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Lips! We've all got them. They're perfect for talking, smiling and kissing your Aunt Sylvia.

Of course, some of us have less perfect lips than others. But don't despair! There are plenty of tricks of the trade to help make your lips finger-licking good...! Let's look at some of the most effective solutions...
                      --Peter Lamas

 

 

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Basic Lip Service -- Connect the Dots!

How to Create A Basic Lip Design

Anytime, any place, anywhere, here's a mistake-proof way to create great-looking lips in no time. It's as easy as connecting the dots on a puzzle.

Your Tools: Your favorite lipstick or lip gloss, a freshly-sharpened lip pencil in the same shade --or a beige-y neutral and a lipbrush.

Now, outline your lips perfectly with these simple steps:

STEP 1: With your pencil, add 2 dots -- one at the edge of each corner on either side of your upper lip. Then, add two more dots --one at each of the twin peaks (the crests) in the middle of the upper lip.
STEP 2: Connect your dots - first, connecting the dot on each corner up to the dot on the crest on the same side. Then, connecting the 2 dots on both crests together, to completely outline the top lip.
STEP 3: Outline, starting from the middle of your lower lip, lining outward three-quarters of the way to the corners, stopping right before you get to the corners.
STEP 4: Fill in with lipstick or lip gloss, using your lip brush to apply color evenly. Blend any visible edges of your pencil lines with lipstick, using your lip brush to apply and blend.

Sculpt...shape...perfect...!


Custom Lip Design -- The Peter Lamas Way

Want to trick Mother Nature and reshape your lips for a more symmetrical look? It's easy if you follow Peter's steps for perfect lip design, starting with your basic lip shape shown below:

Thin Lips

STEP 1. Outline lips with your lip pencil. Just outside the natural lip line, upper and lower lips.

 


STEP 2. Choose lip colors in the medium range, avoiding those in the very light or deep range, or heavily frosted or matte colors.

Full Lips

STEP 1. Smooth a little concealer, then a drop of foundation, around the natural lip line to de-emphasize it.

 

STEP 2. Outline lips with lip pencil just inside the natural lip line.

 

STEP 3. Choose light to medium lip colors. Avoid bright, dark or iridescent shades and lip gloss.

UNEVEN LIPS

To make lips even on both sides:

 


STEP 1. Outline the best side first.

 

STEP 2. Now, recreate that line on the opposite side.

 

If lower lip is fuller than the top:


STEP 1. Outline the lower lip inside the edges of the natural lip line.

 


STEP 2. Outline the upper lip just outside the natural edges.


STEPS 3. & 4.Use lip color a tone or two lighter on the lower lip than the shade you use on the top, to minimize the lower lip visually. Add lip gloss to the upper lip only.

If upper lip is fuller than the bottom:

STEP 1. Outline the upper lip just inside the natural lip line.

STEP 2. Line the lower li just outside the edge.

STEP 3. Apply a lip color that's slightly lighter in tone on the upper lip than the one you choose for the lower lip, to minimize the top lip.

STEP 4. Add lip gloss on the lower lip only.



SMALL MOUTH

STEP 1. Start at the middle of the upper and lower lips and outline with lip pencil, gradually extending the lip line just a touch beyond the outer corners of the lips, upper and lower.

STEP 2. Make the lips look fuller by using frosted or moisture-rich lip colors in medium tones and lots of gloss, to create reflections. reach the corners of your mouth to create a look of less width from side to side.

STEP 3. Choose light to medium lip colors in matte or moisture formulas. Avoid deep shades, frosted formulas and lip gloss.



WIDE MOUTH

STEP 1. Minimize the outside corners of the lips, upper and lower, with a touch of concealer and a drop of foundation to blur the edges of the outer corners.


STEP 2. Using lip pencil, start from the center of the lips, upper and lower and outline, going gradually within the natural lip line as you move to the outside corners.


STEP 3. Stop the liner pencil before you




DOWN-CAST MOUTH

STEP 1. Outline the upper lip with lip pencil, starting from mid-lip, and lifting up the lip line slightly, at the outer corners of the upper lip.

STEP 2. Outline lower lip, starting in the middle, and outlining to just before the corners of the mouth.

STEP 3. Select 2 lip colors, one tone apart in intensity. Fill in the center of the mouth with the deeper color of the two.

STEP 4. Use the slightly lighter shade at the corners.

STEP 5. Use a lip brush to blend the two to achieve a subtle gradation of color from deeper in the center to lighter at the outer corners of the mouth.

STEP 6. Add a touch of gloss at the center of the mouth.



 


More Lip Tips!

Tip! The best lip color fixative? A thin layer of Chapstick. The formula holds lip color like crazy as it heals and protects.

Tip! Powder lips also gives lip color or gloss something to cling to for longer, smoother wear.

Tip! For longer wear, blot lips after applying lipstick to set color and remove excess. Add a thin layer of loose or pressed powder, then apply color again.

Tip! Turn down too much shine by holding a single-ply tissue to your lips and pressing a little loose powder through it - just enough will sift through the tissue to adhere to color and reduce the shine.

Tip! Turn up the shine with a thin layer of clear lip gloss over lipstick or alone.

Tip! For high-voltage shine and color, try a lip lacquer over lipstick or alone.

Tip! For fuller, poutier lips, spotlight lip gloss right in the center of your mouth.

Tip! Keep matte lip color from drying your lips - use a lip primer or lip color fixative before you apply the matte color.

Tip! For evening special-effects, apply a sheer lip gloss in silver, gold or an iridescent shade over the lip color.

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About Peter Lamas