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.
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."
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.
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."
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.
"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.
At Who What Wear UK, we know that beauty isn't one-size-fits-all. Our editors have tested thousands of products over the years -- spanning skincare, makeup, hair and nails -- and work closely with trusted experts including dermatologists, makeup artists and leading industry insiders to ensure every guide is well-researched, inclusive and relevant to you.