What is my Lip Shape

The uniqueness of each person’s lips is as distinct as their fingerprint, with an exclusive combination of grooves, wrinkles, shapes, and sizes that belong to them alone. Makeup experts have pinpointed nine prevalent characteristics, yet it’s common for individuals to possess a composite of two or three distinct lip shapes. For instance, one might have lips that are both plump and round, or alternatively, possess a slender, heart-shaped smile. Similar to the way hair exhibits a variety of curl patterns rather than a single type, lip shapes are diverse. Recognizing your unique lip shape opens up a world of possibilities for experimenting with makeup artist techniques tailored to enhance your natural features, as well as exploring general care practices to keep your lips in top condition.

Nine different lip shapes that are most recognizable are Full, Thin, Round, Wide, Bow-shaped, Heart-shaped, Downturned, Top-heavy, and Bottom-heavy.

Characteristics of each Lip Shape

1. Full Lips: These lips are voluptuous and have a robust, rounded shape, giving them a lush appearance.
   • Ample Volume: Full lips are characterized by their significant volume and plumpness, which is apparent in both the upper and lower lips.
   • Prominent Pout: They often have a pronounced pout, especially noticeable in the center of the lips.
   • Balanced Proportions: The fullness is typically well-distributed, giving a balanced look between the top and bottom lips.
   • Visible Cupid’s Bow: The cupid’s bow is usually visible, adding to the lips’ distinct shape. However, Cupid’s bow is not essential to be present.
   • Soft Edges: Despite their volume, the edges of full lips are often soft and rounded rather than sharp.
   • Accentuated Curves: The natural curves of the lips are more pronounced, contributing to a lush appearance.
2. Thin Lips: Characterized by their narrow profile, thin lips have a slimmer appearance due to their lesser volume compared to fuller lips.
   • Less Volume: Thin lips have less volume and fullness compared to other lip shapes, with a flatter appearance.
   • Narrow Appearance: They appear narrower on the face, both in height and sometimes in width.
   • Subtle Cupid’s Bow: The cupid’s bow is typically less pronounced and can sometimes be almost straight.
   • Defined Edges: Despite being thin, the edges of the lips can be quite defined and may appear sharp.
3. Round Lips: If your lips are almost equal in width and height with soft, rounded contours, you have round lips — and fullness isn’t a concern for you.
   • Circular Shape: Round lips form a circular or oval-like shape, with a soft, rounded appearance.
   • Smooth Contours: The edges and contours of round lips are smooth, curving gently without any angularity.
   • Even Fullness: There is an even distribution of fullness across both the upper and lower lips.
   • Subtle Cupid’s Bow: If a cupid’s bow is present, it is usually subtle and blends seamlessly with the rounded shape of the lips.
   • Lack of Pronounced Features: Round lips typically lack pronounced features like a prominent cupid’s bow or sharply downturned corners.
   • Symmetrical Appearance: They often have a symmetrical appearance.
4. Wide Lips: Distinct for stretching horizontally across the face, wide lips span a greater distance from one corner of the mouth to the other, contributing to a unique, expansive smile.
   • Broad Width: Wide lips stretch horizontally across the face, covering a greater width than other lip shapes.
   • Fullness Across: There is a consistent fullness that extends across the entirety of the lips, not just centered in the middle.
   • Gentle Curvature: The upper and lower lips tend to have a soft, gentle curve, without sharp peaks at the cupid’s bow.
   • Prominent in Smiles: When smiling, wide lips tend to stretch out further, emphasizing their width.
   • Balanced Vertical Proportion: The height of the lips is proportionate, neither too plump nor too thin, complementing their width.
5. Bow-Shaped Lips: The upper lip mimics the curves of a bow tie, complete with a distinct dip in the middle that stands out between the peaks.
   • Distinctive Curvature: The upper lip forms two pronounced peaks at the cupid’s bow, resembling the shape of an archer’s bow.
   • Softly Rounded Lower Lip: The lower lip complements the upper lip by being full but not overly plump, curving gently (distinguishing them from heart-shaped lips, which are very plump).
   • Pronounced Philtrum Ridges: The vertical ridges that run from the peaks of the cupid’s bow to the base of the nose are usually more pronounced.
6. Heart-Shaped Lips: Featuring a pronounced Cupid’s bow, heart-shaped lips boast a top lip with a notable dip. They differ from bow-shaped lips by having a bottom lip that tapers off more dramatically towards the corners while being fuller in the center.
   • Cupid’s Bow: The top lip features a sharp and well-defined cupid’s bow that resembles the top of a heart.
   • Full Lower Lip: The lower lip is often full and rounded, providing a contrast to the more defined upper lip.
   • Pronounced Philtrum Ridges: The vertical ridges that run from the peaks of the cupid’s bow to the base of the nose are usually more pronounced.
   • Wider Upper Half: The upper half of the lips is typically wider than the bottom half, tapering down at the corners.
7. Downturned Lips: This lip shape is characterized by edges that tilt downwards, creating a gentle, natural pout.
   • Descending Corners: The corners of the mouth turn downwards, giving the lips a slightly droopy appearance.
   • Neutral Upper Lip: The upper lip is usually less prominent or defined compared to other lip shapes, particularly at the cupid’s bow.
   • Subdued Cupid’s Bow: The cupid’s bow is less pronounced or may appear flattened, which does not draw attention away from the downturned corners.
   • Gentle Curvature: The overall curvature of the lips is gentle and slopes downwards towards the edges.
8. Top Heavy Lip: When the upper lip is significantly more pronounced than the lower lip, it’s recognized as a top-heavy lip shape.
   • Upper Lip Prominence: The upper lip is more prominent or fuller than the lower lip, dominating the overall appearance.
   • Subdued Lower Lip: The lower lip is less pronounced and may appear thinner in contrast to the upper lip.
   • Slight Overhang: The fuller upper lip might slightly overhang the lower lip, especially at the center.
   • Asymmetrical Volume Distribution: There’s an imbalance in volume, with the upper lip carrying the majority of the fullness.
9. Bottom Heavy Lip: A bottom-heavy lip shape is when the lower lip is noticeably fuller or larger than the upper lip.
   • Lower Lip Fullness: The lower lip is fuller and more voluminous compared to the upper lip, often significantly so.
   • Understated Upper Lip: In contrast to the lower lip, the upper lip is less pronounced and may appear relatively thin.
   • Asymmetrical Volume Distribution: There’s an imbalance in volume, with the bottom lip carrying the majority of the fullness.
   • Softer Cupid’s Bow: The cupid’s bow on the upper lip might be less defined, further accentuating the lower lip’s prominence.
   • Gentle Curvature: The overall shape is characterized by a gentle and smooth curvature, especially apparent on the lower lip.
   • Bold Lower Lip Contour: The contour of the lower lip is more defined and can create a shadow effect underneath, which emphasizes its size.

