8 Expert Tips on Applying Lipstick for Older Women With Thin Lips

Tools and materials:

• Lip balm
• Baby toothbrush (optional)
• Concealer
• Lip brush
• Lipstick
• Lip gloss
• Highlighter

1. Keep lips in good condition

If you're self-conscious about thin lips, there are a few things you can do. The first is to draw attention away from the mouth to other parts of the face. For example, amping up your eye makeup and wearing a lighter-toned lipstick.

The second is to wear beautiful earrings or other jewelry near the face as a distraction.

The third is to keep your lips in good condition. If they’re dry and flaky they’ll reflect less light and actually look thinner! Regularly exfoliate your lips.

Apply a lip balm and use a soft baby toothbrush to gently buff your lips to get rid of the dead skin cells. Then, apply more lip balm before bed. This keeps the skin on your lips hydrated. They’ll look a bit plumper just from that self-care. 

Lastly, make sure to drink water to keep your overall body hydrated as well.

2. Apply lip primer

Lip primer is really important to stop the feathering above the lip line. Apply just to the outer edges of the lips.

3. Apply concealer

Apply a tiny bit of concealer to the outer edge and blend it well to make the lips look less thin.

4. Choose the best color lipstick for older women

Wearing deep or dark lipsticks can make thin lips look even thinner. This doesn’t mean you can only wear light-colored lipsticks. Mid-tone can also look beautiful!

Some makeup artists say for thinner lips to wear 2 different lipsticks: a slightly darker one at the outer edges and a lighter one in the center. I find that trick is easier to do with lip gloss. 

I love the way a pinky-brown color looks on thin lips. It’s fairly nude but has depth and richness. 

5. Use a lip brush

For a more precise placement and to enhance your lips, it’s important to use a lip brush.

No one looks good in an overexaggerated lip line. But what you can do is to very slightly extend the Cupid’s bow and the center of the lower lip. Keep the rest of the lips on their natural lines. It’s literally just a fraction above. You can only do this precise work with a lip brush.

The color I am wearing is not too dark or light. You can continue to build it until you are satisfied with the effect.

6. Apply lip gloss

You can choose a clear or colored lip gloss. When you place gloss in the center, it draws attention to the very center of the lips, which are naturally thicker.

The gloss will accentuate and make the lips look larger. It also adds texture and makes a big difference in your appearance.

The gloss won’t look sticky and is a really pretty way of emphasizing your lips and making them look thicker.

7. Highlight the lips

This final tip is to apply the tiniest bit of highlighter just above the Cupid’s bow. Light brings forward so this helps give the appearance of a thicker upper lip.

I blend the highlighter with a fingertip so there is no obvious demarcation line. You don’t want to look like you just finished a frothy coffee! 

Lipstick for older women tutorial

I hope you enjoyed this lipstick for older women tutorial and top tips for applying makeup to thin lips! Short of getting lip filler, these tricks really do help. I love hearing from you so please let me know what you think in the comments!