How To Make Your Lips Look Bigger – Tips And Tricks

Natural and easy-to-follow methods to plump up your lips for a selfie-ready pout.

Reviewed by Gabrielle Richens, Skin Therapist Gabrielle Richens Gabrielle RichensSkin Therapist facebook_iconinsta_icon
Written by , BA (Literature & Psychology), PG Diploma Arshiya Syeda BA (Literature & Psychology), PG Diploma Experience: 7 years
Edited by , MA (English Literature) Ramona Sinha MA (English Literature) Experience: 11 years
Fact-checked by , Integrated MA Medha Deb Integrated MA Experience: 5 years
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A perfect pout can make you look gorgeous, which is especially true if you have fuller lips to show off. But, how can you make your lips look bigger if you have thin lips? If you believe that lip fillers, lip augmentation procedures, and overpriced lip kits are your only options, you are mistaken because you can make your pout look more luscious without undergoing these invasive treatments and unnecessary makeup products that just don’t work.

Yes, there are various non-surgical methods and beauty tips for achieving plump lips. In this article, we have discussed all of them. Keep reading to know more.

How To Make Your Lips Look Bigger?

You can try several tips and tricks to make your lips look bigger. Here are some worth considering:

  •  Exfoliate Your Lips
Exfoliate to make your lips look bigger
Image: Shutterstock

You do not want your lips to look flaky and lifeless due to the dead skin cells, do you? Exfoliating your lips can reduce flakiness and dead cells efficiently. The process of exfoliation will also help plump up your lips and give them a fuller appearance.

You can use a homemade lip scrub made of sugar and coconut oil. Sugar is a natural source of glycolic acid that can effectively exfoliate and remove dead skin. While coconut oil is high in vitamin E and fatty acids to help nourish and repair dry lips.

Here is what you need to do:

Ingredients

  •  Sugar – 2 teaspoons
  •  Coconut oil – 1 teaspoon

Procedure

  1.  Mix sugar and coconut oil in a glass bowl. You can use regular sugar or opt for organic or brown sugar.
  2.  Apply the mixture to your lips with gentle pressure.
  3. Massage this DIY lip exfoliator in a circular motion for 1 to 2 minutes to get rid of dead skin cells.
  4. Rinse with warm water and wipe using a face cloth.
  5. Apply a non-toxic lip balm to prevent drying.
  •  Hydrate Yourself

The skin on the lips cannot retain high water content (1). Lips tend to get dehydrated faster, and this also can impact their plump look. Hence, drink plenty of water to maintain the soft, plump, and hydrated look of your lips. You also must protect your lips from sun damage. Applying a lip balm made with natural plant butters to your lips may seal moisture and also offer sun protection. A lip serum can prove more beneficial during the winter for deep hydration of the lips, to increase elasticity, decrease wrinkles, and make them soft. While this trick may not make your lips bigger physically, it can make them appear fuller and healthier.

  •  Overline Your Lips
Overline to make your lips look bigger
Image: Shutterstock

Sometimes, a simple lip makeup trick can go a long way to make your lips look bigger. Apply a small amount of concealer and dab your lips with it. Trace your lips using a lip liner. The trick is to draw this outline a little outside your natural lip line. This will help make your lips appear bigger.

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Ensure you use a lip liner that matches your skin tone and lip color to make it look natural.

The final step is to fill in your lips with a lipstick that matches the color of your lip liner. Use lip oil under or over your lipstick to protect your lips from drying.

  •  Make Them Seem Fuller

You can lend your lips a seemingly fuller appearance instead of making them bigger. Creating this illusion is easier with smooth and healthy lips. Begin by filling your lips with lipstick or lip stain. Touch up the center of your upper and lower lips with a small amount of shimmering eye shadow. This will help draw the light to the center of your lips and make them appear more dimensional and fuller. You can replace the highlighter with clear lip gloss if you want to make your lips look bigger in a subtle way.

