Whether you're a cash-strapped beauty junkie or a needle-phobic diva, luscious lips are yours for the making.
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Wrinkles and fine lines around your lips can make them look thinner. When you're young, your skin produces sufficient quantities of collagen and antioxidants. Collagen supports and firms the skin's tissue to prevent wrinkles; antioxidants fight free radicals caused by sun, pollution, smoking and stress, which, in turn, cause wrinkles.
Get lippy
For luscious-looking lips, try these tips:
To start, gently exfoliate your lips with a mild face scrub or a toothbrush, advises CARGO makeup artist Robin Siegel. Apply an anti-wrinkle lip product with sunscreen (try NeoStrata Lip and Lip Contour Treatment SPF 15) to smooth fine lines and protect your lips from further wind and sun damage.
To build up your lips, apply a base product (try BeneFit Lip Plump). Then, use a flesh-toned lip pencil (try Elizabeth Arden Smooth Line Lip Pencil in Blush) to draw a line slightly outside your natural lip line. With your finger or sponge tip, blend the line into the skin around your lips. "This will make the pink part of your lips look more pronounced," says FACES makeup artist Michael Kovalik. Next, apply a lipstick sealer (try FACES Sealed With a Kiss) to keep your illusionary work intact. Top with a light-reflecting lipstick (try Estée Lauder Pure Color Crystal Lipstick) or a pinky-beige gloss.
For the pièce de résistance, highlight the Cupid's bow (the dip below your nose) and under the centre of your bottom lip with a skin-illuminating pen (try M.A.C Studio Lights). As the light reflects from these points, everyone's attention will be drawn to your new-found luscious lips. So you can sit back, smile and sip your favourite cocktail ... through a straw!
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