5 Tricks for full lips

Soften, smooth, and magnify your mouth with these expert tricks.

Even if you weren’t born with Angelina’s plump pout, you can get the look of her full, luscious lips, no needles required. “There are tons of nifty little makeup tricks and collagen-boosting products that can give the appearance of fullness,” says Shannon Grey Williams, a makeup artist in New York City. Here, five foolproof ways to maximize your mouth.

1. Slough Skin

Exfoliating removes dead skin while stimulating blood flow to the lips. “You’ll get a rosy, juicier-looking mouth that looks great untouched or with a slick of gloss,” says celebrity makeup artist Charlie Green. To get the effect, try one of the new lip scrubs, such as Philosophy Kiss Me Exfoliating Lip Scrub and Facial, $15; or massage your lips with a soft toothbrush and Vaseline. But keep sloughing to just once a week. “The skin on your lips is extra-sensitive and doesn’t regenerate as quickly as facial skin,” cautions Fredric Brandt, MD, a dermatologist in Miami and New York City.

2. Boost Collagen

Apply a lip treatment that contains special plumping ingredients at least twice a day. Too Faced Lip Injection Intensive Plumping Lip Mask, $29.50, contains vitamin A; Prescriptives Intensive Rebuilding Lip Shaper, $28, has the company’s own “HydraBuild” Complex and vitamins C and E. As a bonus, both of these formulas also contain hyaluronic acid, a powerful natural humectant that binds water to lips for a puffier look.

3. Stimulate Tissue

Swipe on a “plumping” gloss. Many contain spices such as cinnamon or black pepper to slightly irritate lips and make skin swell. You may find that they tingle or even sting, but experts agree there’s no danger of long-term discomfort. “Apply as much as you can take — this option sure beats the pain you get from a needle,” says Williams.

4. Add Dimension

Choose light shades over darker ones. “It’s basic color theory: Light things appear to be magnified,” says Williams.

5. Be an Illusionist

Top lip color with a dot of clear gloss in the center of your top and bottom lips. “Adding a reflective quality to the highest points of your lips creates a 3-D effect for a poutier appearance,” says Green. To make your pout pop even more, brush beige eye shadow along the edge of your upper lip with a small brush, says Wende Zomnir, executive creative director of Urban Decay Cosmetics. Most women have a bigger bottom lip, and this trick helps create proportion.