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7 Makeup Artist-Approved Tips for Fuller Looking Lips
TutorialsFor celebrity makeup artists such as Min Min Ma and Gita Bass, having clients arrive at the makeup chair with chapped lips is all too common, especially in the wintertime when the lips are more prone to drying out. Applying makeup on dry lips, however, is rife with problems. A smooth, well-hydrated canvas is required for application. This is why knowing how to plump lips is an essential skill in any makeup artist's tool belt.
Luckily, implementing a dry-lip-to-plump-lip protocol is something we all can do at home to revive dull, lackluster lips. It involves a few key steps — from moisture to makeup — that will get lips back to their pillowy selves.
How To Plump Lips Naturally
Prep lips for our plumping makeup protocol (below) with this effective hydration strategy.
1. Stay hydrated
Keeping your lips looking their best, most plump selves starts from the inside out. Ma encourages her clients to stay hydrated throughout the day.
2. Exfoliate the lips
Next up in your lip-plumping protocol: lip exfoliation. "Exfoliating the lips is a great way to increase circulation to the lips and give a slight plumping effect," Bass says. "It also helps create a smooth base for lip products that can add to the plumping effect."
To do this, Ma says you can keep it really simple by using a wet, clean cloth to gently buff the dead skin off the lips. You can also exfoliate the lips with a lip scrub: gently rub it into the lip, then remove the excess with a damp cloth. Ma notes that some exfoliating lip products can leave residual beads around the lips, so cleansing might also be necessary.
3. Apply a rich lip balm
Once you've exfoliated the lips, Bass recommends applying a rich lip balm to moisturize them. Ma points specifically to lip products that contain hyaluronic acid, which attracts moisture, leaving the lips looking and feeling smooth and hydrated.
If you're doing this step while getting ready, Bass suggests exfoliating and adding your balm first, letting your lips soak up the moisture while you apply the rest of your makeup. This way, by the time you’re ready to swipe on lipstick, your lips will look and feel plumper than they did before.
Bass also suggests adding lip masks to your lip-plumping arsenal as a bonus step. "Lip masks are also a great way to naturally plump lips and help minimize any fine lines or wrinkles around the mouth, which can make them look smaller," she says.
"Exfoliating the lips is a great way to increase circulation to the lips and give a slight plumping effect."
How to plump lips with makeup
Gently tissue off excess balm and follow the steps below for a fuller effect.
1. Opt for lighter lip colors
If you want to make your lips look full and pillowy, Ma suggests lighter lip colors, like nudes and light taupes.
2. Highlighter the cupid's bow
Another lip-plumping hack both Ma and Bass love is adding a bit of highlighter (the kind you typically add to the top of your cheekbones) to the lip's cupid's bow. "The highlighter is a little bit lighter [in color], so it makes the lips look fuller," Ma says.
“This helps to lift the lip and make them look fuller without giving an unnatural swollen effect.”
3. Cheat the lip line
Bass isn't a fan of exaggerated lip liner, so she offers a more natural-looking way. "I like to cheat the lip line a little just around the cupid's bow and slightly under the center of the bottom lip, and then keep the rest of the liner just outside the natural lip line," Bass explains. "This helps to lift the lip and make them look fuller without giving an unnatural swollen effect."
As far as color, Ma recommends opting for a nude lip liner that is one or two shades darker than your lips.
4. Strategically apply gloss
To top things off, Bass also suggests adding a bit of lip gloss only in the center of the lips, which creates a plumping effect.
