As we age, our lips start to loose volume and change shape over time. Naturally smooth and contoured lips appear thinner, less structured or uneven over time. This can affect your overall facial harmony, and influence how our makeup sits.
Why Lips Naturally Change Over Time
The skin of your lips is thinner and more delicate than your other facial skin, so they show age sooner. Lips have less fat and fewer oil glands, so they lose moisture and plumpness faster, leading to noticeable lip volume loss, as you get older.
Collagen and elastin help to keep your lips full, and over time, your body makes less of these proteins. Reduced collagen causes lip thinning, and a softer, less defined lip shape.
Bone and fat also changes, under your skin. Facial fat shifts and your jawbone can slightly recede. These structural shifts can also make the lips look smaller, or less projected, even if their surface looks the same.
Sun, smoking and repeated motions also make a difference, with UV damage breaking down your collagen, tobacco narrowing your blood vessels and thinning skin, whilst constant pursing or rubbing can deepen your lip lines, contributing to a loss of lip volume.
How Collagen And Elastin Affect Lip Volume
Collagen is what gives your lips structure, forming a network under your skin, supporting the shape and fullness. When your body makes less collagen, the structure weakens and it makes your lips look flatter.
When you have less elastin, it makes your lips sag more, and lose definition over time.
We begin losing collagen and elastin gradually in adulthood, and the collagen loss starts earlier than you’d expect, adding up year by year.
To support collagen production, you should always protect your lips from the sun, avoid smoking, eat foods that are rich in protein and of course, stay hydrated.
Lifestyle Habits That Contribute To Lip Thinning
As I mentioned above, smoking and tobacco use speeds up the collagen loss within your skin and lips, making your lips look thinner over time, causing vertical lines around your mouth.
Sun exposure damages both collagen and elastin, causing a loss of volume and increased dryness. Using a lip balm with SPF, and reapplying it often will protect your lips from potential UV damage.
Being dehydrated and having poor nutrition also reduces the natural plumpness of your lips. Drink water, eat protein and vitamins and eat foods that will support your skin’s health.
Be careful with the skincare products you use, as overuse of harsh exfoliants can strips moisture from your lips, weakening the lip tissue. Instead, choose gentle and hydrating products.
Lip Care Habits That Support Long Term Lip Fullness
Keep your lips hydrated every day by using a hydrating lip balm containing glycerin or hyaluronic acid, to lock in moisture and reduce the fine lines.
Protect your lips from sun damage with a broad-spectrum SPF and lip balm with SPF, which will preserve the collagen and your skin elasticity.
Be careful with lip plumpers. Whilst they can give you short-term fullness by increasing the blood flow, overuse can irritate your lips and dry them out.
You can do some gentle lip exercises, as short, simple moves may help muscle tone around your mouth.
Hi, my name is Gemma, and I’m the owner of MakeupMuddle.com. I’m a true beauty obsessive, and love writing about anything to do with beauty – I have been a beauty writer since 2012.