How to Fake 3D Lips Without Getting Any Fillers

Let’s face it, when it comes to our lips, we all like to err on the side of juicy plumpness. But few could have predicted the lengths some of us would one day go to get it. “I’ve seen a 46 percent increase in demand for lip fillers over the past three years,” says London-based cosmetic doctor Tijion Esho.

And here’s the shocking bit: “Most filler enthusiasts are between 26 and 29 years old.” Now, we care about your lips and would never want you to leave the house with a pair of inner-tyre tubes on your face. So we’ve collected the best ways to plump your pout that don’t involve a brush with a needle.

THE POWER LACQUER

This is a gloss, but not as you know it. Industrial amounts of micro-milled, high shine pigments, along with a mix of balmy waxes and glossy polymers, make for modern glosses that have it all: blinding shine that optically contours lips for a mega-pout illusion and full-on, opaque colour that stays put. We adore Essence Shine Shine Shine Lipgloss, MaxFactor Colour Elixir Gloss, and Dior Addict Lacquer Stick.

THE LIPSTICK BALM

The point of a balm is to soften and plump lips long-term with plant emollients that properly nourish. It’s the perfect texture if you want bigger-looking lips in a swipe, but the trade-off is wishy-washy colour. Well, not anymore: tinted balms with the colour pay-off of a lipstick are officially a thing.

Check out Cosmo's top picks for an enviably fuller pout:

 

By: Alexis Teasdale

This article was originally published in the August 2018 issue of Cosmopolitan India.