If the Kardashian/Jenner family has taught us anything, it's that a heavy contour and an over-lined lip is almost as transformative as an actual surgical procedure – without the cost and recovery time.
So if you're trying to get that thick pout like our lord and savior Kylie Jenner, just steal the tricks she used before she started getting lip fillers on the reg.
Pre-injections (think, 2014 Tumblr Kylie), she used to hack her way to fuller lips and the outcome looked so realistic, people seriously thought she got injections.
Her secret? Using some pretty simple makeup techniques and affordable drugstore treatments that pretty much anyone can do. Basically, you just have to over-line, exfoliate, and use your concealer like a pro – then, top it all off with a little swipe of lip-plumping gloss. Easy!
So before you start Googling local aestheticians, check out all the non-permanent hacks that will level-up your lips in seconds.
1. Exfoliate
This is step number one and it's so important. Before you try any other hacks, exfoliate your lips first.
Flaky lips reflect less light, which means, a dry pucker could be making your lips look smaller than they actually are. To get rid of flakes, brush them lightly with a toothbrush. This also boosts circulation, giving you a rosy tint sans makeup.
Flaky lips reflect less light, which means, a dry pucker could be making your lips look smaller than they actually are. To get rid of flakes, brush them lightly with a toothbrush. This also boosts circulation, giving you a rosy tint sans makeup.
If you want to get professional with your exfoliation game, get yourself a hydrating sugar lip scrub that really smooths. Yes, it's another step to add to your skincare routine, but trust me, it's soooo worth it.
2. Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate
Have you ever noticed that when you forget your Hydro Flask at home, your lips look really freaking small by the end of the day? When your body is dehydrated, your lips literally shrivel up and disappear. Make sure to drink lots of water – which, btw, is just a good life choice in general – to bring out your most luscious lippies naturally (and for free).
3. Over-line your lips
Before Kylie Jenner surgically enhanced her lips, she used to use this trick to make them appear bigger. Now, you can't just swipe lipstick all over your face – you'll end up looking like Miranda Sings. The trick is to put on concealer before your lip color to blur the line between your lips and your face.
Even though this makeup trick is a beauty vlogger favorite, it's really easy to do yourself. Apply your go-to concealer to your lips, then trace slightly outside your natural lip line using a lip liner. From there, just fill in your lips with the matching lipstick or just use the liner for your whole pout.
4. Highlight with gloss
This two-second trick will help draw attention to your lips. Grab your favorite clear lip gloss or a pick shade that matches your lipstick color, then apply a dab of the gloss onto the middle of both of your lips. The shimmery product picks up light, making your pout look fuller.
5. Try a plumping treatment
The Dr. Dennis Gross Hyaluronic Marine Collagen Lip Cushion is a plumping lip treatment that delivers definition to the lip line and boosts hydration to enhance volume. There are tons of great plumping balms, glosses, and treatments out there, but this one is my personal favorite. It *seriously* works like a dream. After one application, I noticed a much fuller lip look — no needles necessary!
6. Double up on nude lip colors
Looking for bigger lips? What you really need is dimension, sis. Layering color amps up your pout easily. Here's how: Apply one shade all over your mouth, then top it with a slightly lighter color (or even a white lip crayon) in the middle of your lips.
Along with making your lips look bigger, it'll help even out your lips. If you have a fuller top lip and a smaller bottom lip (or vise versa), try only applying the lighter shade to the smallest lip.
7. Line with concealer after lipstick
Ever wonder how influencers get that FaceTune-perfect lipstick line? Well, partly from FaceTune, but it's mostly thanks to this concealer hack. Yes, you should be applying concealer before and after your lipstick. Use a skinny brush and a teeny tiny bit of cover-up to line the outside of your already over-lined lips. You won't believe how much your lipstick will pop.
8. Don't skip the lip balm
I'll admit, lip balm isn't as fun to shop for as a new eyeshadow palette, but it's an absolutely essential part of your beauty routine. Your lips are delicate, so they need to be hydrated inside and out. Drink your water (see point 2) and then swipe on a lip balm that will soften your lips. Healthy lips will reach their highest, fullest potential.
