Illustrated by Anna Sudit.From Marilyn Monroe's signature scarlet smirk to Rihanna's bombshell pucker to Angelina Jolie's pillowy pout, full lips will always be on trend. Recently, there's been a ton of buzz surrounding Hollywood’s most recent lippy lady, Kylie Jenner. The youngest Kardashian made headlines with her statement lips, giving the media reason to question if her exaggerated pout was injection-induced or just expertly executed makeup application.
Faking a full lip is really just about accentuating your natural lip line with the right tools and techniques. Below, my top five tips for creating your own Kylie-inspired plump pout.
Hydration
This is key; hydrate your lips to keep them soft and plump. Choosing a lip balm that actually penetrates and hydrates the lips will work to increase lip volume. My go-to's are Nivea's Lip Butter and Avene's Lip Moisturizer.
Pick Peppermint
Peppermint has a heating and cooling effect that naturally plumps lips. Choose lip products with peppermint and capsicum, such as eos Lip Balm in the peppermint flavor.
Exfoliate
Exfoliating the lips stimulates cell production. Make sure you exfoliate at night in order to allow your lip cells to regenerate while you sleep. Before bed, exfoliate and then follow with a generous lather of lip hydration. My go-to is the Lip Scrub by Sara Happ, especially the Sparkling Peach and the Peppermint flavors.
Illustrated by Anna Sudit.Match Your Lip Tone & Lip Pencil
Outline the outer perimeter of the lip including the corners of the mouth with a long- wearing lip pencil that matches your lip tone. Then, fill in your lip with the pencil, leaving the center bare for added depth. Nude and flesh tone shades with a satin to glossy finish are the best choices for amplifying your lip size. I love Bobbi Brown's Sheer Lip Color in Tutu and Summer Nude.
For Bold Lips, Choose Contrasting Colors
When creating a full, bold lip, choose a contrasting lip pencil in a slightly deeper tone to fill in the lip. Opt for a slightly brighter lipstick and apply on the bow and center of the bottom lip. The effect gives a 3-D ombré-like dimension to the lips. My favorite combo is MAC Cherry Liner with MAC Lady Danger Lipstick.
Putting It All Together
Start by moisturizing and hydrating your lips with your favorite balms and glosses. Second, neutralize your natural lip line with a touch of your foundation. This will erase your natural lip shape in order to create a blank canvas for your full pout. Next, prime the lip before applying your long-wearing pencil. My must-have lip primer is MAC's Prep + Prime Lip. Finish by drawing on lipstick. After you've drawn the line, set the new lip shape with a translucent setting powder and add lip color afterward.
Lip-Plumping Products
I know many of us are drawn to the seemingly magical properties of lip plumpers. However, you should be wary of over-the-counter lip plumpers that only work for a few minutes. I always suggest going the fake-it-with-makeup route, but if you're in the market for a plumping product, my choice is YSL's Top Secret Re-Plumping Lip Balm. As opposed to one of those glosses that stings the lips to make them noticeably plumper, this is more of a hydrating product that fills out the natural fine lines on the lips by moisturizing.