This article was written for Annabel & Grace, which is now part of Rest Less.
I have never had full ‘bee sting’ lips but, as I get older, I have noticed some not-so-welcome changes. A loss of volume and definition, as well as the first signs of those vertical lines – let’s call them lip wrinkles – above my mouth.
As young as 30, our natural collagen and hyaluronic acid production starts to slow down. There are three other factors – excessive sun exposure, genetics and smoking – all of which can accelerate the problems of thinning lips and wrinkles. OK, not brilliant news but there are ways to keep our lips looking good…
Exfoliate & Moisturise
Winter is coming and so are chapped lips. Top trick alert – exfoliate your lips with an old toothbrush and a blob of petroleum jelly. It’s easy and effective.
Protect
Another tip to ensure your lips are in tip-top condition is carry a lip balm with you to keep your kisser moisturised. My current fave is Lip Treat by Trinny London because it comes in a neat little pot, is colourless, tasteless and really hydrates my lips.
Or you might like Burt’s Bees Lip All Weather Moisturising lip balm which has SPF15 protection. Buy now
Use these lipstick application tricks
Is it just my face that looks blander the older I get? I am convinced that a pop of colour on our face is very important for us slightly more mature women. For me this includes both blusher and lipstick. I definitely feel less sallow after I have applied them. Lipstick gives definition back to your mouth and, if you apply it properly, it can definitely make your lips appear plumper.
Lip Prime Never Feather Lip Prime from our friend Tricia Cusden (Look Fabulous Forever) will hold your lip colour in place and prevent feathering.
Lip Liner Ditch the coloured lip liner unless it matches your lipstick. It is so ageing. Friends rave about this best selling Pillow Talk by make up guru Charlotte Tilbury (there are lots of other colours too).
Applying lipstick A lip brush will give you a professional look. After applying lip liner, colour in your lips and blot with tissue. Apply a second coat for longer lasting colour.
If you get bored with having to reapply your lipstick all the time, pick a lip liner shade you like (close to your natural lip colour) and fill in your entire lips with it, then top with a similar coloured lippie or a clear gloss. The liner acts as a stain and keeps your lips looking gorgeous.
Don’t be afraid of brighter colours Make the focal point of your face either your eyes or your lips, not both. A bright red, pink or orange can be very flattering when you are 50+. Bright lipstick also looks really good if you wear spex because it gives balance to your face.
… and those pesky lip wrinkles?
If you don’t want to go down the more drastic routes of chemical peels, laser resurfacing, Botox or injectable derma fillers (like Restylane or Juvederm), I suggest you moisturise the area above your upper lip as regularly as you do the rest of your lovely face. One final tip. Thanks again to Trinny for her Miracle Blur – it sort of fills in tiny wrinkles and all I know is that I feel more confident in my appearance once I’ve put some on above and below my lips. Just wish it came in a bigger pot!
Now, get pouting! Grace x
More wellbeing tips HERE