Love your lips – 8 tips for your best lips yet
If lip filler isn’t your thing but you find you are forever on the quest for the perfect plumped lips I’m here to tell you, you can achieve the perfect pout by using a few key products and following a few simple steps. So read on and experience your best lips yet…
Prep your lips
- Exfoliate
Just as we prep our skin each morning before applying our makeup base, it’s essential to prep our lips so they don’t end up all cakey and flakey post lippie application!
Creating a smooth canvas is a necessity when it comes to perfecting your pout and the best way to achieve this is to remove any dead skin cells that are subtly sitting on the surface of your lips with a lip scrub. Don’t have a lip scrub per say? No worries, a gentle face exfoliator such a Pevonia’s Gentle Exfoliating Cleanser will do the job perfectly and means you save on the pennies too.
- Moisturise
Next, it’s important to moisturise your lips just as you would your eyes. Moisturising is important as many lip products can be drying and our lips, like our eyes can be particularly vulnerable to showing signs of ageing. They have an especially thin outer layer which gets even thinner with each passing year thanks to a breakdown in collagen. Choosing a good lip cream can be paramount. I personally use and love Pevonia’s Lip Renew Plump and De-Age treatment. Its name speaks volumes as it quite literally deeply moisturises, renews, smooths fine lines and wrinkles, and volumizes lips! How? It is rich in powerhouse, anti-ageing duo Collagen and Hyaluronic Acid, as well as sesamin from sesamum indicum seed extract – the latest hero ingredient proven to plump the lips with natural lipo-filling action form dramatic results. Simply apply and massage a small quantity on your lips and around your lip contour and laugher lines morning (and night.)
- Hydrate and set
Finish by applying lip balm to lips and let it sit for a few minutes to soak in. After all, you don’t want your lipstick literally sliding off minutes after application.
Now lips will be silky smooth and lipstick ready, no dry or flaky spots in sight.
Don’t forget to line those lips
Don’t wear lipliner? You should now. Lip liner is to lipstick what a primer is to foundation, it’ll make your lipstick last longer as well as look better too!
As we age our lips start to thin and lose their colour. Lip liners will not only define and shape your lips, they act as primers to boost the colour and longevity of your lipstick too. Simply line the lips or draw it on all over your lips before your lipstick and you can turn virtually any lipstick into a “longwear” formula. Try ELES Gel Lipliner for ultimate waterproof, transfer-proof, long-lasting staying power! The formula helps lipstick adhere to your lips better without any bleeding or featuring.
If you have thin lips, using a lipliner will enable you to overline your lips just a little which will add both shape and fullness. You want to overline on the cupid’s bow and the fullest part of your bottom lips (but never overline the corners). Begin by applying a fine line just outside your natural lip line starting from the centre of your lips and working out to the corners keeping it light and fine, then blend it inwards.
N.B If you find (like me) that once you’ve worn in a brand new lipliner it’s next to impossible to get that perfectly sharp tip again no matter how much you sharpen it! Well all is not lost! Instead of using it straight out of your makeup bag simply pop it in the fridge overnight or even for a matter of minutes and when it comes time to apply your lip liner should be hard enough to create those perfectly lined lips we all want!
Finish with a lipstick or lip tint a similar shade to your natural lip colour. Dark lipstick will only make thin lips look thinner.
We LOVE the new ELES Velvet Satin Lipsticks. 12 stunning chic and sophisticated shades with subtle satin finish and formulated with a lip-loving blend of emollient oils and butters to help keep lips soft, smooth and super hydrated throughout the day.
Make sure you match your lip liner to your lip colour though!
Even if your lips tend to be on the paler side you should match your lip liner to the colour of your lips, not your darker (or lighter!) lipstick shade. A natural-toned liner will make it easier to correct shape (especially if your top lip is uneven or has lost definition so fades into skin) as well as add fullness.
Keep lip colour in place all day
So you’ve got yourself a long wearing lipstick and you’ve applied your lipliner but after eating you find your lips aren’t looking a peachy perfect as they were at the start of the day. Blotting your lippie with a tissue, then dusting some translucent powder of top will help set the pigment without dulling your lip colour as well as making it instantly last longer not matter what your lipstick formula.
Another option is to give a lip stain a go! The ELES Lip Stain imparts lips with long-lasting vibrant colour that protects the lips and stays in place for hours even after eating, drinking and kissing!
Plump lips that little bit more
After applying and setting your chosen lippie, be sure you brush either a little shimmer eyeshadow in an ivory shade or some concealer in light to the middle of your lips. This creates a 3D effect that makes lips look fuller and no lip plumping products are required! The same goes for your lip gloss – for a little extra lip plumping apply in nude to the centre of your lips, just remember gloss is fluid so it’s not designed to wear all day.
Cleanse lips as you would your face
Want to remove your lippie at the end of the day without any rubbing or pulling? Use a lip specific cleanser designed to be gentle on lips while removing stubborn long lasting lip products. Try Phytomer’s Doux Contour Eye and Lip Waterproof Makeup remover.
