How to Get Fuller, More Plump Lips in 5 Easy Steps

There is more to life than just overlining your lips to get volume, dear readers!  Read on to learn how to give your pucker maximum oomph.

We all have that one thing. That singular feature we LOVE, that we play up when we are out on the town, the characteristic our loyal girl gang always raves about; that infamous attribute that makes you YOU.  

For example, I may not have been graced with my mother’s elegant, dainty digits, complete with perfect oval shaped nail beds suitable for a lengthy and profitable hand modeling career; no, luckily I inherited dear old Dad’s stubby Fred Flintstone-style fingers.  But my one claim to fame (in addition to my razor-sharp wit and knack for self-deprecating humor) is my kisser.  I. LOVE. MY. LIPS. Like, LOVE love them; always have, always will. The perfect pout has inherent power. Just look at Angelina, Kim and Scar Jo; such pout perfection can communicate infinite emotions without saying a word, and leave others speechless in its presence.

So, it’s no surprise that millions of people spend serious coin to get luscious levres; even with mask mandates firmly in place, the allure of a lacquered lip still lingers.  Resident makeup artist, Aly Collins of Aly Rose Beauty, knows this first hand.  Certified in commercial, television and film makeup, as well as beauty, bridal and special effects, not to mention having been in the beauty industry since she was 16, Collins knows that a well-crafted lip is a thing of beauty. 

I got to gab with the seasoned makeup artist and lover of lips (her own included), and she gave me the 411 on crafting the perfect pout; so, pucker up, buttercup!

You Know What They Say…Hydrate or Die

Ok, so maybe that’s a BIT extreme when it comes to your beautiful bee-stung babies, but getting in the necessary amounts of agua will help your lips, as well as the rest of your bod, to stay properly hydrated. Incorporating hyaluronic acid into your skin care regimen can help with hydration as well.  Here’s a lip tip; after cleansing your face, keep it damp, and apply an HA based mist or serum to your face, focusing on your lips. Cult-favorite brand, Fillerina offers highly advanced hyaluronic acid formulations and their Lip Plump, complete with a massaging rollerball applicator is a cult-favorite. The hyaluronic acid acts as a sponge with water, absorbing it into the skin, giving your face (lips included) a refreshed plump! Full, hydrated lips mean less feathering and color bleed when it comes to lipsticks and glosses.

It’s Not Too Late-Exfoliate

Listen, we ALL know that flaky, cracked lips are the antithesis of sexy, or healthy for that matter.  Dead skin has no place on yo’ face, which is where lip exfoliants come in to work their magic.  Complete with shea butter, jojoba oil and delectable brown sugar, Fresh’s Sugar Lip Polish scrubs and moisturizes to get your lips feeling sweeeeeeet.  If you are pinching pennies, you can create your own at home from ingredients in your kitchen cabinet.  After exfoliating, make sure to remove with a quick rinse; pat lips dry and apply your favorite lip balm, making sure to pick one with SPF protection (Aly’s are Aquaphor Lip Repair and Fresh; I’m all about some Burt’s Bees and a classic, tried and true salve).    

Get Ready for Prime Time

The perfect primer gives a pretty pout staying power, but make sure to keep the application light. An excess of product can negatively impact application. “If you pile too much on, you won’t get a good result with lipstick application,” says Collins.  “Also, make sure the primer is dried down before applying color.” Using a primer like MAC’s Prep + Prime or Urban Decay’s Ultimate Ozone Multipurpose Primer Pencil followed by a quick dusting of translucent pressed powder to mattify your mouth helps prevent feathering, and won’t cause color to slip or wear off, leaving you to rock that red lip for the long haul. 

Line to Define…But Don’t Get Cray

When it comes to lip liner, follow the KISS mantra; Keep It Subtle, Sweetheart.  Follow your natural lip line with a shade of liner one to two shades darker than your lip color. Make sure to keep your liner sharpened (to avoid the “ouch” of a traditional wood lip pencil as the liner wears down), and take the approach of sketching your liner on for a natural line. 

For those who want to plump up the volume and give thinner lips some oomph, Collins suggests lining juuuuuust outside your natural line, to boost lip volume while keepin’ it real; her favorite liners are creamy Colourpop’s Lippie Pencil in Bumble and BFF 2, and Sorme’s W/P Smearproof Lipliner Pencil in Cognac and Decaf.  Need a little makeup motivation? Check out Pretty Little Liar Shay Mitchell and her makeup artist, Ariel Tejada in this tutorial where Ariel talks liner strategy for making your lips look their most luscious; influencer Kay Ngonyama’s nude lip tutorial also shows how use of a beautifully blended liner (before AND after gloss application) creates a breathtaking ombre look. 

Brush It Off & Plump It Up

You’ve prepped your canvas, now it’s time to start painting! Aly is a firm believer in applying lip color with a lip brush, which gives you more control, allowing you to blend color and establish clean lines for a defined lip. While there is a world full of colors and formulas from matte to satin to liquid, color stay, long wear lip colors are Aly’s go to. And with her core clients being brides, lip color that goes the distance is essential.  “I love a liquid matte finish lipstick.  They go on like water, and set like magic - they’re amazing!” she says.  From The Lip Bar’s Liquid Matte (the entire line is vegan and cruelty-free, and I’m legit OBSESSED with the Haute Mess and Curlfriend shades, and their Bawse Lady shade was voted Best Red Lip Stain by the Wall Street Journal). Suavecita’s Lip Grip and CoverGirl’s Outlast All Day Lip Color also give you the remarkable staying power you need, mask on or mask off.   

While you can absolutely stop there, throw on your sunglasses and rock some 24-karat matte lip magic for the day, we have to remember we’re looking for maximum plump.  Collins loves to layer a luscious lip look with a plumping gloss; “a healthy dab of clear shine or a lil’ bit of sparkle gives dimension to the lips, the illusion of fullness,” she says. Some of her favorites? Buxom Full On Plumping Lip Polish Gloss in White Russian (the tingle tells you it’s working), and Inglot Volumizing Lip Gloss in Dark and Stormy.  

My personal go-to is a classic, the LBD of lip gloss; a dab of clear MAC Lip Glass in the middle of my lower lip combined with gentle pursing of my lips to distribute the lacquer, gives added depth to an already luscious lippie.  

So, there you have it friends! From prepping to primer to the perfect pout, we’ve given you trade secrets and tips to make your mouth look marvelous. Bisou, bisou, babies!