Explore 9 Different Types of Lips and Tips to Boost Their Look

Lips play a vital role in defining the structure of the face. Each person has unique lips, and the lip-type is primarily determined by genetics. Nonetheless, the appearance of your lips can be enhanced by taking good care. Every lip shape has a unique pattern of creases and crumples that makes your facial structure distinctive. And so are the makeup tips that aid in enhancing each shape! If you are interested in exploring different types of lips, then you are in for a treat. We have classified the 9 most common types of lip shapes that will surely aid you in identifying your own lip type. 

Furthermore, we have also sorted some makeup tips that can make a noticeable difference in the appearance of your lips. According to Amanda A. Thompson, Founder and CEO of Kick Peach Beauty, “An easy way to enhance lip shape daily with makeup is by choosing the right colors for your skin tones. Using a shade that is too light can make you appear "washed out" and using a color that is too dark can be overpowering to the face.  A simple trick is when testing lip colors, test them on the tips of your fingertips vs. the back of your hand or wrist, as your fingertips have a similar hue to your lips. Additionally, using contouring and highlighting around the lip area can help enhance the focus areas of each lip type. For example, using a small contour in a darker shade than your skin tone slightly beneath the bottom lip can give the illusion of a larger bottom lip while using a highlighter at the philtrum (the two lines that run to the cupid's bow).  Slightly overdrawing parts of the lips and shading with lip pencils can also help draw attention to or away from areas of focus of the lip.”

Let’s explore some common lip shapes and ways to enhance their appearance.

Explore 9 Different Types of Lip Shapes That Are the Most Common

1. Full Lips

Full lips are recognized as well-defined lips. The upper and bottom lip is plumped equally in this lip shape, and the lip texture feels cushion-like-soft. As a result, full lips are often regarded as an appealing facial characteristic. Due to the equal volume of both lips, full lips are perfectly balanced and considered the most desirable lip shape.

Makeup Tips for Full Lips

• Tap a hint of highlighter on the lining of your cupid’s bow, or apply a shimmery gloss. Blend it finely with your fingers for a more casual and everyday look.
• Do swear by the light or nude shades. Always go for the lip shade that compliments your skin tone for a more enhanced appearance.
• To give the illusion of smaller lips, you can use a lip liner that is one shade lighter than your lipstick. Softly outline the outer edges of your lips and then fill in your lip color.

2. Round Lips

With a super soft cupid’s bow, round lips have the same width all around. People with this kind of lip shape do not have to make an effort for the pout since this lip shape has natural fullness. If you have round lips, your shape will be bordered by two symmetrical curves when you smile and is further extended across the corners of your mouth.

Makeup Tips for Round Lips

• A glossy touch on the lip center can add to the plushness.
• Play around with the bold, dark lip shades to highlight the volume.
• Experiment with a lip liner if you want to alter the shape of your lips and wish to give the impression of elongation. To widen the area, overline the corners of your lips, but be mindful of your natural lip line and skip going overboard.
• You can also make your lips look fuller, richer, and rounder by using a lip liner that perfectly matches your lip color and skin tone. Use a lighter shade of lipstick. Top it up with a sheer lip gloss for a more augmented look.

3. Thin Lips

With minimum or no plumpness, thin lips lack definition and tend to be more elongated. This lip shape has an extremely thin upper and lower lip, along with a loud cupid’s bow. However, the question is, how would you identify if your lip shape falls into the category of paper-thin lips? This type of lips can be identified by the presence of vertical lines on the corners of the mouth. If you have naturally thin lips, then genetics could be a major reason for this. Apart from that, the age factor significantly influences inadequate lip volume.

Makeup Tips for Thin Lips

• To make your lips appear more voluminous, use a lip liner of a darker shade and outline your natural lip line. You can also go a little overboard with your natural lipline if you want a louder effect.
• Use a dab of highlighter below your lower lip to create a hydrated and plump appearance.
• You can also use lip plumper before applying your lipsticks for enhanced volume.
• Make sure to rely on lighter shades of lipstick.

4. Bow Shaped Lip

Going in line with the name of the lip shape, bow-shaped lips have a precisely defined cupid’s bow. Moreover, the lower lip in this shape has a slightly rounder appearance. Bow-shaped lips are often perceived as striking because a pronounced dip in the center produces a natural-looking cupid's bow. It further adds up to the symmetry of the lips. This kind of lip shape is closely linked with femininity.

Makeup Tips for Bow-Shaped Lips

• Highlight the cupid’s bow and follow it with a lip gloss to give a natural and plumpy effect.
• If you opt for a lip shade, use a lip liner to bring more definition. Use a lip shade that is similar to the tone of the liner. Don’t forget to smudge it all together and add a dash of highlighter on the V.

5. Heart Shaped Lips

Like a bow lip shape, heart-shaped lips also have a super sharp and defined cupid’s bow. However, the lower lip shape might differ from one individual to another. Some might have round and fuller lips, while others have softer edges. In numerous cultures, this lip shape is deemed a most-desired characteristic and is observed as an indicator of gorgeousness.

