Because the name isn't a marketing device. It's a memory.
The story behind the name
"When I was little, I would watch in awe as my mom carefully outlined her lips with a pencil. It was unique, bold, and simply beautiful. That moment stayed with me, it was then I realized the power that simple beauty rituals can hold. Now, with my own cosmetics line, I decided to create a lip liner named 'MOM' to honor her and all the women who wish to express their beauty in a subtle yet elegant way."
Greta, Co-Founder & Creative Director
That's the whole origin: a daughter watching her mother do a small, ordinary, beautiful thing every day. Years later, as a professional makeup artist building her own line, Greta turned that memory into a product. Not a tribute sitting on a shelf, but something meant to be used every day by anyone who wants to feel a little more like herself. If you've seen our lip gloss "SALMA", named after the founder's daughter, you already know this is how the whole line works: products that carry the names of the people who inspired them.
Why a lip pencil, of all things
A lip liner is the least glamorous product in any makeup bag, which is exactly why a good one earns so much loyalty. It does three jobs nothing else does. First, definition: the lip line softens and can disappear under bright light, and a liner redraws it in a few strokes. Second, structure: a lined and lightly filled lip gives gloss or lipstick something to hold onto, so colour stays where you put it. Third, edge control: the waxy film of a liner helps keep colour from spreading beyond the lip line, the most common complaint about lip makeup and the reason makeup artists rarely skip this step.
Most people skip it anyway, because many liners drag, skip, or turn hard. Which brings us to the formula.
The formula, ingredient by ingredient
A good origin story doesn't make a product wear well. The formula does. Here's what's doing the work inside Lip Pencil "MOM", and every ingredient below can be checked against the INCI list on the product page.
Waterproof hold
Trimethylsiloxysilicate is a silicone resin, and it's the main reason this liner is waterproof: it forms a flexible film on the lips rather than sitting as a loose layer of pigment. VP/Hexadecene Copolymer reinforces that same film, which helps the pencil keep a clean line. How long it lasts still depends on eating, drinking and how you apply it, and MOM is easy to touch up during the day.
Soft glide
Isohexadecane, Isododecane, and C13-15 Alkane are light, silky emollients that let the pencil glide. That's the difference between a liner that drags and skips and one that outlines in one clean motion. Ethylhexyl Palmitate helps the pigment spread evenly, so the colour goes on smoothly rather than patchy.
Firm enough to hold a point, soft enough to blend
Reviewers keep describing the same paradox: soft and creamy, yet firm enough to shape a precise line. That balance is the wax system: Synthetic Wax, Ceresin, Carnauba Wax, Polybutene and Ethylene/Propylene Copolymer working together. The harder waxes give the tip structure so it sharpens cleanly and draws a thin line. The softer ones keep the payoff creamy, so the line blends into the lip instead of sitting on top of it like a drawn-on border.
The colour itself
In Cocoa, the brownish shade comes from Iron Oxides (CI 77491, 77492, 77499) for warmth and depth, Titanium Dioxide for opacity so the colour pays off in one pass, and Mica for a soft, light-diffusing finish rather than flat colour. A small amount of Blue 1 Lake balances the shade between warm and cool, so it does not lean too orange. Silica absorbs a touch of excess oil and helps the finish stay in place. Smoke Pink and Cendré follow the same creamy, waterproof formula in a cool pink and a cool greyish brown.
How to wear it
- The everyday outline. Line the lips with short strokes rather than one continuous line, because small strokes follow the natural lip shape better. Then soften the inner edge with the integrated brush so there's no hard border.
- The full-lip look. Fill the entire lip with the pencil and wear it alone. The finish is soft and elegant and doesn't need gloss on top.
- The subtle overline. For a slightly fuller look, go just over the natural line in the centre of the lips only, return to your natural line at the corners, then blend inward.
- The base layer. Line and fill lightly, then apply your lipstick or gloss over it. The liner underneath helps keep the colour in place.
For Greta's own step by step technique and how to choose between Cocoa, Smoke Pink and Cendré, read How to Use Lip Liner Like a Makeup Artist.
The pairing: MOM and SALMA
There's a natural pair in the line, and it's not a coincidence: Lip Pencil "MOM" for the contour, lip gloss "SALMA" on top. The liner draws the structure, and the gloss adds a subtle shine that can be reapplied without the shape going anywhere. Mother and daughter, structure and shine. For a fuller monochrome look, cream blush "SUNDANCE" on the cheeks ties the brownish lip into one soft, sun-touched palette.
Honest expectations and care
Waterproof means waterproof: at the end of the day, take it off with an oil-based remover or balm, because water and a light micellar water alone may leave traces behind. The pencil holds 0.5 g of product, so use it freely, it's made to be finished. Sharpen it after the tip softens from warm weather or handbag heat, a clean point is half the precision. If your lips feel dry, a thin layer of balm a few minutes before lining makes application more comfortable.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Drawing one continuous line around the mouth: short strokes follow your natural shape far better
- Leaving a hard, unblended border: soften the inner edge with the brush so liner and lip read as one
- Overlining far beyond the natural lip line: a subtle overline in the centre flatters, a visible gap between line and lip doesn't
- Skipping the liner under gloss and blaming the gloss for moving
- Removing a waterproof formula with water only: use an oil-based remover
Frequently asked questions
Is the pencil soft or firm?
Soft and creamy, yet firm enough to shape a precise line. That balance comes from the wax system described above.
How many shades are there?
Three: Cocoa, a medium cocoa brown; Smoke Pink, a soft, muted cool pink; and Cendré, a deeper, muted greyish brown. All three come together in the MOM TRIO Set.
Can it be used over the entire lip area?
Absolutely. Worn alone it gives a soft finish with no need for gloss on top.
Is it a twist up pencil?
Yes. MOM twists up, with a built-in sharpener and a brush on the other end for blending.
How do I remove a waterproof liner?
With an oil-based makeup remover or cleansing balm. Massage it in, then rinse.
The short version
The name honours the woman whose daily ritual started it all, and the formula honours the ritual itself. A silicone resin film makes it waterproof, silky emollients make it glide instead of drag, and a balanced wax system keeps it precise yet creamy. That is most of why Lip Pencil "MOM" became our bestseller. And if you haven't tried the shade that started it all, Cocoa is where to start.
