How to make your lips look naturally bigger
One of the most common questions on make-up forums is ‘how can you make your lips look fuller without the aid of fillers’? Plump lips have been an aesthetic aspiration for so long that many makeup artists, celebrities and influencers alike have touted their personal lip hacks. Cosmetic companies have also responded by offering a wide variety of products to help you achieve that perfect pout. We’ve compiled a neat list of the key ways you can maximise the volume of your lips.
Exfoliate with lip scrubs
Try one of the many lip scrubs available to scrub your lips into tip top condition. Dry, flaky lips are a big no-no when it comes to achieving the best outcome from your lip products. Exfoliating them should be the starting point of your lip plumping regime. Use a soft toothbrush on them in a circular motion to remove dead skin and improve circulation.
Protect lips with balm
The humble lip balm is a cosmetic staple that you simply can’t afford to go without. Regularly treated, your lips will benefit from being fully moisturised and that will naturally add volume at the same time as preventing chapping and flaking.
Conceal and overline
When it comes to applying lip colour, a tried and tested method is to use concealer as a base, making sure that you blend it over your natural lip line. Then, take your chosen lip liner and draw yourself a new lip line, slightly enlarging it by tracing just around the outside of your natural one. Once you’re happy with your outline you can continue to fill in the soft area of your lips with lipstick.
Gloss
After you’ve applied your lipstick, add further depth to your lips by taking a similar shade (or slightly lighter) lip gloss and glance it over the inside and centre of your lips. This attracts the light and gives the impression of extra volume. It also helps to keep them moist in drier environments.
Use lip plumping products
There has been a big boom in the number of lip plumping products available in the last decade and it’s worth sampling a few to discover which works best for you. Be prepared for the slight tingle in your lips (a tell-tale feature of many products) that lets you know your plumper is doing its job. The best bit is that the results are visible within minutes of application so it’s good for those short on time and patience.
Contour lips
One of the quickest and easiest tricks available for enhancing your pout is to apply a touch of contour around the outside of your lips with a thin brush, and then blend in to give the impression of a subtle shadow. Adding a touch to your philtrum (the groove between your top lip and your nose) is also recommended for the same reason. Spend some time practising to perfect the look.
What else can you do to improve lip volume?
As with all areas of our skin, a healthy diet, which incorporates key vitamins, is essential for keeping your lips in perfect condition but even more important is making sure you drink plenty of water and stay hydrated to give your lips the best natural boost.
