LIPS, from time immemorial, have rarely failed to accentuate a lady’s overall beauty. Interestingly, they come in as many shapes and sizes. However, not everyone is blessed with the gift of a perfect pout, going by ‘too-full,’ ‘thin,’ and even sometimes, ‘uneven’ lips. But with makeup, you can achieve the near-perfect lip shape.
According to DailyMail online, in a study by scientists, the formula for perfect lips are as follows: 1.16 ratio between the top lip and the outer thirds of the bottom lip; central segment of the lower lip is 1.2 vs the top lip, therefore thicker in the middle; an accentuated ‘Cupid’s bow;’ acute angles at the corners of the lip.
To get the desired lip shape, according to Afsha Ranglia of Style Craze, a popular website for women’s health, beauty and wellness, one would need lip pencil, lipstick, lip conditioner or lip primer and a concealer. For the perfect lip pout, after analysing your lip shape, apply balm or conditioner to add moisture to the lips and let it settle for a few minutes.
For those with dry and flaky lips, Ranglia suggests using a lip scrub before applying the lip balm. According to her, “a lip scrub eliminates deep flakes, dryness and chapped bits of skin from the lips, making the application of lipstick much easier and also gives a smooth and seamless finish to the lips.”
The next step is to begin the lip makeup application by using a lip pencil. The pencil must be sharpened for precision. Begin by lining the lips from the Cupid’s bow, going towards the corners, while following the natural lip shape. Ranglia states that “you can also overdraw or under draw your lips shape; depending on how balance you want your lips to look.”
The next step is to tilt the head sideways for applying the liner to the corners of the lips. She advises repeating the same movement on the lower lip, beginning from the centre and continuing towards the corner. For a stronger base lip colour, and to ensure that the lipstick last longer, Ranglia states that while outlining the lips, you can, at the same time, fill the lips with the pencil. Then, apply the lipstick using a thin brush on the entire lip, making sure to fill in the lip shape evenly.
“Once you are done with the application of the lipstick, correct any flaws, crooked outlines, or unfinished looks by using a small flat brush and some concealer or foundation in the shade closest to your skin tone. Correct the outer edges of your lip by balancing them,” Ranglia notes.
Additional report by Naheemat Oladimeji
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The ultimate lipstick hacks
WHETHER you’re an old pro at applying lip colour or the thought of applying a red lip quickly gives you nightmares, lipstick issues happen to all of us. It gets on your teeth, it makes your lips dry, it feathers out – tales as old as time, all of them. Fortunately, there’re plenty of useful tips, tricks and hacks that will help you step up your lipstick game.
Prep
The first step – before you even think about applying lipstick – is to exfoliate and moisturize your lips. For exfoliating, you can save money and simply use a wet toothbrush or washcloth, or a DIY mixture of oil and brown sugar. To moisturize, anything from natural oils to your favourite lip balm is fine. Just make sure to wipe off any excess before applying lipstick – you want your lips to be hydrated, not greasy.
Prime
Use a clear lip primer before applying lipstick for a smoother application and less fading or transferring.
Line
Use a soft pencil lip liner to follow the natural curve of your lips; you can even go just outside of your lips to make lips seem fuller. Be sure to fill them in as well so that it’s not obvious. If you find that your lipstick migrates into the fine lines, we all have around our lips, never fear: this is called feathering, and it’s totally preventable. You can either use a lip liner in the same shade as your lipstick, or a clear liner. Clear liner creates an invisible barrier around your lips and stops that pesky feathering.
Contour
Another trick to make lips appear fuller with lipstick is with contouring. A slightly lighter shade of lipstick on the fuller parts of the lips (near the centre) will make them seem larger – bonus points if it’s a slightly shimmering shade that reflects light. Simply layer it over a darker shade of lipstick with clean fingers or a small brush. Blend well so that you get an ombré effect, not a stark line.
Set
Make your lipstick last longer and prevent smudges and transfers by blotting correctly. Take a piece of tissue and gently place it over your lips, then use a fluffy brush to evenly distribute HD powder on top of the tissue and your lips. You’ll find that this is a much more effective way of blotting and setting lipstick than simply pressing your lips with a tissue. And of course, always be sure to do one last trick before leaving the house: stick a finger in your mouth and drag it out to catch any excess lipstick on your finger instead of on your teeth. An old trick, but a classic for a reason.
Source: www.stylecaster.com
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