We might all have a staple makeup base, but when it comes to lipsticks, this is the best and quickest way to revamp your makeup look. Who else is a better example for beautiful, luscious lips than Kylie Jenner?
Kylie Jenner is known for her major transformation when she all of a sudden appeared with much bigger lips and a completely transformed look. Since then, everyone’s been talking about that perfect pout and now everyone wants to achieve those perfect Kylie Jenner lips she so proudly shows off on social media.
We have the ultimate guide to help you make the most of your lips with the best products and tricks to try, including techniques used by Kylie Jenner herself.
1. Proper Lip Care
The first step to achieving gorgeous lips is maintenance. As our lips are always exposed, they are prone to dehydration, particularly during the colder winter months. The skin on the lips is also unlike skin anywhere else on the body; it’s thinner and has no oil glands, which means the lips are more susceptible to becoming chapped and sore. To prevent this, it’s important to invest time in your lip-care routine.
Moisturizing your lips is important, and hydrating ingredients, such as shea butter, vitamin E and almond, jojoba or coconut oil works wonders. Elizabeth Arden’s 8 Hour Cream has become a cult favorite among many beauty bloggers, while Palmer’s Cocoa Butter lip balm is a cheaper alternative that works just as well.
Lips are susceptible to sunburn since they lack melanin—the pigment that helps to protect skin from the sun—so, make sure you use a lip balm with an added SPF like this Bobbi Brown lip balm.
2. Lip Exfoliators
Lip exfoliators slough off dead skin to keep your lips looking smooth and plump. If you have sensitive lips, or your lips are chapped or cracked, then try not to exfoliate your lips no more than once a week as these exfoliators can irritate the lips. The Lush lip exfoliators are the perfect choice, as they’re not too harsh on the lips and come in a range of different flavors.
3. Lip Liner
The key to perfecting the killer pout is lining your lips. If you know how to use lip liner properly, you can easily make your lips appear fuller and more defined while keeping your lipstick in place.
MAC
Renowned by the likes of Kylie Jenner, MAC’s lip pencil in Spice has become the world’s bestselling luxury lip liner—and with good reason! It matches a whole range of red-brown shades for the ultimate off duty nude that is much loved by the Kardashians.
Charlotte Tilbury
Lip liners are revolutionized with the Charlotte Tilbury Lip Cheat pencil that has the ability to completely re-shape, re-size and balance your lips in a few simple strokes. The texture means there is no feathering or transfer while smoothing over lips for a seamless line if you want to enhance the shape. Try the Lip Cheats in Pillowtalk and Kiss ‘n’ Tell as these are the most iconic shades.
Lord & Berry
For a cheaper alternative with the same high quality, try Lord & Berry’s Ultimate Lip Liner. The soft and blendable pencils are perfect with glosses or lip balms, and last for hours, so even when your lip gloss wears off, you can be sure your lip liner will still be looking as perfect as when you first applied it.
Barry M
If you’re looking for a drugstore option, Barry M Lip Liner does wonders for the price tag. The pencils come in a range of shades, and, for the money, they’re worth every penny.
4. Lip Gloss for the Illusion of Fuller Lips
When it comes to creating the perfect pout lip gloss is a key product to ensure your lips are looking their plumpest. The transparency and glossiness of lip glosses give the illusion of hyper-hydration and make your lips look fuller as a result.
NARS
The NARS lip glosses are great! Not only do they come in an endless array of colors, the formula doesn’t leave you with the sticky feeling that some lip glosses do. Plus, the formula is moisturizing and lasts for hours, even after eating and drinking.
Clarins
The Clarins Instant Light Natural Lip Perfector is the ideal, everyday lip gloss. 3D radiance pigments are used to enhance lips optically and create a perfected result while a base of shea butter and mango work to soften and protect lips for a smoother look.
Lancome
The Lancome Juicy Tubes give transparent shine, plus a hint of color that makes lips glisten for a glamorous lacquered effect. The glosses come in a range of sorbet colors in a fragranced gel texture, which leaves lips looking more plump than usual because of the shine.
