Thin or poorly defined lips remain a small problem for many, especially with close-up selfies. In-office injections have become commonplace, but they require needles, an appointment and a significant budget. Between the fear of a fixed result and the desire to change without taking risks, many people look for another option.
In the beauty aisles, a solution appeals to those who want luscious lips without injections or surgery: a simple lip marker, also called lip ink. This ultra-precise pencil format, long discreet, has today become the must-have of the moment for cheating on volume, without a scalpel or photo filter.
Lip marker: the trompe-l’oeil that restores volume naturally
Unlike a classic lipstick which deposits a thick layer of material, lip ink lightly colors the skin and blends into the mucous membrane. It unifies the tone, intensifies the natural color and creates a subtle relief which gives the impression of a fuller mouth. The result remains translucent, as if the lips were naturally plumper.
For the volume effect to work, everything comes down to nuance. Makeup artists recommend a very similar shade, a tone barely more intense than the natural color, to avoid a dark contrast which visually narrows the mouth. Brands like Summer Fridays rely on six pink and orange tones with aloe vera, hydrating and designed to maintain a clear contour all day long.
The right gestures to increase the volume of the lips without surgery
The application is as important as the formula. Simply place the tip of the felt pen in the center of the Cupid’s bow, then trace towards the corners, staying slightly inside the natural edge. Then tap with your finger to blend, concentrating the color at the heart of the mouth: this gradient creates a shadow which immediately gives more relief.
On well-hydrated lips, this technique is often enough to visually enlarge the mouth, without pencil contouring or thick gloss. Those who like a more luminous effect can add a touch of balm or transparent gloss in the center, in a very thin layer. The result remains modular, erases easily and does not lock the face into a single style.
A volumizing treatment with hyaluronic acid to boost the makeup effect
To reinforce the illusion of volume, many add a plumping treatment like Novexpert Lip’up. This volumizing balm relies on hyaluronic acid to fill in fine lines and smooth the contour, while intensely hydrating. Formulated with 100 percent ingredients of natural origin, for example with castor oil and shea butter, in clinical tests it showed redesigned contours and increased volume from one minute, then up to +10 percent in volume and 25 percent less dryness after 15 minutes and repaired lips after fifteen days.
Applied in a thin layer and left on before makeup, this treatment serves as a comfortable base for the lip marker. The duo is simple: the product plumps and smoothes, the ink colors and draws. Lips gain visual volume and comfort, for a buildable result that stays away from needles.