9 Different Types of Lips: How to Enhance and Take Care of Them

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The lips are an essential part of the face as they serve a crucial role in chewing, talking, conveying emotion, and showing affection.

But not all lips are created equal. There are different types of lips, including plump, thin, small, heart-shaped, and bow-shaped lips.

At one point in your life, you’ve probably asked yourself, “What type of lips do I have?”

If you want to know, luckily, you’re in the right place!

To help you determine which lip type you have, we’ll break down the nine most common types of lips.

We’ll also give you essential makeup and lip care tips to help you enhance and feel good about your lips.

So pucker up, and let’s get started!

Different Types of Lip Shapes: Let’s Get to Know Them

Lips are a defining feature of the face, and their shape and size can vary dramatically from person to person.

Here are the most common lip types:

1.  Full lips
2. Thin lips
3. Round lips
4. Bow-shaped lips
5. Heart-shaped ips
6. Downward-turned lips
7. Wide lips
8. Full upper lips
9. Full lower lips

For your reference, here’s how these different lip shapes look:

Now let’s get to know each type in detail and discuss their features, the best ways to enhance them, and tips on how to take care of them:

Full Lips

A full lip is a term used to describe thick, prominent, and well-defined lips that are equally plump on the top and bottom.  

Moreover, they have a soft, pillowy appearance and an overall round shape.

Because of this, many consider full lips an attractive facial feature and the most desirable lip shape.

Fortunately, you can achieve these perky lips through various cosmetic treatments such as lip injections, fillers, or over-the-counter lip-plumping products.

Makeup Tips for Full Lips

• If you want to make your lips appear smaller, outline the outer edges of your lips using a lip liner that’s one shade lighter than your lipstick. One of our favorite lip liners for full lips is the Revlon Colorstay Lip Liner!
• Use nude lip colors that easily blend with your complexion to avoid highlighting the fullness of your lips.
• Highlight your cheeks to draw more attention to them and away from your lips, achieving a more balanced look.

Celebrity with full lips: Angelina Jolie

Round Lips

Round lips typically have a very soft cupid’s bow and a natural poutiness, which is why they’re often associated with youthfulness and beauty. 

When smiling, you’ll also notice that round lips are framed by two symmetrical curves that span the corners of the mouth.

Do your top and bottom lips have the same width all the way around? Then you have round lips. 

Makeup Tips for Round Lips

• Experiment with a bold, dark lip shade to make your round lips stand out.
• Use lip liner to manipulate your lip shape and make it look elongated but make sure not to go overboard. Widen the area by slightly overlining the outer corners of the lips without drawing too far off your natural lip line.
•  If you want to make your lips look rounder but less full, line the lips with a lip liner that is slightly lighter than your natural lip color.
• Finish with a sheer lipstick in a slightly brighter shade or a clear lip gloss like the NYX Professional Makeup Sugar Glass Butter Gloss to accentuate its plushness.

Celebrity with round lips: FKA Twigs

Thin Lips

Compared to full lips, thin lips are more elongated and lack fullness or definition.

This lip type tends to have a thin upper lip and lower lip along with a very sharp cupid’s bow. It is also characterized by vertical lines on the corners of the mouth.

Thin lips make a face look more delicate and refined. 

Genetics can make a person’s lips naturally thin, but age can also make lips deflate and lose volume over time. 

If you have thin lips, don’t worry. They can be enhanced with a lip liner and carefully chosen lipstick.

Makeup Tips for Thin Lips

• Create the illusion of fullness by lining slightly outside your natural lip line using a creamy lip pencil one shade darker than your lipstick.
• Apply a lip gloss or highlighter to the center of your bottom lip to create a plumping effect.
• Use a medium-toned, neutral lip color to create a base then add a pop of bright color to the center of your bottom lip to make it appear fuller.
• When applying lipstick, start at the center of your lips and blend outward to create a fuller-looking pout.
• Apply lip balm or a lip plumper like the NYX Professional Makeup Plumping Gloss to add volume and shine.
• Do not use matte or dark lip shades since they tend to emphasize the thinness of your lips. Choose neutral or light lip shade colors instead.

Celebrity with thin lips: Jennifer Aniston

Bow-Shaped Lips

Bow-shaped lips are characterized by a defined bow-like dip in the center of the upper lip and a slightly rounded, full lower lip.

The bow shape creates a prominent peak in the center of the upper lip, which is often accentuated by lip makeup or cosmetic treatments.

Bow-shaped lips are considered attractive by many as the dip in the center creates a natural-looking cupid’s bow and enhances the overall symmetry of the lips.

Moreover, they are often associated with femininity.

Makeup Tips for Bow-Shaped Lips

• Choose a lip liner that matches your lipstick. Then outline slightly outside your natural lip line to give your lips more definition.
• Use short, feathery strokes when filling your lips with lipstick to achieve an even finish.
• Use a powder or cream highlighter like the Wet N Wild Megaglo Liquid Highlighter on the center of your upper lip to accentuate your cupid’s bow.
• Top off your lip makeup with a layer of balm or gloss to keep your lips looking shiny and hydrated.

Celebrity with bow-shaped Lips: Rihanna

Heart-Shaped Lips

Heart-shaped lips refer are characterized by a pronounced and rounded cupid’s bow, which is the center of the upper lip.

This is considered a desirable feature in many cultures and often thought of as a sign of beauty and sensuality.

Some people may seek cosmetic treatments to enhance their natural lip shape or to achieve the appearance of heart-shaped lips. These treatments can include lip fillers, lip augmentation surgery, and makeup techniques.

