Lips - any make up artists out there?

[backseatcookers]

I know it doesn't matter with everything going on in the world. I really know.

I'm tired, waiting on the latest results re my epilepsy and just generally feeling down.

This hasn't helped by the fact I wore lipstick in the first time in year and feel like I look really OTT.

My Cupid's now is (I think) quite pronounced, so when I wear red lipstick (even a relatively subtle colour) I feel like I look silly because it somehow makes it look fake and cheap.

Any advice on either how to line my lips to help, how to choose colours or to be honest at this stage whether I'm better just not wearing anything other then nude / some balm?

Or maybe it isn't that pronounced and I'm being stupid?

Again, I know this is irrelevant in the long term but I am just so tired and feel so shit that I want to feel a semblance of the confidence I did before my car crash broke my brain and gave me bloody epilepsy.

It's like a little celebration my seizures pause long enough for me to get ready, compared to a year ago!

Cupid's bow, obviously!

You have amazing lips (which I'm sure you know ) and I like that bee sting soft colour you're wearing.

The only thing I'd say is to fill in the outer ends of your top lip so it looks finished.

I have a very pronounced cupids bow like you OP and I sometimes feel it looks fake. I wear bright red lipstick and accentuate it though as I get lots of compliments on it, fellas always say I have kissable lips. You have nice lips so own it I reckon.

Oh you look fabulous - amazing and lovely lips. Hope your confidence builds - baby steps. Those lips could get way bolder yet:)

You need a lip liner. You could soften the cupids bow by filling it in slightly. Watch some youtube tutorials on how to line lips.
If that's the colour you wore when you say red then it's really not OTT. But I get that when you aren"t used to lipstick it can feel strange to you.
Your cupids bow is defined but it's not extremly so.
Regarding colours, not all reds are created equal. Find out your undertones and get either a cold or warm red lipstick.

Good luck with your tests.

The colour you are wearing looks really nice, is it a balm with some colour?
Nothing will look good if you’re not confident, so I would experiment with a lip liner and various colours and textures until you find something you’re happy with. You could get a lip palette which come with loads of colours.
Your cupid bow is defined but not extreme at all, perhaps it looks more so because your lips are not very wide. The overall look will also depend on your other features, if you have small eyes, small nose, fair eyebrows etc then your lips will stand out more.

The bottom lip needs a gentle line round the fat lip bit. In the photo has no colour, and as anther poster said you need to line the outer top lips to define, your lips are fine, just play about and check in mirrors other than the one you put your lip colour on with. I too have a big Cupid's now and full lips, I have to be careful MAC lipstick is good and NYX do a good fake

Your confidence has been knocked by the epilepsy diagnosis. It's shit. Seizures and brain injury change you. I felt similar when I began having seizures. Like I didn't quite recognise who I was seeing in the mirror.
Hopefully you will stabilise on a good medication/lifestyle regimine

Your lips are fabulous! I'm pretty envious I have mean thin lips that really look worse with any type of lipstick

You said you haven't worn lipstick in a year? Did you use to wear red lipstick? Do you have any photos to look back on? Can you recognise the "old you"?

A balmy red might be nice to start.

Hope you start to feel better soon

I think your lips look lovely.

Oh wow thank you for such lovely replies

Spot on @cauliflowerpowerpop, the pic I shared is just with a bit of the rose baseline on, so not too far off from my natural colour.

I think you're right that it looks sort of more accentuated because my lips aren't very wide.

Going to get a few lip liners and give them a go, using the tips on here re shape. I shall report back!

Seizures and brain injury change you. I felt similar when I began having seizures. Like I didn't quite recognise who I was seeing in the mirror.

Thanks loads @70sduvet that's exactly how I feel. And I was anorexic pre crash so have put on 3 stone in a year. Now healthy and still relatively slim weight but just a total headfuck having everything change.

Giant scar too, though I actually love it because it makes me look like a badass Just a lot to get my head around and often don't recognise myself if I catch a glimpse in a shop window for example.

Medication is starting to help thank goodness. Hope yours are under control now, it is so shit isn't it.

Need to learn how to dress my new body too but thought I'd start with my lips!

Rose vaseline not baseline!

Rose vaseline not baseline!

I wouldn’t change the shape of your lips with liner, there’s no need. Maybe just apply lippy with your finger dabbing it on to get a more subtle look rather than dramatic as you feel self conscious about looking over done

I think your lips look beautiful OP.

But if you are self conscious here are some things to consider:

1. Avoiding bright or strong colours at your lips and emphasize more your eyes or cheeks.
2. With a lip pencil drawing then in almost at the middle. This was a classic 90s technique. Choose a lip pencil the colour of your lips or slightly darker for a natural finish or match your lipstick.
3. Own it and try to keep working on building up your confidence by emphasising them.

Hope this helps.

OP you have lovely lips and a beautiful skin tone. I love the vaseline rosey lips too, it's so underrated.

If you want the cupid's bow point less pronounced I would use one of two methods.

1)blend your foundation, over the 'points' of the lips at the top to being them down or round them off a little, then go in with a natural coloured liner and draw them in slightly lower, and add lipstick. I often just use liner, get the lip line right and then pat it with a finger to soften.

2. approach it by narrowing the depth of the v by 'bridging' across it with a lip liner, then blend and ass add lipstick/balm whatever.

Both will work, you just need to find a lip liner that works for you, for day to day, something similar to your own lip colour (a nude) and practice until you get the desired effect.

Hoping for positive results for you health wise. I'm chronically ill and it is so important to find ways to feel like 'you' and look in the mirror and be reminded you are still you even though you're currently having a hard time. Take it easy on yourself OP, there is nothing frivolous in finding small ways to boost self esteem

you have lovely lips - the cupids bow is wider than i've seen before but they are unique and gorgeous!

if you feel paranoid, fill in the two points' sides so the gap is narrower?

Your lips are a beautiful shape, they remind me of a model called Lindsey Wixson. Have a search for her on Pinterest and you might find some inspiration.

@backseatcookers that's been quite a year!
I took a long time to get stabilised but I'm now driving again...which I never thought would happen. 15 years later
Keep changing the meds until you find the one that keeps you well.

Scar does sound badass!

Wishing you well in the finding of the new you! You'll rock it!

Thanks so much @immigrantsong I'll be using your tips to try out some different shapes when my new lip liners arrive 

Thanks also @dontgobaconmyheart for your tips and kind words. Being chronically ill is fucking SHIT isn't it? Honestly, I'm bored of being pretend brave (imposter syndrome alert) I feel like I just want a fucking good moan this week!

Oh my goodness @chartreuse I googled that model and some pictures she could be my younger, ridiculously good looking supermodel-lier sister. Boyfriend helpfully added "she's got that weird alien but hot thing too". Jokes aside that really helps as I can steal her style - I love her in dark lips and it's giving me the confidence to maybe give that a go when I'm ready to try and have nights feeling like a knockout instead of an ill person again.

@70sduvet YES we've got this. Just got to keep on keeping on haven't we. And the meds have definitely made a bit of a difference already which is good, even having a day or so between big seizures makes such a difference to quality of life

For anyone who advised, I think I've found a lip liner that softens but doesn't erase my Cupid's bow thanks to your advice on application!

So will look to find a red / plum / dark one now (any recommendations welcome) but until then I have a nice natural option - I think - does this look OK? Just slightly softened my natural line as my Cupid's bow is just naturally pointy which I think has been the issue in the past...