Did you know there is such a thing as ‘face science’? And no, that’s not related to any research where a scientist looks at the bacteria from your face under a microscope… Although, other than the gut, there are more microorganisms on the skin than anywhere else in the body, including microscopic parasites that exist around our follicles (like our eyelashes)! Face science was originally started all the way back from the Ancient Greeks and is known now in the modern era as ‘physiognomy’. It starts from the Greek word ‘physis’, meaning ‘nature’, and ‘gnomon’, meaning ‘judge/interpreter’. Physiognomy is the practice of assessing a person’s character or personality from their outer appearance, especially the face. If the eyes are the window to the soul, the lips could very well be the door into our inner selves! Hiram Powers, a 19th century American artist and sculptor, once said, “The eye is the window of the soul, the mouth the door. The intellect, the will, are seen in the eye; the emotions, sensibilities, and affections, in the mouth,” – and rightly so.
Also Read: Ways To Achieve Natural Pink Lips
When we are angry or upset, our mouth thins and we become ‘tight lipped’. If we are in a sulky mood, a pout automatically forms without us thinking much about it. And when we are happy, it’s even easier for the world to see – our face brightens up and our mouth opens into a wide grin that spreads infectious happiness. Our moods are clear enough to see from our lips, but face scientists all around the world also do believe that the lips are one of the leading features that can determine a person’s personality. Some people believe that our lip shapes could be a mark of certain personality traits depending on the type of lips that a person was born with! Jean Haner, author of The Wisdom of Your Face with a 25-year background in ancient Chinese principles that include face reading, says, “You were born with the features you have for a reason – every feature is linked to a part of your personality and they all work together to represent who you are.”
Whether you believe that lips can tell a story that is more than just a person’s mood or not, there definitely are different types of lip shapes that exist and the types of care that they deserve no matter what shape they are. This post will delve into all things lips to help us understand more than just what we see in the mirror everyday.
The highlights of today’s post are:
There are many different lip types that a person may be born with, but in general, 7 different types of lip shapes tend to be the most commonly seen in our population. To understand what each lip description means, here are the terms that you need to know:
The Cupid’s bow is the V-shape at the tip of our top lip and the dip in the skin between the Cupid’s bow and the nose is called our philtrum; the edges of the top lip are the natural lines; we have the corners at the corners of our mouth; and our bottom lip forms the ‘teardrop’.
1. Lips With A Peaked Cupid’s Bow (Heart-Shaped Lips)
Heart-shaped lips are classified by having a prominent Cupid’s bow and a heavier tear-dropped bottom lip. Think of the heart-shaped pout of Marilyn Monroe – they are considered to be glamorous! Taylor Swift’s signature peaked Cupid’s bow is considered a classic heart-shaped lip.
2. Lips That Have A Rounded Cupid’s Bow
Lips that have a Cupid’s bow that aren’t as prominent or sharp as Taylor Swift’s heart-shaped lips (the top edges of the Cupid’s bow are softer) are called ‘rounded’ Cupid’s bow lips. Amanda Seyfried has a classic rounded Cupid’s bow, with soft edges around the top lip.
3. Lips That Lack A Cupid’s Bow
These kinds of lips are prominently round and lack a Cupid’s bow. If you look at Julia Roberts’ smile, you will realise that her top lip’s lining tends to be continuous without the peaks of a Cupid’s bow interrupting the middle.
4. Downward-Turned Lips
These lips have a natural down-turn at the corners of the mouth instead of turning up. This may make a person look like they have a droopy-looking mouth, or look more serious when they are not smiling.
5. Full Lips
When you think of full lips, you think of Angelina Jolie. These perfectly balanced upper and lower lips are plump and full, protruding naturally from the face.
6. Thin Lips
The opposite of full lips – if both your upper and lower lips are not as filled out, you likely fall under this category. While some people may have naturally thin lips from genetics, others may find that their lips gradually lose volume due to depleted collagen levels from ageing or prolonged sun exposure.
7. Wide Lips
Wide lips are just like the name suggests. Your smile may extend all across your cheeks and reach towards your ears! Wide lips are usually longer than they are full, and those with wide lips may like to add more height into the lips to balance them out.
