Solidarity with Love Is Blind’s Maria, and the search for kiss-proof lipstick

We're four episodes into the all-new juggernaut series, Love Is Blind UK (available to stream now on Netflix) and Tom Stroud, a 38-year-old advertising consultant and Maria Benkh, a 30-year-old makeup artist have us convinced that falling in love sight unseen is just a dubious reluctance. Aka, the experiment really does seem to work! Or, so one can only hope for the time being...

Great chat, British banter and sexual chemistry aside, one moment in the show that has people talking on social media is when the pair met IRL. As a viewer myself – albeit, while watching behind my sofa pillow – my heart swelled with excitement and I squealed in awe as the couple's eyes met.

That was until I cringed – in solidarity, let me say – at their first kiss. Now, that's not because I can't stand PDA (though, on occasions, this does ring true) but because Maria's red lipstick had transferred over to Tom's lips, making for a smudgy red mark (read: mess) of love.

You've got to laugh; not at them but with them because I'm sure most of us, if not all, have been there, done that. I know I certainly have... Enter: NYE 2018 flashbacks... but that's a story for different day. Mwah!

Fans of the show have shared their thoughts alongside some memes on X. Read a select few of our faves below:

And not only that but Tom himself even poked fun at the situation with an Instagram photo. In the caption of the post, he wrote: "Anyone fancy a cheeky peck?"

Iconic, TBH.

Now, six years on from my red-hot lipstick mess, I can finally say that I am somewhat proficient in transfer-proof lipsticks. In other words, when a smooch is on the cards, I have taken it upon myself to test the best products on the market that claim to not smudge. However, that's not because I particularly care about the person I'm kissing and whether they do 'a Tom' but because I want to keep my own makeup intact. Selfish? I suppose but I'm a beauty journalist and do have a reputation to uphold!

So, if you ever find yourself in a sitchu like Maria and are in need of a kiss-proof red lippie, I've compiled some of the best on the market. Tried-and-tested, folks.

All we need now is someone to kiss... *opens up the Hinge app while simultaneously applying to LIB UK S2*

Follow Lia on Instagram.

You Might Also Like

• A ranking of the very best hair straighteners - according to our Beauty Editors

• Best party dresses to shop in the UK right now

• 11 products you'd be mad to miss from the Net A Porter beauty sale