Makeup Tips for Heart-Shaped Lips

• Use a lip liner that is slightly darker than your lipstick color to define the shape of your lips. Focus on enhancing the cupid’s bow and rounding the corners of the mouth.
• Use a lip color that flatters your skin tone and hair to fill in your lips. For a more dramatic look, choose a brighter color that pops, such as red or pink.
• Avoid using too much coverage or dark shades to keep your lips from looking smaller.
• Apply a lighter lipstick or a highlighter like the Wet N Wild MegaGlo Highlighting Powder  to the center of the upper lip to further enhance the cupid’s bow.
• Use a lip brush like the L.Y.L Pro Gold Retractable Lip Brush to soften the edges of the lip color, creating a more natural and seamless look.
• Apply a light layer of clear or tinted gloss on top of your lipstick to add shine and dimension to your lips. Make sure not to overapply it if you don’t want unnatural-looking lips.

Celebrity with heart-shaped lips: Taylor Swift

Downward-Turned Lips

Downward-turned lips are lip types where the corners of the mouth point downward, creating a sad or serious expression.

This lip shape can be a result of several factors, including genetics, aging, and facial muscle weakness.

Some people may seek cosmetic treatments to enhance their natural lip shape or to lift the corners of their mouths, creating a more youthful or happy expression. 

These treatments include injectable fillers, Botox injections, and surgery. 

Makeup Tips for Downward-Turned Lips

• The goal is to lift your lips. So avoid outlining the upper lip edges. Instead, outline your lower lip with a dark lip liner and create an upward, lifting look.
• As you apply lip color or lipstick, cover the whole surface of your lip but exclude the corners of your mouth. This helps create a vertical effect that somehow de-emphasizes your downturned lip corners.
• Minimize the focus on the outer corners of the lower lip line by applying concealer and drawing the lower lip line up.  

Celebrity with downward-turned lips: Natalie Portman

Wide Lips

Wide lips are elongated on the sides and wider than the rest of the face.

Compared to other lip types, the distance between the two sides of the lips is greater.

If your smile extends right up to your ears, you most likely have wide lips.

Usually, wider-set lips tend to overwhelm your facial features, dominating your look whenever you smile.

But with makeup, you can easily balance out its width to your overall facial features.

Makeup Tips for Wide Lips

• Overline the top and bottom parts of your lips and avoid the corners to make your lips look more even.
• Add weight to your lips by overlining your lower lip alone.
•  Choose nude shades with matte, soft textures to keep your lips looking chic without being too distracting.
• You can highlight other facial features to shift focus and divert attention from your lips to the rest of your face by wearing more blush or doing a smokey eye.

Celebrity with wide lips: Anne Hathaway

Heavy Upper Lips

Heavy upper lips refer to a lip shape where the upper lip is noticeably larger or more pronounced than the lower lip.

This can result in a disproportionate balance between the upper and lower lip and may also cause the upper lip to appear slightly droopy or downturned.

Makeup Tips for Heavy Upper Lips

• Apply a lip liner around the edge of your lips and follow its natural shape.
• Use a darker lip color shade on your upper lip to make it look smaller. Then, apply a bright shade on your lower lips. This can create the illusion of even lips.
• If you don’t like applying two different lip shades, use a white lip liner like the Maybelline Color Sensational Shaping Lip Liner at the center of your lower lip to make it look more prominent.
• Use a pencil lip liner to extend the lining of your lower lip, which helps your lips appear more even and fuller.

Celebrity with heavy upper lips: Priyanka Chopra

Heavy Lower Lips

Heavy lower lips are simply the opposite of heavy upper lips.

If you have heavy lower lips, your lower lip appears larger or heavier compared to the upper lip, which adds character and definition to your face.

Some people may prefer this lip shape, while others may choose to enhance their lips with cosmetic treatments such as dermal fillers or lip reduction surgery to achieve a more balanced lip shape.

Makeup Tips for Heavy Lower Lips

• Slightly overline your upper lip using a lip liner to balance out the look.
• Add nude/white lip liner or gloss to the center of your upper lip to make it look bigger.
• Use a concealer or foundation on the borders of your lower lip and blend it with the rest of your face to give it a less voluminous appearance.

Celebrity with heavy lower lips: Kylie Jenner

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the rarest lip shape?

The bow lip shape is the least common of all lip shapes. It’s predominantly found in preadolescent girls.

This is because the arches of the cupid’s bow flatten with age. As a result, the lips’ shape changes, so the cupid’s bow becomes less defined.

What is the most attractive lip shape?

Studies show that a full, symmetrical lip with a top lip to bottom lip ratio of 1:1 is the most attractive lip shape today. A good example of this lip shape is Scarlet Johansson’s lips.

The next top-rated lip type is Kylie Jenner’s heavy lower lips, where the bottom lip is larger compared to the top lip.

What’s the importance of knowing your lip type in makeup?

Knowing your lip type can help you determine which makeup products best suit your lips, from lipsticks and glosses to balms and liners.

Additionally, knowing your lip type can help you choose a product with the most ideal texture and formula for you. 

Once you know what your lip type is, you can tailor your makeup routine to your specific needs and desired outcome.

Try Out Our Makeup Tips Based on Your Lip Type Today!

Understanding the lip-type you have and its unique shape and characteristics is important.

By adopting the proper lip care techniques and experimenting with makeup products, you can accentuate your natural beauty and make your lips the showstopping feature they were meant to be.

So don’t be afraid to embrace and accentuate your best asset regardless of your lip type.

Remember, confidence is the ultimate beauty, and with our tips, you’ll be ready to take on the world with your best pout forward.

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