Fuller Lips Are Just 1 Quick and Easy Makeup Trick Away

Updated on 8/24/2016 at 6:00 AM

POPSUGAR Photography | Benjamin Stone

Have you, like us, been clamoring for fuller lips but aren't really into that whole #KylieJennerChallenge deal? We don't blame you. We're more into a natural approach to things, too, and definitely prefer a little help from a perfectly planned optical illusion over injections and gimmicks.

But even though our jobs require us to dig deep for unexpected tricks that will satisfy the hottest trends out there, we had failed to find a perfect alternative to making lips truly appear plumper the natural way . . . until now. It turns out what you need to make your pout seem more voluptuous is a touch of an unexpected lip color.

The Make Up For Ever education team spilled the secret, when they showed us how a few dots of white lipstick bring the fuller parts of your pout front and center. It's actually the same technique you would to highlights your cheekbones with a lighter shade (genius!). Here, we relied on new lipsticks from MUFE's Artist Rouge collection (on sale at Sephora.com on July 22 and on MakeUpForEver.com and in Sephora stores on Aug. 5) to make our model's lips appear ultrakissable and enviably pillowy.

Step 1: Create a base.

To prevent feathering and avoid having to retouch your highlighted lipstick throughout the day, use a colorless liner to draw your natural lip line. "The waxes in the pencil create a barrier that prevents a highly pigmented lipstick from bleeding onto skin," says Lijha Stewart, director of artistry and education at Make Up For Ever.

Step 2: Apply the color.

Swipe on your favorite bright lipstick, making sure to stay inside the lines. Our model is wearing Make Up For Ever Artist Rouge in M403, a classic red with a matte finish.

Step 3: Highlight your lips.

The process is simple: using a flat lip brush, dot white lipstick on the center of your top and bottom lips — where your lips are their thickest up the most. "It's just like highlighting your face with a lighter shade of illuminator; the goal is to create contrast in order to create volume," Stewart explains.

Step 4: Carefully blend.

Using swift tapping motions, blend the white into the color. Do not brush back and forth or you’ll simply mix the two shades and fail to achieve that eye-catching effect that creates the illusion of fuller lips.

Final Look

The brighter the lipstick, the more clear the plumping effect will be as it stands out better against the white. Our votes go to classic red, bright fuchsia, neon orange, and lavender purple.

Final Look

Enjoy your gorgeous pucker!

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