Examples

Full lips

Thin lips

Round Lips

Wide lips

Bow-Shaped Lips

Heart-Shaped Lips

Downturned lips

Top Heavy Lip

Bottom Heavy Lip

Basic Lip Features

Upper Lip Fullness

1. Level 1 – Very Thin: The upper lip has very little volume and appears almost flat between the nose and the vermilion border. There is no visible fullness, and the lip may not contribute to the facial profile significantly.
2. Level 2 – Thin: There is slight volume in the upper lip, but it is less than would be expected for balanced facial proportions. The lip profile is relatively flat.
3. Level 3 – Moderate Fullness: The upper lip has a moderate amount of volume that is considered in proportion with the overall facial features.
4. Level 4 – Full: The upper lip is full and makes a noticeable contribution to the facial profile. The volume is significant, and the lip appears plush and well-contoured.
5. Level 5 – Very Full: The upper lip has abundant volume, making it a prominent feature of the face. It is significantly contoured and may even protrude past the lower lip.

Lower Lip Fullness

1. Level 1 – Very Thin: The lower lip has minimal volume and appears very flat. The lack of fullness is pronounced, and the lip does not contribute to the lower facial contour.
2. Level 2 – Thin: There is a slight fullness present, but the lower lip is still relatively flat and does not provide much definition to the lower face. The volume is noticeably less than what is typically considered proportionate with the rest of the facial features.
3. Level 3 – Moderate Fullness: The lower lip has a normal amount of volume, with a balanced appearance in relation to the upper lip and overall facial proportions. The lip shape is well-defined, and the volume is adequate, providing a natural contour to the mouth area.
4. Level 4 – Full: The lower lip is plump and contributes significantly to the facial profile. It has a pronounced volume that enhances the overall appearance of the mouth, with a clear definition and a healthy, rounded appearance.
5. Level 5 – Very Full: The lower lip is exceptionally full and is a dominant feature of the lower face. It has a robust and voluminous appearance that may extend beyond the natural lip line, providing a very pronounced pout.

Cupid’s Bow

1. Not Visible Cupid’s Bow: The cupid’s bow is almost indistinguishable, with the upper lip edge being smooth and straight across without noticeable peaks or a dip.
2. Slight Cupid’s Bow: There’s a gentle indentation and subtle peaks that suggest the shape of a cupid’s bow, but these features are not pronounced.
3. Moderate Cupid’s Bow: The characteristic “M” shape is easily visible, with distinct peaks and a dip, but the contours are rounded rather than sharp.
4. Well Defined Cupid’s Bow: The peaks and dip of the cupid’s bow are sharp and pronounced, creating a clear “M” shape that’s noticeable and may be considered a prominent feature of the lips.
5. Exaggerated Cupid’s Bow: The “M” shape is very pronounced and deep, with peaks that might be extended or pointed, making the cupid’s bow the most striking feature of the lips.

References

Lips Anatomy

https://www.mindbodygreen.com/articles/lip-shapes

What Are the Most Popular Lip Shapes?

https://www.lorealparisusa.com/beauty-magazine/makeup/lip-makeup/lip-shapes-how-to-find-yours