Pro Tips for Luscious Lips
Pro Tips for Luscious Lips: Shape, Correct and Perfect
A great lip look isn’t just about the colour you choose — it’s also about how you prep, apply, and shape. Whether your lips are balanced, thin, full, or somewhere in between, the right tricks can make all the difference.
Here’s your guide to perfecting the pout, with expert tips you can try right now.
Quick-Fire Pro Tips
Plump it up: Use a cream concealer one shade lighter around your mouth. It highlights natural contours and gives the illusion of fuller lips — no injections required.
Pucker up: For a long-lasting stain, tap your lipstick on with your finger and press lips together. The colour fuses with your pout, so it wears beautifully all day.
Mix it up: Blend a loose shimmer powder into clear Lip Lacquer to create your own one-of-a-kind glossy shade.
Glam it up: Dab gloss or lacquer into the centre of your lips to catch the light and make your pout pop.
Fix it up: Gone outside the lines? Roll a clean cotton bud from the outside in — it picks up excess product without smudging.
Floating up: Want a softer, blurred look? Skip the liner and frame lips with concealer instead.
Buff it up: Smooth chapped lips by gently brushing with a soft toothbrush before applying colour.
Sharpen up: Keep lip pencils sharp. For glide, warm the tip on your hand or dab with gloss.
Smile it up: Concealer at the outer corners creates a subtle lift — an old-school Hollywood trick that still works.
Double up: A cheek tint like Barely Blushing doubles as a lip stain for a natural, effortless tint.
Correction & Perfection by Lip Shape
Every pout is unique — but if you want to tweak, here’s how to play with balance and proportion:
Balanced Lips: Lucky you. Keep it simple — colour and shine do all the work.
Thin Lips: Highlight the centre with Lip Lacquer or shimmer to reflect light and create fullness. Stick to lighter shades and skip heavy liner for a more open feel.
Prominent Cupid’s Bow: Gloss the centre to round and plump, pulling focus away from sharp peaks. Extend colour to the corners for balance.
Drooping Lips: Concealer is your best friend. Lighten the corners before applying liner and colour to instantly lift.
Large Lips: To soften volume, line just inside your natural lip line and choose deeper, matte shades. Add a darker tone towards the inner lips for the illusion of smaller size.
The Takeaway
Your lips are as individual as your fingerprint — but with a few clever tricks, you can shape, balance, and highlight them to perfection. Whether you’re after fullness, lift, or a softer outline, these pro tips prove there’s no one “ideal” pout. Just the perfect pout for you.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Whether you're a full-glam queen or a no-makeup-makeup babe, our lipstick FAQ spills all the deets.
What’s the difference between lip gloss, lip lacquer and lip balm gloss?
Lip gloss, lip laquer and lip balm serve different purposes.
1. Lip gloss is designed to add shine and a glossy finish to the lips. It usually has light to moderate pigmentation, can feel a bit sticky, and requires frequent reapplication. While it may contain some moisturizing ingredients, hydration is not its primary purpose. Lip gloss is mostly about giving lips a plump, lustrous look and can be worn alone or over lipstick.
2. Lip lacquer combines the high shine of a gloss with the rich pigment and longer wear of lipstick. Typically creamier and thicker in texture than gloss, lip lacquer delivers bold color along with a wet-look finish. Many lip lacquers also include hydrating ingredients, but their key feature is intense, glossy colour payoff that lasts longer than standard gloss.
3. Lip balm focuses more on hydration and lip care. They usually offer a more subtle sheen while nourishing the lips.
While both lip gloss and lip balm have moisturising properties, gloss tends to provide more visual impact.
What is a good lipstick that stays on all day?
For long-lasting wear, look for formulas that combine high-pigment payoff with fade-resistant performance. Both our Colour Cult Creme Lipstick and Soul-Matte Longwear Lipstick are long-lasting and designed to stay on all day without cracking or constant reapplication.
Which is better, matte or creamy lipstick?
It depends on the finish you’re after. Matte lipsticks offer a shine-free finish and strong staying power, ideal for bold, defined colour. Creamy lipsticks typically provide a softer finish with added hydration for a more dewy, luminous look and are often chosen for daytime wear.
Are Napoleon Perdis lipsticks cruelty-free?
Yes, all Napoleon Perdis products, including our lipsticks, are cruelty-free.
Which lipstick shade suits my skin tone?
Choosing a shade that complements your skin tone can enhance your natural features: Fair skin: tends to suit soft pinks, peachy nudes, and classic reds. Medium or olive skin tones: pair well with rosy tones, warm corals and brick reds. Deep skin tones: tend to suit rich berries, bold reds, deep plums or chocolatey brown lipstick.
