No matter what you think about the lip filler obsession of the past decade, you may look at your own lips and long for them to be at least slightly fuller (even if the Kylie Jenner look is NOT for you). As we age, we lose collagen in our skin — and in our lips. You may be noticing that the border of your lips is less defined, or that your lips look thinner and feel a bit drier and more wrinkled. Lipstick may not slide on as effortlessly, or the color may bleed at the border of your lips.
Whatever your personal lip makeup story is, the truth may just be: it’s more difficult to define your lips these days. A few good lip makeup tips from an expert like Nikol Johnson can help:
Here are Johnson’s best tips for making thin lips look fuller.
Choose Light to Medium Creamy Colors
One of the first tips that Johnson gives women who aren’t happy with their thin lips is that it’s important to stay away from very dark lip colors that only emphasize fine lines around the lips and make lips look smaller. Instead, choosing a light to medium creamy color makes your lips look healthier and plumper. If you avoid dark shades and choose tone and shades that work on you, you’re already halfway toward a better makeup look.
Take Care of the Skin Around Your Lips
Don’t forget to tend to the skin around your lips when you’re engaging in your skincare routine. That can mean remembering to exfoliate to get rid of dead skin cells and adding products that contain vitamins C and E that protect skin from damage and add much-needed moisture to the area. If you use Retin-A nightly, a small amount of the product on the skin around your lips (not on the lips themselves!) can help smoothen fine lines and wrinkles. In other words: Treat your lips and the skin around it the way you would any other part of your face when you think about your skincare.
Wear Lip Liner — But Watch for Harsh Lines
With the breakdown of collagen and elastin in skin, it’s more difficult to see the border of your lips. Using a lip liner in nude or a rosy pink will help — it will also prevent lipstick from migrating outside of your lip border.
But here’s where Johnson lines her lips differently than you might expect. Instead of tracing her upper cupid’s bow and giving it harsh lines, she connects the two bow points with a soft pink liner. She then lines the rest of her upper lip, as well as her bottom lip.
Apply Light Pink Lipstick
Instead of reaching for a red or deep berry shade, Johnson then grabs a pretty light pink lipstick and applies it to her upper and lower lips. This lighter color creates a fuller, poutier, and more natural look that is ideal for daytime and many occasions.
The Final Touches: Gloss in the Center of Your Lips
Johnson’s final touch is a dab of lip gloss in the center of her lips to really make them stand out and look poutier. This technique brings the lips “forward” and allows them to pop.
More isn’t always more when it comes to makeup — and especially lipstick and lipliner. Sometimes a slightly different approach is all it takes to make a beautiful difference.
