ColourPop x PopSockets: Beauty Tech Accessories Are Having a Moment

Gloss it. Stain it. Pop it.

When Hailey Bieber's Rhode Phone Lip Case went viral, it introduced a new kind of beauty accessory. Now, ColourPop is joining the conversation with a launch that blends product utility and playful branding in a way that feels characteristically them.

The HydraPOP Glossy Lip Stain is a water-based, hydrating gloss-stain hybrid that launched this month alongside a brand collab with PopSocket, who came out with a custom magnetic PopSocket lip holder that's shaped like a heart—too cute. It holds your gloss and doubles as a grip or a stand. It's leaning into that same lip-meets-phone energy we saw explode with Rhode, but it's a bit more budget-friendly. I also love how it's universally adaptable and doesn't require the purchase of a new phone case (less waste). At just $20, the magnetic lip holder can attach to any MagSafe phone case. It doesn’t ask the customer to swap out what they already use. It just pops on, literally.

The gloss-stain itself hits all the trending product notes:

• A juicy, gel-cream texture that feels more skincare than makeup

• Hydrating ingredients like squalane, guava extract, and lychee extract

• A long-lasting tint that goes on glossy but leaves behind color

• A $9 price tag

• Fun, shade names like 90s Babe, Juice Box, and Baby Fox that echo ColourPop’s playful identity

  
  

All of it ties back to a tight creative concept: “Gloss it. Stain it. Pop it.” It’s a clever triple play on the formula, the function, and the physical packaging. And the fact that both the gloss and the PopSocket share matching heart-shaped silhouettes only reinforces the synergy.

It’s a strong launch. But here’s where I pause.

ColourPop launches so many products, so often, that even the standout moments can get buried in the noise. For a brand that thrives on frequency and speed, this is always the trade-off: yes, you’re constantly in front of customers, but no one drop gets to own the spotlight for very long.

And that’s a shame, because this one deserved it. It’s smart. Timely. And well-executed. It rides the coattails of a buzzy trend without feeling like a knockoff, and it genuinely adds something new to the conversation by making the concept more accessible.

It also reinforces something we’re seeing more of across the beauty industry: a shift toward carrying beauty products, not just wearing them. Lip balms with keychain loops, travel-friendly sticks, compact compacts, and accessories that fuse makeup and mobility.

Beauty is increasingly becoming something that lives with us, not just in our drawers but also in our daily tools, bags, and phone cases.

So while ColourPop’s HydraPOP might be just another line item in their endless launch calendar, I think it offers a telling glimpse of where things are going.