Makeup for Every Lip Shape: Expert Tips & Tricks

Landing the right makeup tips for different lip shapes is a crucial step, as it can make or break your entire look. Lip makeup accentuates the facial features and can take your appearance from drab to fab single-handedly.

But lips come in different shapes, and therefore, they require different kinds of makeup. While some have thin lips, others are blessed with juicy plump lips. It can be tricky to make thin lips look fuller and more defined. That is why we share some exclusive hacks that will help ace your lip makeup effortlessly.

Some different lip shapes include round lips, heart-shaped lips, small lips, thin lips, oval lips, and square lips. If you know how to utilize the power of makeup, your lip shape will never be a problem. Swipe up to check out some interesting tips and tricks!

Keep In Mind

• Thin Lips: Thin Lips To make thin lips more pronounced, skip dark or matte shades. Use light, reflective shades instead to give the illusion of width and fullness.
• Top Heavy Lips: Thin Lips Make your lower lip more prominent by using a white lip liner in the center
• Bottom Heavy Lips: Thin Lips Apply concealer or foundation at the lip borders and blend in to match the rest of your face to achieve a slimmer look.
• Wide Lips: Thin Lips For full and luscious lips, opt for shades of pink or brown in a soft, matte texture. Avoid bold, harsh colors that can make your lips look smaller and thinner.

1. Top Heavy Lips

Image: Pinterest

A majority of Indian women have top-heavy lips, a common lip shape. Effective makeup tips and tricks can easily make top heavy lips appear even and beautiful.

Makeup for top heavy lips is simple:

• Start by lining your lips with a creamy lip liner from the center of your lips to the outside by following your natural lip shape.
• Then, apply a soft-matte, bright lipstick on the bottom of your lips and a slightly darker tone of the same lipstick color on the top to create an illusion of smaller space for a smaller lip look.
• You can also apply the same lip color on the upper as well as lower lips and then apply a dab of white pencil or white lipstick to the center of the lower lip to achieve balance, evenness and fuller look.
• Take your favorite sheer lip gloss and apply it to just the lower lip after applying your lip products. Then dab it with a tissue to remove some of the shine to even out the texture so it matches with the upper lip.
• Another trick to follow to make heavy lips appear smaller is to use a lip pencil and start filling your lips just inside the natural line and then finish it off with lipstick.
• The simplest trick to make fuller and heavy lips appear smaller is to use a dark toned lip color as it will reduce the prominence of fuller lips

Quick Tip

You can also apply a lipstick with high shine or gloss on the bottom lip for a bold look. The light reflected by it can make the lower lip appear fuller and give an overall balanced appearance.

Key Takeaways

• • For top-heavy lips, line the natural shape of your lips and apply bright lipstick on the bottom lips and a slightly darker shade on the top lips.
  • For uneven lips, make the lip smooth and even with primer and concealer, and follow it with drawing an even lip shape with lip liner for contouring and blending them for a natural look.
  • For flat lips, outline the outside of the natural lip line, and fill the outer corner with a darker shade and the center with a soft or bright lip color.
  • For overlarge lips, use skin tone matching lip liner and matte nude lipstick to make the lips appear softer.

2. Bottom Heavy Lips

Image: Getty

Bottom heavy lips are actually pretty and attractive! But some women look to hide that pout!

Here’s how you can make bottom heavy lips look better:

• The simplest trick to even out bottom heavy lips is to use the same lip color on the upper as well as lower lips, and then apply a dab of white lip pencil or white lipstick only to the center of the upper lip to achieve balance, evenness, and fuller look.
• A favorite method to diminish the lower pout look is to use a lip liner to slightly overdraw the upper lip line after the lipstick application. This instantly makes the lips more even and blends naturally!

3. Uneven Lips

Image: Getty

If your upper and lower lip shape and size do not match, then you have uneven lips.

Here are a few tips to manage uneven lips:

• First, prep your lips with a hydrating lip balm or primer to make the makeup application smooth and even.
• Then, use a thin layer of concealer around the lip lines to create a clean canvas. That way when you draw on the lipliner, you can create even lines on the top and bottom!
• People with uneven lips should use a lip pencil to outline your upper lip, making both the sides of the upper lip match up first and then follow the same for the lower lips.
• Then, smudge the lip liner with a very light hand to eliminate any rough and hard edges to achieve a natural finish.
• Be careful with this trick! The lip liner has to be drawn with a very light hand and blended well otherwise it might turn out to be unflattering.

Quick Tip

Avoid using lipstick shades that are highly contrasting with your natural skin tone as they can bring attention to the unevenness of the lips. Instead, pick nudes and pair them with complementary lip liners.

4. Flat Lips

Image: Getty

Flat lips have no dimension or depth and appear very flat without a prominent outline. It is a best choice to use light and softer lip colors for people with flat lips as dark lip colors will make lips appear small.

Flat lips can be given a good shape with this trick:

• Start by outlining your lips slightly outside the natural lip line of your lips.
• Shimmery and frosty lip formulas work well on thinner and flatter lips as it adds a fuller and plumping effect.
• Ombre lip effects also work well on thinner and flat lips.
• Start by filling the outer corners of your lips with a dark lip color and fill the center of the lips with a soft or bright lip color to create a gorgeous ombre lip effect.
• If you are not ready to sport ombre lips, you can apply the same lipstick color all over your lips and then add a shimmery highlighter for highlighting the center of your upper as well as bottom lips to create a plumper lip appearance.

