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How To

How To: Contour Your Lips

Verity Douglas
Writer and expert8 years ago
View Verity Douglas's profile

Whether you're naturally blessed or... a little bit less blessed, with the following tricks you can fake full {lips} in mere minutes.

Exfoliation is key for stimulating cell turnover (and ensuring skin is kissably soft). Use Bliss Spa's {Fabulips} before bed, then smother lips with Kaplan MD's Ultra Hydrating Lip Balm to nourish and 'plump up' with hyaluronic acid (J-Law is a fan).

Blur your natural lip line with foundation - by blanking lips out, you can get away with some creative augmentation. Using a {lip pencil} that closely matches your natural lip colour - Pixi's {Lip Contour Liner} is perfect - draw just outside the lip perimeter then 'fill in' the edges and outer corners before drawing three vertical lines in the centre, and halfway between the middle and the corners of your lower lip - this creates a more '3D' impression.

If you're opting for a bold lip look, choose a liner slightly darker than your lipstick shade. Huda Beauty's coveted {Lip Contour} comes in a spectrum of on-trend shades - from deepest berry to vibrant red via the most-wanted '90s 'nude' (it's called 'Trendsetter') - or try BY TERRY's {Crayon Levres Terrybly}, which comes in four colours and is infused with lip-conditioning jojoba oil.

Correct any wobbles and create an ultra-clean line by applying concealer outside the liner - use a brush and a creamy concealer (we rate Anastasia Beverly Hills' Concealer) - and follow the perimeter to make your pout really stand out.

Apply your chosen lipstick shade, focusing on the cupid's bow and bottom centre for a super-subtle ombré-effect. Then for added oomph, dot {lip gloss} on the fullest point. Studio 10's {Plumping Gloss} comes in one, your-lips-but-better pink, while BY TERRY's {Rouge Terrybly Shine} comes in a spectrum of high-voltage colours that will grant a vivid, vinyl finish.

SHOP ALL LIPS >>

Verity Douglas
Writer and expert
View Verity Douglas's profile
Cult Beauty’s Content Editor and a Cult Beauty OG, Verity loves nothing more than the marriage of language and lip balm. A quintessential Libran, she’s a self-professed magpie for luxury ‘must-haves' and always pursuing the new and the niche — from the boujee-est skin care to cutting-edge tech. Balancing an urge to stop the clock with her desire to embrace the ageing process (and set a positive example for her daughter), Verity's a retinol obsessive and will gladly share her thoughts about the time-defying gadgets, masks and treatments worth the splurge...
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