One of the very first things we notice about someone when we meet them is their smile, putting our lips on display front and center. This can be uncomfortable as we experience the natural effects of aging, as lips – most notably the upper lip – naturally become thinner due to the degradation of collagen and elastin.
What defines a “youthful” smile?
The thinning of the lips as we age, in combination with lip lines, a lack of definition and weakening muscles, creates what we refer to as an aged appearance. So, to achieve a more youthful appearance, our lips should be plump and have a healthy pink hue with defined edges with an upward turn. That is why we often see makeup looks and tutorials focusing on the enhancement of the lips with lip liner and lip gloss.
Apply Lip Gloss
When you apply a shiny lip gloss to your bottom lip and in the middle of your top lip, it gives the illusion of having a fuller mouth. Be sure to choose a lightly colored gloss, as darker colors will actually have the opposite effect by making your lips look even thinner and smaller. As an alternative to gloss, try using Vaseline. This can double as a moisturizer, which also helps to counteract the effects of aging.
Moisturize Your Lips
With age, your lips begin to dehydrate more quickly, which can lead to dry, cracked lips. Since plump, voluptuous and smooth lips create that desirable youthful appearance, try using a daily moisturizer, such as lip balm, on your lips to keep them young and healthy. Be sure to apply your moisturizer after exfoliating to get the most benefit from the application. Pair this with consistent water intake to keep the rest of your body hydrated and your lips should be looking younger, naturally, in no time.
Keep Your Lips Protected
SPF15. You always hear about taking care of your skin by using lotions with SPF15 to block harmful rays from the sun that can be damaging to your skin cells, but what about your lips? The skin on your lips is even more sensitive and deserves the same amount of care and attention as the rest of your body. To help give your lips a younger, healthier appearance, choose a lip moisturizer with SPF15 and use it multiple times a day, every day. This added level of protection will keep your lips looking more youthful in the coming years.
Use a Lip Scrub
Our skin goes through regular cycles, shedding dead skin cells to be replaced by new ones. Your lips work very much the same way. To keep your lips fresh, try exfoliation. There are plenty of products, such as lip scrubs, that use sugars, oils or other methods to remove the dead cells and boost blood flow to your lips. This offers two benefits in one, smoothing your lips and giving them a healthy pink hue that makes them look younger and healthier. As an alternative to scrubs that will help you achieve a similar effect, you can also use Vaseline and gently rub a toothbrush against your lips for a couple of minutes.
Exercise Your Face
If you’ve entered into the aging years where your facial muscles have begun to shrink and weaken, and you’re noticing a more downward turn at the edges of your mouth, there’s a solution that doesn’t involve any products or tricks. Using your own body, you can help restore a more youthful appearance through facial exercises.
What are facial exercises?
Facial exercises are a simple and natural way to strengthen the muscles in your face, which helps to reduce the appearance of fine lines, wrinkles and bagginess. These exercises can be used to target specific areas of your face to achieve your desired effect, such as a younger-looking smile. All you need is about 10 minutes a day and you can start to change the look of your smile and restore a more youthful appearance.