16 Tricks To Making Your Lips Look Full

Surgery? Nope.

1. To prep lips, apply lip balm or use a cotton swab to coat lips with Aquaphor.

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Let the moisturizer sit for 5 minutes before moving onto the next step. Hydrating the lips will help to loosen up any dead or dry skin, which you'll be removing in the next step.

2. Exfoliate your lips with a toothbrush by gently moving the bristles in small concentric circles all over your lips.

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Brushing encourages blood flow to the lips, which can make them appear slightly fuller. But keep in mind that the skin on your lips is very sensitive. You don't need much pressure on your toothbrush. It can be the same amount of pressure you use to tap your smartphone screen.

3. Apply foundation to the lips for a smoother lipstick application.

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Foundation will give your lip color something to grab so it doesn't slip off.

4. Dab a little highlighter at the center of your top lip.

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It's also called the "Cupid's bow," and you'll need a pinhead-sized amount of concealer for this part. This will create a goddess-like glow that emanates from the center of your lips.

5. Over-line your Cupid's bow with a lip liner that's 1 or 2 shades darker than your natural lip color.

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Then, as you continue the line from your Cupid's bow out to the corners of your mouth, taper the line down to meet up with your natural lip line. Using a lip liner that's similar to your natural lip color makes for a more realistic look.

6. If you're not into lip liner, master your lipstick application by drawing an "X" in the center of your top lip.

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A defined Cupid's bow can quickly make lips look fuller.

7. Then, use the liner to fill in the space between your new lip line and your natural one.

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This will make the new lip line look more natural.

8. Contour the lips with a liner 1 or 2 shades darker than the original to emphasize the natural shadow of your lips.

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Contouring isn't necessary for a fuller lip look, but it definitely adds more drama to your pout. In this gif, Marianna uses NYX lip liner pencil in Peekaboo Neutral ($3.50) and a MAC lip liner in Stripdown ($16).

9. And use a concealer brush to apply a darker neutral powder right below your bottom lip line.

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Adding a shadow beneath your bottom lip gives an extra plump appearance. Kristina uses the darkest shade from her Brow Bar To Go palette, but any dark neutral will do.

10. Fill in lips with a matte lipstick.

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Glossy lipstick can highlight the over-lined lip line, which you don't want. In this gif, Desi uses Dose of Colors matte lipstick in Berry Me ($18).

11. To make any lipstick matte, dab translucent or skin-colored powder on top of the lipstick.

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This also helps to set the lipstick and prevent it from smudging.

12. Add a shimmery powder to the center of top and bottom lips.

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Use a gold-toned eyeshadow or highlighter to draw light to the center of your lips.

13. Or you can use lip gloss—but only in the center.

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Apply a gloss that is a few shades lighter than your lip liner to the center of your top and bottom lips to look like a puckered angel IRL.

14. Clean up any harsh lines with a concealer brush.

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Dab a concealer brush into concealer and draw around the lip line to create a more natural edge.

15. Hold a napkin or tissue over lips and brush on translucent powder to prevent lipstick from smudging.

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You want to make sure your tissue is thin enough that the powder can get through (if it's a 2-ply tissue, try to pull it in half).

16. And do this to keep lipstick from getting on your teeth.

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Put your finger in your mouth, close your lips, and pull your finger out to get rid of any lipstick that may have gotten on your inner lip.

~*MWAZZZZ~*

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Pucker perfected.

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