For quite some time now, every other beauty blogger, celebrity, and reality star has been rocking a full, pouty lip style. It’s considered a mark of beauty to many and brings a lot of attention. Many of the fashionable have achieved this by applying injecting lip fillers, which can be both painful and expensive. Not everyone has the resources to want to do that. So, how can the rest of us get that full lip look? The following are a few tips to plump up your lips, or at least to create a passable optical illusion of a desirable pouty face!
1 - Be Sure to Hydrate
To achieve healthy, glowing lips, hydration is key. You should not only cultivate them on the outside with a nourishing lip balm, but you should also drink reasonable quantities of water to hydrate them from the inside. Another method you can use to hydrate your lips is steam. First, apply a healthy dose of honey or petroleum jelly to the lip area before showering or bathing. The steam will allow deeper penetration, causing the lips to expand and become extra smooth.
2 - Take the Time to Exfoliate
There are many easy methods that you can use to exfoliate your lips at home. You can simply mix equal parts honey and brown sugar in a bowl and rub it across your lips for approximately three minutes. Afterwards, you can wipe the excess off with a wet paper towel.
Another method is to use your toothbrush and a touch of petroleum jelly. After brushing your teeth, rub your toothbrush gently over your lips to remove any dead skin cells. It will also cause them to temporarily swell, appearing fuller and rosier in color. You can also achieve the same results using a terry cloth towel.
3 - Consider the Shot Glass Method
This is easy, but it takes time and persistence. First, you will need to apply lip balm or petroleum jelly to each of your lips. Then, you will have to place the shot glass firmly around your mouth, gently sucking the air from inside until you feel a slight tug. You will then need to relax your lips, closing them for a brief moment, no more than two whole seconds, and then release them instantly. This needs to be done at least twice a day for about a week, then about three times a week the following week, slightly increasing the suction over the week before. When this is done with consistency, your lips should plump up in no time, and stay that way for a while.
4 - Try a Lip Plumping Device
These are devices that are designed and built to increase lip size temporarily, in a natural way, without the benefit of surgery or fillers. Like the shot glass method, these devices re-create the suction motion, which increases pout power in no time flat. Many of these also promote circulation around the lip area, making plumping inevitable and simple. Just remember that the effects of such devices are only temporary, and your lips are sure to decrease in size after a mere hour or two.
5 - Employ Lip Exercises
Facial experts have long touted the benefits of facial exercises for skin elasticity and the prevention of wrinkles, but have only recently agreed that lip exercises can increase the plumpness and firmness of your pucker. These exercises tone the lip muscles and swell the area, creating a pout that even the stars would envy. Many involve puckering up repeatedly, or blowing kisses in the air. Just remember, these exercises should be repeated on a daily basis to enjoy consistent results.
6 - Create Optical Illusions
If you have warm coloring, try placing a little bit of gold eyeshadow on your upper lip, or if you have cooler coloring, try a hint of silver. The metallic shades will reflect light and cause the lip to appear larger in size. You can try placing bronzer or tan, matte eyeshadow on your bottom lip to create the same effect. You can also try lining your upper lip with black eyeliner and your lower lip with white eyeliner, if you prefer. Just blend it as thoroughly as possible so the colors do not overly stand out.
7 - Apply a Lip-plumping Formula
While in the recent past there were lip-plumping formulas made from wintergreen, chili peppers, and peppermint that made your lips feel like they were on fire, this is no longer the case. Today there are milder, smarter formulas for those of us with seriously sensitive skin. Many of these contain essential oils specially made to minimize pain and decrease lines caused due to dehydration.
8 - Apply Cinnamon with Vitamin E
Cinnamon leaf oil in itself is sure to cause irritation in even the toughest individuals, but the addition of Vitamin E prevents the burning of skin on the face and lips. It’s soothing quality cools down that bee-stung feeling. Just blend one part cinnamon leaf oil with two parts vitamin E oil and blend thoroughly. It should have the consistency of honey. Simply dab the mixture on your lips and you should have a plumper pucker immediately.
9 - Dab on some Peppermint Oil
Try applying a bit of peppermint oil to your lips. This should cause a reaction that increases the size of lips temporarily. Just be careful if you have any breakage in the skin. Peppermint oil can sting as it redirects blood toward your lips, plumping them temporarily. You can use these simple methods every day to create full, plump, pouty lips with ease. Which one do you prefer? Let us know in the comments below.