No matter what type of lip shape you have, taking care of our lips should be as natural as any other part of our face. After all, our lips also form part of our face and if we are applying face masks and serums to our skin for anti-ageing and radiance, there is no reason to not have a skincare (or lipcare) regimen for our lips too! Some tips that can go a long way in preserving the appearance and youth of our lips are:
1. Do – Hydrate! Use a Lip Balm Daily, and Lip Mask Weekly
A proper lip balm helps to keep your lips moisturised and protected against the environment, especially if you work or live in an air conditioned environment daily. You don’t need to wait until your lips start to feel dry to apply a lip balm! Applying a moisturising balm before you use lipstick can help for a smooth application of colour and prevent dry patches. If you’re not a fan of how lipstick feels on your lips but want a rosy look, there are many tinted lip balms on the market now that can give you that healthy glow with all the hydrating benefits. Just like a face mask, a weekly lip mask can boost hydration levels and keep it plump and soft. And let’s not forget the source of our body’s hydration – water. 7-8 glasses of water a day keeps your cells happy, joints lubricated, and lips hydrated.
2. Do Not – Ignore Chapped Lips
There is a difference between dry lips and chapped lips. Dry lips could be due to a dry skin type in general, but constantly chapped lips (also called cheilitis) can cause inflammation and difficulty healing, much like an active flare up of acne on our skin. Constantly chapped lips will result in pain, peeling lips that may be difficult to heal, and a risk of lip sores or infections from the wounds. If a thick healing balm isn’t helping your chapped lips within 2-3 weeks, you should see your dermatologist as there may be something else that is preventing proper healing such as a vitamin B deficiency or an infection.
3. Do – Regular Exfoliation
Regular moisturising may not be enough to keep our lips at its softest. Regular exfoliation helps us to shed the top layer of dead skin cells that may cause dullness or scaliness around our lips. If those dead skin cells accumulate, it can cause lipstick application to become patchy. An easy way to get your lip exfoliation in is by gently brushing your lips with your toothbrush after it has been cleaned, or by using a gentle lip scrub. Do not brush too hard and try not to over-exfoliate – 1-2 times a week is more than enough, or you can risk irritating your lips and causing dryness. Speaking of irritation, remember not to pick at the dry skin on your lips. Picking at your lips is not exfoliation and will only lead to further irritation and even pain.
4. Do Not – Forget to Wear SPF
We’ve said it once, we’ve said it twice, and we’ve said it a thousand times – sun protection, sun protection, sun protection! Our lips are also part of our skin, and the damage that UV rays can cause to our skin layer is the same damage that can happen to our lips. Studies show that your lower lip may be 12x more likely to develop skin cancer than the top lip, and overexposure to the sun can cause the same breaking down of collagen and elastin that happens in the skin to happen in the lips. A lip balm that contains SPF30 or higher every day will go a long way in preventing sun damage and as an anti-ageing measure.
Also Read: What Should You Eat To Get Pink Lips?
Lip aesthetics do change over the years, but there exists a ‘golden rule’ of ideal lips that was created based on the principles of facial symmetry.
The ratio of the ideal upper lip to lower lip is determined by the golden ratio, which is 1:1.6.1; additionally, a pronounced Cupid’s bow, upturned mouth corners, a full centre lip that fades out towards the mouth corners, slightly thicker bottom lip protrusion, and a philtrum length of 12-15mm is also mentioned for a youthful look. Changing the shape of our lips can be either through semi-permanent methods or temporary methods.
Temporary methods include:
1. Make-up
Using a lip liner in the shade of your lips or slightly darker can help to give the appearance of a slightly larger lip if you take care to outline the lips in a way that extends its depth. It can also accentuate a more defined Cupid’s bow. Highlighting the tip of your Cupid’s bow or the middle of your bottom lip can also give an effect of fullness.
2. Plumping Glosses
Lip-plumping glosses contain certain ingredients which are mild irritants like capsaicin, menthol, or cinnamon. When applied to the lips, the irritation causes blood to rush to the surface of the skin, resulting in a mild and temporary lip-plumping effect. This method may not be suitable for those with sensitive skin and does not last long. Additionally, lip-plumping glosses can become less effective over time with regular use, as the body gets used to those substances.
Semi-permanent methods of changing lip shapes would mainly be through the use of:
3. Lip Fillers
Lip fillers in Singapore can be injected into the lips to mould the desired lip shape. It is a relatively quick procedure that often has minimal downtime. The collagen or HA that is commonly used in filler augmentation are naturally occurring, meaning that they are also naturally produced and absorbed in the body, and can last for about 6-12 months depending on how fast a person’s body metabolises the hyaluronic acid. They can also be dissolved if a person decides to change how they look before they are naturally absorbed, making it a great option for those who are ready to start defining their facial aesthetics but want the freedom of not having those exact lips for the rest of their lives.
Tired of having to put on make-up and plumping glosses daily? Fillers can be a good solution to those looking for a longer-lasting lip defining effect! Our professional team at SL Aesthetics can help guide you in making the right choices for your physical beauty. Contact us here today to book a consultation!
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