Full lips make you look younger
Women with bee-sting lips are judged to look younger than they are
Women with bee-sting lips are judged to look younger than they are
Women like Scarlett Johansson, with firm, plump lips look younger than their age, according to new research.
Even if a woman shows other signs of ageing, such as wrinkles or tired hair, bee-sting lips can mean that other people judge her to look younger.
'When we identified people who looked young for their age, we were struck by the difference in their lips,' said David Gunn, a research scientist at Unilever, which funded the international study.
The study analysed the faces of 102 pairs of Dutch female twins, and 162 British women aged 45-75, says the Times.
Lips naturally get thinner as people get older, and the study found that the rate at which this happens is genetically determined. Other signs of ageing, such as wrinkles and age spots, are determined by a mixture of genetics and environmental factors.
This may seem to be a green light for women to have collagen or silicon implants to make their lips fuller. But David Gunn believes this is not the way forward for middle-aged women. 'It just looks odd because it doesn't counter the impact of a wrinkled face,' he says.
Marie Claire Newsletter
Celebrity news, beauty, fashion advice, and fascinating features, delivered straight to your inbox!
There are other non-invasive ways to perk up thin lips. Lip plumpers, available as glosses and lipsticks, cause a mild reaction with the lip tissue that causes it to swell temporarily.
For a natural option, a routine of brushing the lips with a toothbrush exfoliates the skin. Add oil of cinnamon leaf or niacin (available from health shops) to increase blood flow and glow.
The leading destination for fashion, beauty, shopping and finger-on-the-pulse views on the latest issues. Marie Claire's travel content helps you delight in discovering new destinations around the globe, offering a unique – and sometimes unchartered – travel experience. From new hotel openings to the destinations tipped to take over our travel calendars, this iconic name has it covered.
-
If you have oily eyelids like me, trust me when I tell you that this is the only primer that keeps eyeshadow in place all day
I’ve used it for years and years
By Valeza Bakolli
-
As a beauty editor with hair prone to frizz and flyaways, I’ve tried every smoothing hair product out there—these 9 actually work
This way for sleeker strands
By Mica Ricketts
-
Celebrities and PTs alike love strength training to boost tone. 7 seriously effective 20-minute dumbbell workouts you can do from home
Short, simple workouts FTW.
By Chloe Gray