Chanel
Chanel’s Glossimers are just as luxurious as their iconic designer packaging. The ultra-shiny gloss comes in over 20 shades, so there’s something for everyone, while the doe foot applicator provides for quick and easy application!
Rimmel
Finally, one of the best drug store products on the market comes in the form ofRimmel London’s lip glosses. Their super creamy texture, non-sticky formula and range of colors make them one of the best at a drugstore.
5. The Right Lipstick
Lipstick is a staple in any girl’s makeup bag, so we’ve rounded up the ones worth having in your makeup kit!
NARS Velvet Matte Lip Pencils
The NARS range of Jumbo Lip Crayons are the ultimate matte no-fuss lip saviors and available in a range of rich, vivid shades. These lip colors are highly pigmented, long lasting and non-drying.
Kylie Jenner worked a bold red lip to perfection at the Nip and Fab party last March. She kept the rest of her makeup simple with a gold eye and bronzed skin, leaving all the attention on her plump pout.
Chanel Rouge Allure Velvet
For those of you wanting a show-stopping neon bright to wow, look no further than this Chanel beauty.
This electric pink is a vibrant, cool-toned fuchsia magenta with blue undertones and a semi-matte finish so it works best on fair skins. Wear this lip with a dewy base, a tiny pop of blush and a flick of eyeliner for this shocking pink to work perfectly.
Blonde beauty Blake Lively proved that no color is too bold as she rocked this electric pink matte lip. Blake wore the hot pink lipstick with a bronzed complexion and a white outfit, making the lip pop instantly!
Tom Ford
When it comes to choosing the perfect nude, Tom Ford’s First Time is as good as it gets. Rare ingredients, including soja seed extract, Brazilian murumuru butter and chamomilla flower oil, are blended to create an ultra-creamy texture that lasts for hours.
Actress Jennifer Lawrence stunned in a nude lip at the New York Premiere of her film Joy in December last year, proving the age-old tradition that less is more and you don’t have to go all out with your makeup look even for a red carpet event.
MAC
Another range of cult lipsticks come from none other than MAC, a brand much loved by Kylie Jenner and the Kardashians. Jenner has been known to blend several MAC shades to perfect the perfect pout, including MAC’s Mehr and Velvet Teddy—two dark nude shades.
Charlotte Tillbury
During fall, there’s no better lipstick than a dark, moody berry shade and Charlotte Tilbury’s Matte Revolution Lipstick in the shade Glastonberry is perfect for this. The blackcurrant hue is enriched with orchid extract, which soothes and hydrates for a soft, buildable finish whil 3D glowing pigments create the illusion of fuller and wider lips.
Emma Watson wowed in a berry shade during the 2012 premiere of her film, The Perks of Being a Wallflower.
6. Best Red Lipsticks for Your Skin Tone
Nothing is quite as iconic as a red lip so we have an in-depth guide to the best reds on the market. For decades, red lipstick has been a timeless staple in every woman’s makeup bag, with the power to transform any makeup look instantly. However, finding the perfect shade of crimson to flatter your complexion can sometimes be a struggle. From blood-red shades to deep vampy reds, we round up the best lipsticks to suit your skin tone.
For those with fair skin, blue-based and coral toned reds work best as the cooler tones compliment very fair skin without washing you out. The blue tones within the red help to make teeth look whiter while giving an effortlessly youthful look, so the shade works best with simple and clean makeup—a rosy pink blush and crisp black liquid liner do the trick.
Our picks include NARS Velvet Matte Lip Pencil in the shade Red Square (£19). For a drugstore alternative, try Revlon’s Colour Burst Matte Balm in the shade Striking (£7.99).
For a long-lasting matte lipstick, try MAC’s Ruby Woo (£15.50)—a perfect vivid blue-toned red and a recent favorite of fair-skinned beauty Taylor Swift.
