My biggest struggle with my makeup routine has always been my lips, mainly because of my overbite. lipstick and I have never gotten along—it always ends up transferring onto my front teeth—and so I usually stick to simple, sheer lip looks.
That all changed recently when viral lip-stain liner pens hit the scene. They’ve been a total game-changer, letting me add both colour and definition to my lips without any transfer. They stay put all day, and I can easily top up with a tinted lip balm or lip oil if I need to.
Now, you might think lip contouring is just about lining your lips—but it’s so much more. Similar to permanent lip blushing, which enhances definition and fullness, lip contouring works on the same principle. The difference? It’s temporary and washes off at the end of the day. Since discovering lip contouring, I’ve realised I can create the look of fuller lips—no needles or tattooing required.
To learn more, I spoke with two experts in the field: makeup artist Lisa Eldridge, whose lip looks are always flawless, and BareMinerals education manager Maria Xavier-Jackson. Ahead, they share their best tips on mastering lip contouring, plus the go-to products that make it easy to achieve.
What is Lip Contouring?
Eldridge says that lip contouring "is choosing shades and using methods that sculpt and shape the lips, to allow you to create beautiful, natural-looking volume and dimension". It's essentially, as Xavier-Jackson explains, "an optical illusion. You use light and dark shades to make the lips appear fuller and more defined."
How to Lip Contour
In order to contour your lips, you're going to need two similar shades of lip liner and lip product. You want to opt for a darker liner and then a lighter product to fill your lips in. This will allow you to create that dimension. To make things really easy, Eldridge has shared her step-by-step process for lip contouring with a pencil liner with us below.
Step 1: Line Your Lips
Eldridge says you should start by "holding the pencil really lightly, so you’re not using too much pressure at all. Work in circular movements, starting at the centre of the cupid’s bow and gently buff the shade (not draw a direct line) all around the outer perimeter of your lip shape. You can use the side of the pencil to shade softly."
"When it comes to doing the same on the lower lip, you need to smile gently, keeping your lips together, which will help you to slightly overdraw your lip shape without making them look too overdrawn."
Step 2: Fill Your Lips
Now it's onto the sculpting element. Eldridge explains that this "is a bit like pencil drawing. Take your pencil and shade at the corners and edges, creating a strong edge at the outer corner, and buffing inward toward the centre into something much softer."
Xavier-Jackson says that you can add extra definition to certain parts of your lips at this stage to achieve the look you want. Make the 'v' of the cupid's bow a harsher line, to make it more prominent and your top lip look fuller. Or, if you want your bottom lip to look fuller, you can do a greater overline in the bottom centre of your lips compared to the rest of the outline.
Step 3: Add Lipstick, Tinted Balm or Oil
"To finish, take your lipstick straight to the centre of the lip. And that’s how I create a perfect, sculpted lip with volume and dimension that still looks natural" says Eldridge.
Personally, I like to use a tinted lip gloss, balm or oil instead of lipstick, as I find that the glossy shine helps to make my lips look plumper and juicier.
Shop the Best Products for Lip Contouring
This affordable high-street product from Rimmel also comes in 8 shades and has a tip that allows you to both line and fill. The brand's tests have shown that this feels 5 times lighter than lipstick on the lips.
There are lots of core and limited edition shades of these tinted lip balms to choose from. They nourish and hydrate the lips, and deliver a high-shine finish. Packed with peptides to plump your lips, and shea butter to condition, the formula is silky smooth and fills out fine lines.
These are one of my favourite lips oils as they are beautifully tinted like natural lips, and enhance your own lip tones. A blend of rose oil, hazelnut oil and jojoba oil - to nourish, hydrate, and strengthen the skin barrier. Non-sticky and ultra-glossy.
These tinted oil-lipstick hybrids are effortless to apply, as they just glide on and melt. Formulated with fig pulp and 6 nourishing oils to hydrate, condition and moisturise. Choose from 14 different shades.
If you prefer to line and contour your lips with a traditional pencil liner, you can't beat the Kylie Cosmetics Glowy Lips Kits, as you get the liner and a matching lip gloss to apply on top. The perfect pairing! Get a high-shine finish and 12 hours of hydration.
Available in ten shades, this soft pencil is so easy to use. Its creamy texture makes blending effortless, and it doesn't dry out the lips. Beautiful, pigmented colour that's long-wearing and feather-proof. You even get a sharpener with it!
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