There was a moment during lockdown when I was on the brink of booking a lip filler appointment. Go figure. Nothing will make you reassess the proportions of your face quite like months on end spent staring at it via the medium of pixelated Zoom and Microsoft Teams meetings. Evenings were spent trying out hyper realistic TikTok filters on for size. One in particular turned up my top lip and widened it very slightly - a look I loved and one that went three quarters of the way to persuading me that yes, lip fillers were the way to go. A swipe of numbing cream here, an injection or two there and maybe I could achieve the look for real, smooth out my lips to juicy, Kardashian-levels of plumpness and eradicate the 'need' for TikTok filters altogether.
Of course with lockdown came the shutdown of IRL beauty and clinic services - a tragedy for the industry that is still being felt today, but nevertheless one that imposed a crucial cooling off period on me. I have no problem with lip fillers when administered after a thorough consultation by an accredited professional but, five years down the line - and now with a game-changing lip liner trick in my make-up arsenal - I realise the procedure wasn't for me.
In November 2021, Mario Dedivanovic (longtime make-up artist and friend of Kim Kardashian) took to TikTok to reveal the lip liner application technique he uses to mimic the effects a lip flip. This was one of the new Botox treatments doing the rounds at the time - a small amount of Botox is injected to turn the top lip upwards and give the illusion of fuller lips, not unlike the filter look that sucked me in on TikTok.
Dedivanovic's needle-free alternative involves overlining your cupids bow and the underside of your bottom lip only, rather than going the whole hog and tackling every part of your natural lip line. It's an easy technique to master and one that pays dividends in the fuller-looking-lips department - I was impressed. I'm all about minimum-effort-maximum-gains when it comes to make-up and this falls perfectly into that category - it's consequently a key component of my go-to make-up look.
Shop: The Two Products I Use For Fuller Lips
MAC Cosmeticswww.sephora.co.uk
It's a deep rose shade that perfectly mimics my natural lip colour and goes one grade darker. I gently sweep it across the edges of my natural lip line, then over my cupid's bow to make it appear more shallow and slightly over the sides of my mouth to make my lips look wider. I add depth and the centre half of my bottom lip line too.
Pros
- A pro favourite.
- Great range of shades available.
- Lasts a long time.
Cons
- Somewhat expensive for a small pencil, but worth the spend.
Victoria Beckham Beautywww.selfridges.com
A wash of rosy coloured gloss that packs a punch in the shine department. It feels very conditioning, gives the level of gleam you're likely to be after if you're making a grab for a gloss - ie. way more than you'd get from a balm - and evens the texture of your lips too, a real plus if you find yourself perennially chapped of lip come winter like me.
Pros
- Conditioning.
- High shine.
- Luxe packaging.
Cons
- Expensive for a gloss, but worth it in my opinion.
Annie Vischer is beauty director at Grazia. Annie was previously beauty editor across a number of lifestyle titles at TI Media (now Future Plc) including Woman & Home magazine and Feel Good You. Annie has over a decade-worth of experience as a beauty journalist under her belt and is an established authority in the beauty industry, known for covering skincare, make-up, hair care, body care, treatments and wellness in print, online and across social media.