Medium complexions look best with a warmer orange-based toned red; for a contrast, a deep wine or plum-based red also works well. Choose Topshop Lips in Rio Rio (£8) for an orange-toned red or, for a darker plum-based red, try Rimmel London’s Kate Moss Matte Lipstick in number 107 (£5.49).
Latino actress Eva Longoria often opts for a deep, classic pure brick red that works perfectly with her warm skin and luscious brunette hair.
For those with olive-toned skin, look for reds with an orange or coral base. A shiny finish helps to make the lipstick stand out on darker skin while enhancing the colour. Olive-toned skin tends to have green undertones, and suits a more orange-based red like MAC Lipstick in the shade Lady Danger for £15.50 and Givenchy Le Rouge in Mandarine Bolero, £25.
Kim Kardashian showed those with olive skins just how to rock the perfect red lip at an Oscars party last year. The Keeping Up With the Kardashians star paired the lip with a black flick of eyeliner, false lashes and bronzed skin, making her look effortlessly gorgeous.
Finally, darker skin tones look stunning with full on deep reds featuring blue undertones as the dark skin contrasts perfectly with the cooler tones of the lipstick.
The perfect lipsticks for brown skin tones to try, include Burberry Kisses in the shade Military Red (£25) or Tom Ford Lip Colour in Cherry Lush (£36).
British model Jourdan Dunn gave a lesson in wearing a bold red lip as she rocked a bright, classic red shade with a yellow midi dress as she attended amFAR’S 21st Cinema Against AIDS Gala last year.
7. Secrets to Lip Contouring
If you want to create the perfect pout without resorting to permanent measures, such as lip fillers or cosmetic tattoos, then contouring is what you’ve been looking for.
Start by using a white eyeliner pencil, and very softly feather the pencil over the natural contour of the lip. Or, use the pencil to make your lips look fuller or thinner by drawing the line past your natural lipline. Redo this line with a lip pencil in the color of your choice.
Apply lipstick as usual with a lip brush or straight from the bullet. And then apply a light shade of base foundation around the new lip line, blending to a soft edge with the lip brush. The light foundation color helps to reflect light and gives lips a fuller appearance.
Then, dab a highlighter of your choice in the center of your cupid’s bow to give the illusion of a fuller pout; NARS Copacabana Highlighter or Benefit’s High Beam work perfectly for this.
With a bronzer of your choice, lightly shade right below your lower lip line for instant volume. To finish the look, apply a dab of gloss to the top part of your cupid’s bow and to the center of the bottom of your lower lip as the gloss will reflect light and make your lips look plumper and fuller.
8. Fuller Lip Exercises
As we age, our face loses muscle tone, which can make our lips appear thinner. However, the muscle surrounding your lips can be firmed up with these tried and tested exercises. This will, in turn, stimulate the production of collagen, which will naturally make your lips appear fuller.
1. Smile as broadly as you can while keeping your mouth closed and lips press together. Then, pucker your lips up as if you were about to kiss someone. Hold both actions for 10 seconds each, relax and repeat 5 times.
2. This next exercise really helps to work the muscles of the mouth and prevent any wrinkles at the corners. Pull your mouth into a wide smile and open your mouth as you do so. Hold for 10 seconds and repeat 10 times. This will work the muscles at the corners of your lips.
3. Finally, try plumping the lips by placing both of your thumbs under your top lip, resting your thumbnails gently against your gums. Then, gently pull your upper lip down over your thumbs, hold for 5 seconds and repeat along the length of your upper lip.
9. Lip Plumper: Yes or No?
Follow the emergence of a viral internet craze last year, where teens enlarged their lips by using tools such as lip plumper in a bid to look like Kylie and achieve those Kylie Jenner lips. The results are said to last for hours or even days.
If you want to try out the tool, avoid using shot glasses or other random objects like some teens have, but you could always try the Fullips. While this product does give you full lips, it should be remembered that using a tool to enhance your lips can also cause severe bruising and leave you with painful after effects.
