Dear Mary,

- Eve

Dear Eve,

If you want your lips to look larger, in addition to applying lip gloss or lipstick to help them stand out, you can also try applying lip gloss over your lipstick. This will help them to stand out even more and give them a fuller, lusher look. You can also line your lips with a pencil and then blend in the edges to add a little more volume. Then cover them with lip gloss or lip balm as mentioned above.

For healthy lips that look great, you can also try these other tips:

• Before applying lipstick, apply lip balm or cream to keep the lips soft and supple.
• To help color stay longer, use a lip pencil to apply color first, and then apply lipstick. Then blot your lips to remove any excess and seal in color.
• You can also apply lip balm after applying your lipstick or gloss. Not only will this help to keep color longer, it will also help to heal dry, chapped lips.
• To spice things up, try applying a glittery lip gloss over your favorite shade of lipstick. Or, use a light-colored eye shadow over your lipstick or gloss—two shades for the price of one! Apply the eye shadow to the center of the lips and then carefully blend as you move toward the corners.
• If you have particularly dry lips, apply lip balm often, and avoid licking your lips, as this will only make them worse. If you are out in the sun for any length of time, wear a lip balm with SPF protection. It is also helpful to exfoliate the lips to remove dry, dead skin cells from the surface of the lips, thereby allowing the lips’ natural beauty to shine through.

On the other hand, if you want your lips to look smaller, use deeper colors, rather than lighter shades or shiny glosses.

When applying lipstick, as with all makeup, remember first and foremost that practice makes perfect. It's okay if you don't get it exactly right the first time; just remove the lipstick or gloss or start over. You'll get the hang of it in no time!