A blogger shared her secret to making her small lips look bigger. She explained, “Once you’ve applied a base layer, angle the lipstick so the bottom edge is the only bit touching your lip, and ‘line’ the bottom edge of your bottom lip. Make a cross at your cupid’s bow. Fill in the rest of the top lip, again angling the lipstick so that the top edge of the lip gets slightly more colour (i).”

protip_icon Quick Tip

You can also use a darker lip tint around the outer borders of the lips and a lighter shade on the inner area of your pout to give the illusion of shadow and depth. This ombre effect can make your lips look fuller.
  •  Highlight Your Philtrum

The philtrum is the bow-shaped area in the middle of your upper lip. You can apply a small amount of highlighter to this part of your upper lip to make your lips look fuller and bigger. Also apply a small amount of matte bronze just under your lower lip so that it is placed above your chin. This will form an illusion of lifted lips.
This lip contouring tip effectively transforms your lips and lends them a lifted look that makes them appear bigger.

  •  Use Lip Plumpers

Lip plumpers are products that can make your lips look plumper and fuller than usual. These products are specifically formulated to swell your lips without the need to go for a surgical procedure.

The component list of lip plumpers includes ingredients that can irritate your lips mildly and cause them to swell with a tingling sensation. These lip plumpers serve to enlarge lips and increase their volume temporarily.

However, this lip plumping effect starts wearing off in a couple of hours (2). You can use them as and when you want and do not have to worry about making any permanent changes to your lips

  • Use A Suction Cup

A temporary method to enhance lip size involves using silicone suction cups. Clean your lips and lightly moisten the area around them. Position a small, round suction cup over your lips and gently suck the air out of the cup to create a suction and pull your lips into the cup. Hold the suction for 2-3 seconds, release the suction by inserting your finger between your lips and the cup, allowing air to flow back in. This method may offer only temporary results and give your lips a fuller appearance. However, suction cups should be used carefully to avoid any possible adverse effects on your lips, such as tearing of blood vessels or tissue damage.

  •  Opt For Dermal Fillers
Opt for dermal fillers to make your lips look bigger
Image: Shutterstock

Dermal filler lip injections can augment the appearance of your lips, increase their volume, and enhance your facial features. This treatment makes use of a hyaluronic acid-based injectable gel (3).

It is a painless cosmetic lip enhancement treatment wherein the gel is injected into your lips. It is a minimally invasive procedure. However, the effects of this treatment are temporary (4), (5). You can expect the dermal fillers to last anywhere between 6 to 12 months.

In a 2022 online survey conducted by the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS) among 1,850 member surgeons, 43% of respondents agreed that an increasing number of patients are opting for combination procedures to achieve longer-lasting results while minimizing recovery time. It also revealed that patients under the age of 30 were the most frequent individuals seeking lip augmentation procedures like having dermal fillers.

The FDA recognizes dermal fillers as safe (4).

Apart from these tips and professional treatment options, you also can make your lips appear bigger through facial exercise.

What Exercises Can Make Your Lips Appear Bigger?

Your face begins to suffer a sub-structural loss of muscle and fat with age. It also may experience skin laxity and sun damage (6). Blood circulation may also decrease significantly. These factors impact your lips and make them look thinner (7).

Facial exercises can help you attain a youthful look. They can make your upper and lower cheeks look fuller and your skin firmer (8). Regular facial exercise can stimulate the muscles surrounding your mouth and enhance blood circulation. This can lead to increased collagen production and potentially help your lips attain a plumper, fuller look. While the scientific evidence backing this claim is not robust, these exercises will certainly not hurt you.

  •  Whistling
Whistling can make your lips look bigger
Image: Shutterstock

Whistling is one of the most straightforward exercises that can perform. You make your lip and facial muscles contort and maintain a pout-like posture as you whistle. Doing this regularly a few times every day can enhance your pout. You may even feel some tension in the area surrounding your lips. This can mean that your muscles are getting engaged in the activity.

  •  Puckering Up
Pucker up to make your lips look bigger
Image: Shutterstock

Keeping your lips pursed is another facial exercise that you can try. Just pucker up your lips as if you are about to kiss and hold that position for the about 10 to 15 seconds. You need to repeat this 10 times. Do this exercise thrice a day.

  •  Moving Lips From Left To Right

Close your mouth and hold your lips together. Move them from left to right, and vice versa. Do this 10 times on each side. Repeat this exercise 4 to 5 times a day to add volume to your lips.

Infographic: DIY Lip Masks For Hydrated Lips

Having gorgeous, fuller lips is every woman’s dream. The good news is that you can use a few simple tricks to make your lips look full and luscious. Keeping your lips moisturized is one of the best ways to make them look bigger. In addition, you can use hydrating lip masks for fuller and healthier lips.

