Cheat fuller lips with Huda Kattan’s tips for lip contouring
Want fuller lips (without fillers)? With {Huda Beauty's} simple steps (and her clever {Lip Contour} pencil) you can cheat your way to a plump, pillow-y-lipped look in moments...
Begin by ensuring your lips are super-smooth and free from scales (a masterpiece requires a great canvas). Buff gently using a bit of balm and an old toothbrush, to counteract chapping and stimulate bloodflow for a natural 'lip plumper' effect.
If you use a balm, ensure it's not too oily so as not to 'dilute' your lip colour's staying power - you might want to try a few drops of oil (coconut works wonders) as it absorbs quickly to leave lips smooth and supple.
Prep using a bit of base or concealer to blur the natural lip line (this allows you to get 'creative' about where your lips begin and end).
To 'upgrade' your lip size, use a sharpened {Lip Contour} lip pencil to trace the upper, outer edge of your natural lip perimeter - don't get carried away (you want the end result to be believable) - but this is the best way to subtly augment if you like a voluptuous look.
If your lip line is uneven, trace the outer edge to amplify thinner sections, while following the natural lip line where lips are fuller to achieve symmetry.
Now for the contouring part... Draw an 'X' shape on your cupid's bow and line the upper lip from centre towards outer corners, before lining the lower (again, start at the middle and work outwards).
To create added depth and dimension, use lip contour to draw vertically from cupid's bow to bottom of your lower lip - broadening as you reach the perimeter so the colour 'diffuses' into the lip liner. Line the inner corners of your mouth as well to make the lips look more '3D'.
Follow with a thin layer of {Liquid Matte}, in either the corresponding shade or one shade lighter to enhance the illusion of increased depth. Remember that darker colours will recede, as lighter colours 'pop' - perfect for creating a 'cushion-y' look.
Finish by applying concealer around the lips (using a brush for precision) - this neatens any mishaps and creates added contrast for the most immaculate final effect.
Each available in the same 16 shades, match your Huda Beauty {Lip Contour} with {Liquid Matte}, or try one of these recommended pairings...
Line lips with 'Trendsetter' (1), then apply {Liquid Matte} in 'Bombshell' (2).
{Lip Contour} in 'Vixen' pairs perfectly with 'Famous' (2), while 'Trophy Wife' (1) tones seamlessly with {Liquid Matte} in either 'Muse' (2) for subtlety, or 'Icon' (2) when you want a bit more impact.
{Lip Contour} in 'Famous' (1) works well with both the {Liquid Matte} in 'Trophy Wife' (2) and 'Heartbreaker' (2), while 'Spice Girl' goes with 'Flirt' for a chic '90s-worthy (on-trend) lip look.
Cult Beauty’s Content Editor and a Cult Beauty OG, Verity loves nothing more than the marriage of language and lip balm. A quintessential Libran, she’s a self-professed magpie for luxury ‘must-haves' and always pursuing the new and the niche — from the boujee-est skin care to cutting-edge tech. Balancing an urge to stop the clock with her desire to embrace the ageing process (and set a positive example for her daughter), Verity's a retinol obsessive and will gladly share her thoughts about the time-defying gadgets, masks and treatments worth the splurge...