For a temporary solution that’s safer than a lip plumping device, try a lip gloss that tingles as it plumps. The Glamglow Plumprageous Gloss Lip Treatment works to instantly plump the lips, with its high potency botanical plumping ingredients and long-term enhancement from a specialty tripeptide with a pro-lipid complex. The super-smooth, clear gloss is not sticky and creates noticeably fuller lips without having to risk bruising your lips from a lip plumping device.
10. Natural Remedies for Fuller Lips
Honey can be used to plump lips naturally. By applying a light layer to your lips, this encourages the skin to draw moisture to the surface, giving lips a temporary plumping boost. In addition to being natural, it tastes good!
Another trick is to use concentrated peppermint or cinnamon oil on your lips to increase blood flow and give your lips a healthy glow. Try to avoid applying the oils directly though; instead, add a tiny drop to your favorite lip balm or lip oil as they can make your lips tingle if you use too much.
Finally, cayenne pepper is another natural remedy to help you achieve that plump pout. Add one or two drops of cayenne pepper essential oil to your lip balm for a naturally glossy lip plumper.
11. Lip Enhancements
If you want long lasting results, something like lip fillers might be more of a solution. However, these can be expensive, and you don’t want to save money by cutting corners and going somewhere cheap with a bad reputation.
Another option is cosmetic lip tattoos, but these are meant to enhance lips, not create actual fullness. Amy Kernahan, a permanent makeup artist, described how cosmetic lip tattoos are used to create the illusion of full lips. According to her, “Since part of the process is outlining right on the border of the lip, [she’s] only helping to give your lips the appearance that their fuller”.
If you want to get a color close to your natural lip color, you’ll have to spend longer going for touch ups. It’s suggested you tattoo your lips one or two shades darker or brighter depending on your natural skin tone.
It’s important to remember that tattooing your lips can be extremely painful as lips are especially sensitive, so many people have to pay extra for an anesthetic to block the pain. The healing process takes as long as 10 days, and lips can become dry and chapped as they heal, which isn’t good for your lips.
Finally, lip tattoos last longer than temporary lip fillers, but they cost more, take longer to heal and are more painful. If you’re still interested in changing your lips, then lip fillers might be the better option.
12. Kylie Jenner’s Lips: Before and After
Kylie Jenner has become known for her perfect and full pout, but there has been serious speculation over whether or not she’s had fillers to help achieve this perfect pout. Jenner denied the speculation until finally coming clean during an episode of Keeping Up With the Kardashians where she admitted to receiving fillers because she felt insecure about her appearance.
December 2012:
Jenner said, “I have temporary lip fillers. It’s just an insecurity of mine, and it’s what I wanted to do”. However in a later interview with the New York Times, she clarified by admitting that she gets Juvéderm for her lips. The Hyaluronic acid injections absorb water and give lips a fuller look. Juvéderm can also be used to remove wrinkles in the face.
“I still do Juvéderm for my lips,” she told The Times. “I go to Dr. Ourian in Beverly Hills. He’s the best, and he’s super natural about it. I was going to somebody before, and it was just looking crazy. I would recommend that anyone who gets it done go for a filler that lasts only two to four months. It’s annoying to keep going back, but you have the option of stopping it”.
Three years later in 2015:
13. Lip Kit by Kylie Jenner
If you want to achieve the perfect Kylie Jenner pout, then the Lip Kit by Kylie is the answer you’ve been waiting for. Available in three shades, all handpicked by Jenner herself, each color is applied in one swipe and dries to a powdery-soft, matte finish. The blend of waxes, silicon and polymers give the product its smooth and easy glide color. Plus, the Lip Kit isn’t tested on animals!
The Lip Kit is currently sold out, but it is being restocked so follow @kyliecosmetics on Twitter to be the first to know the new launch date.
Making the most of your lips starts with caring for them and choosing the right products and the best home remedies. Enhance the beauty of your lips by following our simple steps in the ultimate lip guide, and soon, you’ll achieve those Kylie Jenner lips everyone’s talking about.