Bigger and fuller lips give your face a sultry, sensuous appeal. Unfortunately, not all of us are born with a lovely pout. There are, of course, filling and plumping injections, which are not only painful but also exorbitantly expensive. Everybody may not be able to afford these; besides, there are easier methods such as using make up to give the illusion of plump lips.
1. Use light shades of lipstick
Dark colored clothing usually has a slimming effect and this holds true for lip shades as well. If you want your lips to look plumper, choose a light shade. Try several pastel and muted tones before deciding which one suits you best. Then, wear your flattering shade with confidence. Remember to choose a shade that makes your lips look full but do not make you look ill. Frosted shades are not the best thing here and you should look for pastel colors with a satin-like sheen.
If you have wrinkles around your lips, try not to use very bold colors since it will draw attention to your lips as well as to the lines around your mouth. Your lip color may also feather out and run into the lines, ruining the overall effect.
2. Exfoliate your lips
Using a dry and clean toothbrush, gently rub your lips without wetting them. This will remove dead skin cells and make your lips smoother. It will also maximize the effect of lip balm. Exfoliating the lips causes the circulation of blood to increase, thus making your lips swell slightly. This gives the appearance of fuller, plumper lips.
Putting some petroleum jelly or honey on the toothbrush and rubbing them will have better results. You can also make a homemade scrub for your lips. Mix together white sugar granules and olive oil or coconut oil to make a thick paste. Using your fingertips, gently massage the scrub on your lips in circular motions. Wash off with warm water and feel the smoothness of your lips.
3. Apply a natural, homemade lip plumper
Mix a few drops of peppermint oil or cinnamon oil along with your regular lip balm or your lip gloss. This stimulates the blood flow in the capillaries and gives your lips a rosy glow, in addition to making them plump.
A homemade lip gloss that you can try: Mix together 1/3 tablespoon of melted cocoa butter, 20 drops of sweet almond oil, 1 tablespoon of coconut oil, and 2 drops of cayenne pepper essential oil. Apply this mixture to your lips to get a plump and full look.
4. Use lip-plumping cosmetics
Lip-plumping products are formulated such that they boost the circulation of blood in the lips, causing a temporary swelling of the lips and a rosy color. When picking a lip-plumping product, it is safe to choose a clinically proven one. A product that combines lip plumping and lip renewal adds volume to your lips as well as maintains the softness and suppleness of your lips.
5. Do the “whistle” lip exercise
Exercising the lips can have a noticeable effect in making them bigger and plumper. People who regularly play the flute or other wind instruments have bigger lips. Similarly, you can loudly whistle for 3-5 minutes every day to your favorite tune to exercise your lips.
6. The “smile and kiss” lip exercise
This exercise entails smiling as widely as you can, without opening your mouth. Hold this position for 5 minutes and then move your lips forward, as if about to kiss someone. Hold this pose for another 5 minutes, and then smile again. Repeat this exercise 20 times.
7. The “move from side-to-side” exercise
Close your lips together tightly and move them from side to side, holding each side for 5 seconds. Repeat the exercise 15 minutes.
8. Wear lip gloss
Lip gloss gets its shine from reflecting light. Dot the center of your lips with lip gloss to create the illusion of plumper lips.
9. Draw outside the natural lip line
This tip should be done with care. Use a light shade of lip liner and draw slightly outside the natural lip line. If done properly, this will make your lips look bigger.
10. Highlight the bow of your lip.
Using a white or tan-colored lip pencil, draw a line above the bow of your lip. This will create a three-dimensional effect and give the illusion of plump lips.
