Tip 1: Use a lip filler prior to applying lipstick.

A lip filler prevents the lips to have the “bleeding” look and makes the smooth lips.

Chanel’s Lip Correction is one of them. Apply a small amount of the filler with a brush or finger tips.

Tip 2: Avoid matt lipsticks, use satin lipstick instead.

Unfortunately, matt lipsticks tend to get into the wrinkles and lines, whereas satin lipsticks tend to hide them due to the light reflection.
Tip 3: Apply a lip gloss, a similar colour or slightly lighter shade as your lipstick.

Lip gloss will give the lips fuller and smoother look. The light reflection will also hide the wrinkles and lines around the lips.

Tip 4: Always try to moisture your lips with a natura basel lip balm.

Whenever your lips feel dry, or after eating food, apply a lip balm. Dehydration deapens the wrinkles and lines.

Tip 5: Apply an anti-aging lip balm before bed time.

It is important to use an anti-aging lip treatment before you go to bed, as wrinkkles and lines are produced while you are in sleep. My favourite one are the Burt’s Bee Replenishing Lip Balm with Pomegranate Oil and Olay Regenerist Anti Aging Lip Treatment.

Lip plumpers do the job, although I am not big fan of them, as the ones I tried gave tingling sensations on my lips. If you know a good lip plumper, please let me know!

If you want to achieve the fuller looking lips without using lip plumpers, have a go the tips below:

1. Apply a lip balm to moisture the lips.

2. Draw the outer lip line with a natural or nude colour lip liner pencil.

Draw the line just above the outer line of the lips. Be careful for not over doing it.

3. Blend the lipliner towards the centre of the lips with a lip brush.

4. Apply a natural colour lipstick (e.g., pink beige, soft pink, soft peach).

5. Use a clear colour lip gloss to create a volume.

Apply the clear colour lip gloss on the middle of the lips, both top and bottom, and spread toward the corner of the lips.

Now you can pout!!!

Dry lips can be caused by many factors including extreme temparatures (both hot and cold), tiredness, Vitamin B deficiency, using old lip sticks or lip gloss(usually more than 3 years old). Licking lips can also dry the lips even more, so try to avoid doing it.
Here are the tips to rescue the lips.

1. If you are currently using a lip balm that contains petroleum, swap it with a natural base lip balm (e.g., beewax and sheer butter).

A Petroleum base lip balm tends to make lips drier because it cannot be absorbed by the lips or the skin and sometimes cause skin irritations. In contrary, a natural lip balm is absorbed by the skin and increases the moisture retentions and the natural elasticity. I love Burt’s Bees Beewax Lip Balm. It’s not expensive (around £3.50) is also edible.
2. Apply (quite a lot of) lip barm and exfoliate the lips gently with cotton butts.
Remove the flaky skin. Make sure to do it gently.
3. Re-apply the lip balm.

The dry and chapped lips will transform to soft and fuller lips.

SHAPING
A. Eyebrow Threading

Ideal for someone with natural and/or thick eyebrows and has a busy lifestyle.

Pros:

• It creates more defined and precise finish, and does not remove necessary hair that shapes eyebrows.
• Needs to be done every 4 - 6 weeks.
• Only takes approximately 10 minutes (can be done during lunch break).
• Longer lasting effect than tweezing and trimming.

Cons:

• Highly recommended to be done by the professionals, unless you have lots of experience doing it, you may catch and pull the skin.
• Have to be patient for4 - 6 weeks even though eyebrows are getting bushy.

How it works?:

A piece of twisted cotton thread is used to pick each hair and pull it away from the root. The therapist usually catch the thread between her teeth and fingers, and make a certain movement to remove unwanted hair.

You can find the list of your local eyebrow threading salons (worldwide) as following; www.beautysurvival.com/threading.html

B: Eyebrow Waxing

Ideal for busy ladies, who can be bothered to pluck it often, with Normal to Oily Skin.

Pros:

• A quick and easy to shape eyebrows.
• It gives a neater and cleaner finish than tweezing and trimming.
• Longer lasting effect than tweezing and trimming.

Cons:

• Not suitable for Sensitive Skin.
• Also not suitable for someone who is using Vitamin A based moisturisers (e.g., Retinol). Those moisturisers makes the skin thinner and waxing will rip it away.
• Best to be done professionally if you are not familiar with using wax.
• Can be very painful.

How it works?

After cleansing the eye area, comb the eyebrow and identify the shapes. Using small amount of wax or strips to remove the unwanted hair. Normally use calming lotion such as tee tree to soothe the skin.

Available at most of beauty salons and some cosmetic counters.

C. Tweezering and Trimming

Ideal for someone who wants to have a tidy eyebrows all the time.

Pros:

• Cost effective. Once you know the shape, you can do it at home.
• No need to wait for your eyebrows to go wild.

Cons:

• Although this can be done at home, it is still best to be shaped by professionals.
• The regrowth rate is pretty quick.
• When you pluck it too much, it takes ages to grow back.

How it works?
Determine the shape of eyebrows. You can mark the shape using white eyeliner. Comb the eyebrow and trim the excess with facial scissors. Pluck unwanted hair with a good tweezer.

Professional trimming and shaping are available at beauty salons and beauty counters including Shu Uemura.

STYLING

If you can see the gaps, use an eyebrow pencil to fill it in. Try to draw as same way as the hair grows. Followed by an eyebrow comb or blush to blend the colour.

If your eyebrows do not have the gaps, you can use a eyebrow gel / wax to style them. Alternatively, an eyebrow powder can be used to add colour and definition.

For Tired or Sallow Looking Skin, it needs hydration and vitamin boost. You can have a “Exfoliate & Radiance Mask” in the bath or use Guinot’s Masque Nouvel Eclat to exfoliate and supply radiance at the same time. Try to eat more vitamin rich fruits and vegetables. For more information, please go to Skincare for Tired Skin - Sallow Looking Skin Care under Skincare Tips.