Photo Credits: Robert Schlesinger / Stringer/ Getty Images | Image Used for Illustrative Purposes Only
Like the rest of our skin, aging affects the volume found in our lips, leaving our once-plump pout looking thinner and drier over time. However, there are also additional factors—excessive sun exposure, genetics and smoking—that can greatly accelerate the process and create less-than-full lips, lip lines and lack of definition even faster.
The silver lining: there’s a way to prevent some of it. Ahead, six ways to reverse and curb lip aging.
Exfoliation isn’t
just for every other part of your body. Lip-softening ingredients such as shea
butter and natural oils leave lips looking smooth, and when paired with
safe-for-lips exfoliators—sugar is a popular one—get to work even faster.
For a down-and-dirty
exfoliator, look no further than Sara Happ’s Lip Scrub ($24) that’s safe enough
to lick off; Clarins The Lip Oil ($26)—the iconic product just launched a
limited-edition collaboration with The Kooples—intensely hydrates suffering lips
and leaves behind a barely-there sheen.
Photo Credits: Brands
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Invest in anti-aging lip products
Line-ironing
hyaluronic acid and future-proofing SPF go a long way in keeping lips naturally
plump, smooth and youthful. Our current favorites: iS Clinical Youth Lip Elixir ($58) which calls on enzymes and vitamins C and E to keep your pout in tip-top
shape, and nourishing Supergoop! Acai Fusion Lip Balm ($9.50) complete with
shea butter and SPF 30.
Photo Credits: Brands
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Try out a plumping product
Subtle plumping is
just a swipe away, thanks to next-gen glosses and treatments that plump in
minutes. Must-tries include: Buxom Full-On Plumping Lip Polish ($21) is packed
with peptides, along with vitamins A and E, to douse lips with moisture and volume, Urban Decay Lip Plumper in Honey ($22) acts as the
perfect plumping topcoat to any lipstick and Glamglow Plumprageous Matte Lip Treatment ($19) delivers all of the fullness without all the shine.
Photo Credits: Brands
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Fake it with makeup
When you’re in a
pinch, nothing plumps a pout quicker than overlining lips or adding a touch of
gloss in the right place. To start, try a nude liner similar to the color of
your natural lips—Charlotte Tilbury Lip Cheat in Pillow Talk ($22) is a
makeup-artist favorite—and shade the corners of your lips before slightly
overdrawing the rest. Then, blend out the edges either with your finger or a lip brush
before topping with your favorite nude lipstick.
To contour your
lips, line them as you normally would—or use the above method—and find your two
favorite lipsticks (make sure they complement each other!). Apply the darker
shade all over the lips, then use the paler shade on the center of the lips and
blend outward. Voila! A fuller-looking pout.
Photo Credits: Charlotte Tilbury
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Watch your diet
Just like being
dehydrated can wreak havoc on our skin, the same goes for our lips. If dry lips
never seem to leave you, simply drinking more water may prove more helpful than you
think. Additionally, foods naturally high in collagen—think fish, dark green veggies and
berries—help keep lips looking full and
ageless.
Photo Credits: Ekateryna Zubal/ Shutterstock | Image Used for Illustrative Purposes Only
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Consider filler
If you’re after a
longer-lasting (and more invasive) solution to thinning lips, lip injections
with hyaluronic acid filler, fat grafting or a lip lift (a procedure where the
upper lip is shortened) may be right for you. A conversation with your
board-certified dermatologist, plastic surgeon, facial plastic surgeon or
oculoplastic surgeon will help determine the best—and most
natural-looking—course of action to keep your pout center stage and thriving.
Photo Credits: Jennifer Polixenni Brankin / Contributor/ Getty Images | Image Used for Illustrative Purposes Only
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