5. Thin Lips

Image: Getty

Thin lips require more dimension and space.

And we have just the trick for you to make your lips look absolutely stunning:

• Start by applying a lip liner slightly outside your natural lip line. Gently smudge it with your ring finger to diffuse the color. Avoid overlining excessively as it can give an unnatural look.
• Then, apply a darker lip color to the lower lip and a softer lip color to your upper lip and blend everything together with a clean lip brush. Avoid matte lipsticks as they can further flatten the lips. Use glossy or shimmery lipsticks instead.
• Do not neglect your cupid’s bow. Dab a bit of highlighter on that area to create the illusion of plumper and fuller lips.

In this beauty blog post, the authors Joy and Ruby, share their journey of achieving the ombre lip look for thinner lips, advising, “Also if you are to just use the lipstain on its own it feels like it dries out your lips; hence why I use the chap stick first.” Regarding the outcome, they emphasize the use of a muted lip balm, “Overall the look you should be going for is subtle… (i).”

6. Overlarge Lips

Image: Getty

Overlarge lips have the power to dominate the whole face. So, always choose softer lip colors with a rich matte consistency to keep your lips appear soft and even.

Here’s how you can draw attention away from overlarge lips:

• Use a skin tone natural lip liner around and inside your lips to create the illusion of a smaller lip.
• Try using matte nude lipstick. This will help absorb any light and make the lips appear softer.
• It is best to do a heavy smokey eye or a highlighted cheek area for face makeup to carry away attention from the overlarge lip size.

7. Small Lips

Image: Getty

Small lips look cute on some but most want to have that lovely pout.

Follow these tips to make small lips look more prominent:

• You can apply shimmery, frosty and glossy lipstick formulas which will add fullness to the small lips. (Note: use a highlighter on your cupid’s bow (the area that’s in the shape of a “v” above the lips) with your ring finger before applying your lip color. This adds a fuller look.)
• Do not apply very dark lip colors as it will make lips appear smaller.
• Choose brighter and softer lip colors to accentuate your lips the best way.

8. Bow-Shaped Lips

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Bow-shaped lips have pronounced cupid’s bow and wide, full bottom lips.

Follow the makeup tips for bow-shaped lips below to accentuate your Cupid’s bow:

• Dab some light-colored highlighter on the cupid’s bow to give your lips an illusion of fullness.
• Contour your lips with a lighter color on the cupid’s bow and below the lips and a darker color at the corners to accentuate your lip shape and define the V-shape of the bow lips.
• To blur your cupid’s bow, smudge the lip liner or lipstick on your lip line with your fingers for a blotted finish.
• To bring attention to the sharp ‘V’ dip, fill your upper lip with a matte or glossy lip color.

Lips come in all shapes and sizes and thus require different lip makeup techniques to look their best. For instance, those with fuller upper lips may benefit from darker shades or a combination of dark and light shades. Similarly, people with flat lips can use glossy lipsticks to add volume to their lips. So, it is essential to understand your lip shape to apply makeup perfectly and create a cohesive look. The makeup tips for different lip shapes shared in this article can help you make your lip look balanced and well-formed so that no matter what shape or size your lip is, you have your beauty and makeup game on point.

Frequently Asked Questions

What techniques can I use to make my lips look more symmetrical?

Here are a few makeup techniques to give lips a more symmetrical look:
• Use lip colors like caramel and beige to create an illusion of fuller-looking lips.
• Match the shade of your lipstick to the color of your lips.
• Apply cocoa butter before bedtime to get naturally full lips in the morning.
• Facial exercises and lip tattoos also help you achieve symmetrical lips.

What tips should I keep in mind for accentuating Cupid’s bow?

Use these makeup tips and types of cosmetics to accentuate Cupid’s bow:
• A creamy highlighter or a concealer lighter than your lip color will accentuate your Cupid’s bow.
• Create an ‘X’ on your lips with a lip liner from the highest points of the top lip.

Are there any long-term effects of using lip fillers?

Long-term use of lip fillers causes lip wrinkling, disturbance of the facial fat pads, and aging of the skin.

Are there any safety considerations I should keep in mind when using makeup on my lips?

Follow these safety considerations for lip makeup:
• Wash and sanitize the hands before applying makeup.
• Replace your lipstick after every 6 months, and do not share them to prevent the spread of microbes.
• Close the lid of the lipsticks, lip liners, and lip balms tightly after use to prevent bacterial growth.
• Before applying the lipstick, add a coat of lip balm.
• For regular use, do not apply lipstick more than 2 times a day.

What should I do if I experience any adverse reactions to lip products?

If you face adverse reactions to lip products, follow the points:
• Discontinue using them immediately.
• If your lips are itching, use a cool compress to reduce itching.
• Drink water continuously to stay hydrated and do not bite, lick or pick your lips.
• Avoid wearing lip piercings.
• If you have dry or scaly lips, use lip balm with emollients, such as castor and hemp seed oil, and shea butter.
• If you still have inflamed lips, consult a doctor immediately.

Image: Dall·E/StyleCraze Design Team

Learn how to perfectly line different lip shapes with this easy lip liner tutorial video for beginners. Get the perfect pout with the right lip liner technique!

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Alyssia Chang has spent over 13 years in the beauty industry, working closely with brands like MAC Cosmetics, Chanel, and Tom Ford. She has been lucky enough to work with incredible people doing masterclasses, special events, and training with world beauty experts.

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