Check out the infographic below to know more!

diy lip masks for hydrated lips (infographic)

Illustration: StyleCraze Design Team

Lip fillers and lip kits are not the only ways to make your lips look bigger. There are other simple tips and hacks that help you achieve fuller and bigger lips instead of these cosmetic procedures. For example, you can overline your lips and fill them in with lipsticks and create an illusion of fuller lips. Lip care home remedies like hydrating and exfoliating will also help you achieve plumper and healthier lips. Regular use of lip moisturizer can make your lips fuller and healthier. You may also try facial exercises and whistling to add volume to your lips. Start following these tips and hacks to improve your lip volume and appearance without spending a lot on cosmetic procedures.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does pinching your lips make them bigger?

No. Pinching the lips won’t make them appear fuller and bigger. However, exercising the muscles around the mouth may tone them and make the lips appear fuller.

Can I do lip fillers at home?

You may use the at-home lip fillers to self-inject your lips at home. However, the risk of botched results is high. Therefore, consult a cosmetologist before trying them at home.

Does ice make lips bigger?

Applying ice to the lips may plump them up due to the cold temperature causing a constriction of blood vessels. This plumping effect is usually short-lived and not a permanent solution for achieving fuller lips. We recommend wrapping the ice in a cloth or using a cold compress, as applying ice directly to the skin can cause damage.

Does kissing increase lip size?

Kissing may temporarily increase blood flow to the lips, causing them to appear slightly fuller.

Are heart shaped lips rare?

Yes, heart-shaped lips or cupid’s bow lips are considered rare, while fuller lips are more commonly seen.

Does heat make lips bigger?

Applying heat to the lips can cause a temporary increase in blood flow and may result in a slight swelling or redness, causing the lips to look bigger. Avoid directly applying heat to the lips, as it can be dangerous and cause burns or other skin damage.

Does massaging your lips everyday make them bigger?

Daily massaging the lips may improve blood flow to the area and help temporarily plump them up. However, it is unlikely to result in a permanent increase in lip size. Some lip massage techniques may help smooth out fine lines and wrinkles around the lips, making them appear fuller and more youthful, but these effects are also temporary.

Are there any risks or side effects associated with lip plumping products or procedures?

Some people may have an allergic reaction to the ingredients in lip-plumping products, leading to redness, swelling and itching. Overusing lip plumping products may also cause irritation and inflammation, making the lips feel sore, tender, or uncomfortable. Some other side effects are uneven, unnatural results, infections, and the risk of permanent scarring.

Key Takeaways

  • Age, sun damage, and losing skin elasticity makes the lips thinner.
  • Many non-surgical methods can help provide fuller lips. These are easy to follow and painless.
  • There are a few exercises that can give your lips a plumper look.
Make Your Lips Look Bigger

Image: Stable Diffusion/StyleCraze Design Team

Learn how to get bigger and fuller lips naturally without surgery or fillers. Follow simple lip exercises to get the lips of your dreams by watching the video below.

Personal Experience: Source

References

Articles on StyleCraze are backed by verified information from peer-reviewed and academic research papers, reputed organizations, research institutions, and medical associations to ensure accuracy and relevance. Read our editorial policy to learn more.

  1. The efficacy of a highly occlusive formulation for dry lips
    https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31571236/
  2. How long does the volumizing effect of a Zingiber officinale-based lip plumper last?
    https://www.researchgate.net/publication/310807166_How_long_does_the_volumizing_effect_of_a_Zingiber_officinale-based_lip_plumper_last
  3. Assessment of the Efficacy and Safety of Hyaluronic Acid Gel Injection in the Restoration of Fullness of the Upper Lips
    https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5561704/
  4. Hyaluronic acid gel ( Juvéderm™) preparations in the treatment of facial wrinkles and folds
    https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2682392/
  5. Long-term efficacy safety and durability of Juvéderm® XC
    https://www.researchgate.net/publication/255955821_Long-term_efficacy_safety_and_durability_of_JuvedermR_XC
  6. Association of Facial Exercise With the Appearance of Aging
    https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5885810/
  7. Age-related changes in lip morphological and physiological characteristics in Korean women
    https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/srt.12644
  8. Association of Facial Exercise With the Appearance of Aging
    https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamadermatology/fullarticle/2666801
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