6 Trendy Lipstick Tips for Older Women

How to Plump and Moisturize Your Lips for a Youthful Look

Salma Hayek
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It happens to every woman: Lips become thinner as you get older, and you may develop fine lines around your mouth. Lip injections are one way to keep your kisser looking plump. But there are also a few simple lipstick, gloss, and liner tricks that'll keep your lips looking younger and fresher.​

Exfoliate and Moisturize

Not only do moisturized, exfoliated lips look and feel softer, but they also let your lip color go on more smoothly. Pick up a lip scrub like Lush Bubblegum ($11). Or, whip up your own quick DIY version with equal parts sugar and coconut oil. Massage a dime-sized amount onto your lips for about a minute, then rinse off. Your lips will instantly look better.

Gloss It Up

Day or night, gloss draws attention to your lips and makes them appear plumper. In the evening, you can swipe a bit of lip gloss over a darker lipstick to amp up your look. These days, lip glosses are far more sophisticated than the ones you might have carried around in your backpack at school. Anastasia Beverly Hills Lip Gloss ($16) comes in some cosmic shades for all ages.

Get With Lip Liner

Lip liner is a no-brainer trick to making your lips look fuller. NARS Velvet Lip Liner ($24) has a creamy, non-drying finish, and it lasts all day. Pick a shade that's similar to your lipstick, and draw it on just outside your natural lip line. Then swipe on your lipstick over that for a polished pout. 

Embrace Pinks

Pink lipstick is the definition of flirty, and it's not just for young ladies. From nude pinks to bright corals, the wide range of shades out there means there's something for every skin tone and every age. Fair skin looks luminous in baby pinks like MAC Luster Lipstick ($19) in Pretty Please. If you have darker skin, you can go a bit deeper with rose, mauve, and berry hues. Try Charlotte Tilbury K.I.S.S.I.N.G. ($34) in Stoned Rose.

Go Bright and Bold

While dark shades can be aging on some skin tones, bright lip colors tend to look more youthful. Glossier Vinylic Lip ($16) comes in several high-impact shades, and the gloss makes the color pop even more. Just remember to tone down your eye makeup and blush if you're going bold on your lips, as heavy makeup can also make you look older.

Forget the Seasons

The old rule that you should change your lip color with the seasons (bolder or darker in winter and lighter in summer and spring) is so passé. Makeup as a form of expression is a concept that younger people seem to vibe with, and there's no reason for mature women to miss out on the fun. Reds look just as striking on sultry summer days and nights, and pale shades are pretty all year, too. Permission to throw out this beauty convention and do what you feel.