4 Different Ways to Enhance your Lips

Nothing quite says “sexy” like the look of perfectly plumped lips. But, let’s face it – not everyone was born winning the same genetic lottery as Angeline Jolie.

They say if you can’t make it you have to fake it, but just how are we to fake big, luscious lips without looking like a fish out of water?

Here are a few tricks you can use to plump up the volume on those lovely lips of yours:

Exfoliate

If you’re looking to give your lips a bit of a boost, the first thing you should think about doing is exfoliating them. Exfoliating lips removes dead skin cells (promoting the growth of newer, plumper skin cells), brighten the colour of the lips, and even cause them to swell a little bit.

Try keeping a toothbrush in the shower for easy exfoliation, or using a spoonful of raw sugar to clear away any dead skin.

Colour

No woman should be without a solid lipstick that compliments their natural skin tone! Wearing a dramatically coloured lipstick will automatically make your lips look bigger and fuller.

Try speaking with a makeup professional at the counter of big cosmetic stores like Sephora or MAC. Anyone who works there will be able to help you find a moisturizing lip colour that will accentuate all the good things about the natural shape of your mouth and hide all the flaws.

If your lips are severely lacking in volume, try over-lining your top lip. There are many tutorials on YouTube explaining how to do this successfully while still maintaining a natural looking lip line.

Plump

For something a little more intense, try investing in a lip-plumping gloss. These can be found at any makeup counter or department store.

Lip-plumping glosses feel hot on the skin and slightly irritate the lips to create swelling that lasts for anywhere from one to six hours. These plumping glosses are perfect for special occasions but shouldn’t be used all the time, as they may cause excessive irritation and redness around the mouth.

Enhance

If you have tried a few different methods and you’re still not happy with the way your lips look, or if you’re looking for a permanent or semi-permanent solution, try an enhancement procedure.

Lip injections administer fillers into the lips to cause bigger, fuller lips that last from six months to a year.

Collagen, once the most popular lip filler, has now been replaced by hyaluronic acid, a substance that naturally occurs within the body and therefore has a much lower risk of negative side effects.

For a more permanent, invasive lip surgery, try fat grafting. This is when fatty tissue is removed from other areas of the body and injected into the lips. It requires more healing time, but has a stronger effect in the long run.