Makeup Tips for Heart-Shaped Lips

• Opt for a lip liner with a tone darker than your lipstick to outline the contours of your lips. Concentrate on accentuating the cupid's bow. Pop a bit of highlighter on the bow to make it the center of attention.
• Always choose a lip color that suits your skin tone. Prefer lighter shades (tints of pink or nudes) for a natural look.
• If you want a flashy appearance for night events, add a thin coat of clear or tinted gloss to your lips after applying lipstick. This will create a lustrous finish and enhance the lip dimension.

6. Heavy Upper Lips

As the name suggests, in this lip shape, the upper lip has more volume as compared to the lower lip, creating an uneven balance between the two. The lower lip is slightly droopy, while the upper lip has the perfect definition, due to which it appears larger and fuller.

Makeup Tips for Heavy Upper Lips

• Take a lip liner and outline the edges of your lips. Of course, you can go a little overboard. Now, apply the lipstick and dab the lip shade on the upper lip with your fingers to soften the ends.
• You can also use a concealer and lip brush to soften the upper lip edges before applying lipstick to achieve balanced proportions.
• A white lip liner can also work charmingly to make your lips appear even.

7. Bottom Heavy Lip

Conversely, the lower lip is fuller and voluminous than the upper lip when a person has bottom-heavy lips. Your lower lip will appear heavy, bringing a flair of added character and definition to your facial features. This lip shape can easily be fixed with the help of a lip liner or concealer.

Makeup Tips for Bottom Heavy Lips

• To create a balanced lip, define the edges with the help of a pencil liner. Going a little overboard is fine, but make the outlining seamless and soft. Opt for a white or nude shade of lip liner and try to create depth on your cupid’s bow so that it appears significant.
• To give the lower lip a less prominent appearance, you can apply a small amount of concealer or foundation on the borders of the lip and blend it with the surrounding skin.

8. Wide Lips

Wide lips are characterized by extended sides, stretching across with an elongated smile. They lack plumpness and are typically longer in shape. With a greater distance between the two sides of the lips, this lip shape can sometimes overwhelm your overall facial structure. But how would you identify this lip shape? If your smile extends up to your ears, then you are most likely to have wide lips. If wide lips dominate your facial features whenever you smile, then you can easily fix it with some makeup tactics.

Makeup Tips for Wide Lips

• To balance out the width of the lips according to your overall facial features, consider using a lip liner to overline your lips and create the illusion of a more even shape. This will diminish the appearance of excess width.
• Select a matte or soft-textured nude shade to give your lips a stylish and subtle look without being too overpowering.
• One way to draw attention away from your lips is by highlighting other facial features. You can achieve this by wearing more blush or doing a smokey eye, which will shift focus and divert attention to the rest of your face.

9. Downturned lips

Downward-turned lips refer to a lip type wherein the angles of corners contain a slight dip. This means the curves of the mouth is in a downward direction, resulting in an unhappy or serious facial expression. From heredity, and ageing to the weakness in muscles – several factors contribute to this lip shape. While cosmetic procedures can provide a permanent solution to uplift downturned lips, some makeup techniques can be used if you want a temporary fix on your lip shape.

Makeup Tips for downturned lips

• To uplift your edges, try to make upwards strokes on your lower lip with a dark-toned lip liner. Let the upper lip be as it is.
• Now, to minimize the appearance of downward-turned lips, you can try applying lip color or lipstick to the entire surface of your lips, except for the corners of your mouth. This technique can create a vertical effect that helps to de-emphasize the downturned corners of your lips.

Additionally, our expert also shared tips to enhance the natural appearance of dry and chapped lips.  Amanda A. Thompson further says, “Lips don't contain oil glands like the rest of our skin, which is why they can get dry, chapped, and cracked.  Caring for lips is an essential part of helping your lips look their best naturally. Gently exfoliating lips 2x/week and supporting added hydration with moisturizing lip formula can help smooth lips and help them stay hydrated. 

When it comes to getting a great daily look with makeup, opt for a natural lip liner and gloss in an undertone that matches your skin tone. You can slightly shade in the lips with the liner to enhance color and gloss is a great way to keep lips hydrated and add a small amount of color; making it perfect addition for natural makeup.”

Conclusion

Though there are different types of lips, the shapes listed above are the most common ones. You may possess a blend of multiple forms or even possess a distinctive lip shape. But, whatever your lip shape is, you can always experiment with makeup to accentuate your incredible shape and texture. However, it is extremely vital to understand that you shouldn’t keep your focus on drastically carving or altering your lip shape. Trying and testing new makeup techniques will surely make you analyze what works for your lip shape. So, if your lips fall into any of the categories we have mentioned above, don't hesitate to try out the makeup tips listed under each lip type. Have fun experimenting with different looks and find what makes you feel your best.

ALSO READ: 20 Products from the Best Lipstick Brands That You Will Love!

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