How to Keep Lips Soft and Plump
Get luscious, pillowy, kissable lips—with or without injections.
Up next in Skin Care 101 (64 videos)
Everything you ever wanted to know about how to achieve a flawless face is in this video series.
You Will Need
- Lip balm with SPF 30
- Sugar
- Olive oil
- A toothbrush
- Lip plumper or cayenne pepper
- Petroleum jelly
- Lip injections
- A lip implant
- Vitamin E capsules
- Plant-based oils
Steps
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Cosmetic lip surgery can lead to scarring and other side effects. Talk to your doctor at length before undergoing any procedure.
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Step 1
Avoid sun damage
Protect your lips from wrinkling by wearing SPF 30 lip balm—either alone or under your lipstick—year-round.
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Step 2
Buff your kisser
Keep lips supple by exfoliating them. Buy products specifically made for this purpose, or get the same results by mixing sugar and olive oil into a paste, gently rub it on your lips with an old toothbrush, & rinse off. Apply this scrub once a week, & give your lips the once-over every morning with a plain, wet toothbrush.
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Avoid licking your lips. It can cause and worsen chapping.
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Step 3
Apply petroleum jelly
Keep your lips moist by dabbing a little petroleum jelly on them at bedtime. Or open up a vitamin E capsule and rub the contents on your lips. Plant-based oils—like olive, coconut, sunflower, and jojoba—work, too.
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Step 4
Make them swell
For temporary bee-stung lips, use an over-the-counter lip plumper, which contains irritants that swell lips. There are also over-the-counter topical treatments that may slightly enlarge lips over time because they contain peptides or hyaluronic acid.
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To make your own plumping product, rub a small amount of cayenne pepper on your lips. It’s the main active ingredient in many commercial plumpers.
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If you have allergies to latex, bananas, kiwi, chestnuts, or avocado, you may have a cayenne allergy.
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Step 5
Create full lips with makeup
Create the illusion of fuller lips by lining them—except for the corners—with a pencil that matches your natural lip color, then smudging it. Next, apply a thin line of liquid highlighter at the top center of your upper lip and blend. Finally, apply a neutral lip color; then dab a tiny bit of shimmery gloss on the center of your bottom lip.
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Layering two complementary lip colors can create the illusion of depth.
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Step 6
Seek an M.D.'s advice
If you’re interested in a longer-lasting plumping solution, collagen or hyaluronic acid injections or a lip implant may be an option. Remember that these are medical procedures: Consult a doctor before making any decisions.
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Angelina Jolie’s lips are the most coveted by American women, according to a poll by the Beverly Hills Institute of Aesthetic & Reconstructive Surgery.
