You expect your skin to change with age — but you might not have expected thinning lips.
Usually, we focus on the fine lines around the eyes, the wrinkles on the forehead and those marionette lines from our nose to our mouth.
But one day, we go to put on our lipstick and… what happened? Or maybe we see a picture of ourselves and are surprised that our lips have almost disappeared!
Why is this happening? And what can we do about it?
Why does aging bring thin lips?
Many changes occur in the skin that can make it appear smaller and thinner.
Loss of collagen and elastin
Collagen and elastin are proteins that give the skin structure and elasticity. Because of these proteins, the skin keeps its shape and bounces back after we make our expressions.
As we age, the body’s production of these proteins naturally decreases, leading to a loss of shape and firmness in the lips. The process starts somewhere in our 20s, then accelerates in our 40s, 50s and beyond.
Dehydration
Aged skin has a harder time retaining moisture. It produces less of its natural oil (sebum) and also loses more to the air, usually due to a damaged skin barrier that can no longer hold it as well.
Lips have a much thinner outer layer of skin compared to other areas of the body, so they are much more affected by moisture loss. Dehydrated lips not only look thinner but dry and chapped.
Fat redistribution
If you find that you can no longer stand on concrete as much as you used to because your heels hurt, you have experienced fat redistribution!
As we get older, the fat pads we used to have—on our heels and lips, too—start to shrink and shift. Soon there will be a lot less cushion in your heels so you can feel that floor to the bone. The same thing happens with your lips – those plump fat cells that used to give them volume shrink and shift, leading to a thinner appearance.
Muscle activity
We use our lips to talk, eat, kiss, smile and sometimes play musical instruments. All these activities can lead to the development of fine lines and wrinkles around the lips, which can draw more attention to their reduced fullness.
Genetics
We all have different lip shapes, depending on our genes. Some people have naturally fuller lips than others, but no matter where you start, your lips will likely thin and lose volume as you age. If you were born with thinner lips, you may be more likely to notice the change.
Does it matter if I have thin lips?
Thin lips won’t hurt you – although dry lips will. Keeping your lips moisturized and healthy can help prevent chapping, peeling, and bleeding, as well as reduce the risk of infection.
However, you may not like how your thinner lips look. Full lips are generally seen as a sign of vitality and youth in our culture, while thin lips can signify age and weakness. Thin lips can also create an unbalanced look to your face, causing the lower half to lose definition.
Solutions for thin lips: How to keep them plump and beautiful
We can’t stop the aging process, but we can take steps to maintain healthy, fuller-looking lips. Try these seven tips.
1. Hydrate
The skin on your lips is thinner and more sensitive than that on the rest of your face, making it more vulnerable to dryness and chapping. Keeping your lips moisturized is essential to maintaining their plump appearance.
Use a high-quality lip balm to lock in moisture and prevent water loss. We recommend our Restorative Lip Balm. It instantly softens dry, rough and chapped skin while creating a soothing barrier to trap moisture. With natural antioxidants, it also helps protect against environmental aggressors. Fat-soluble vitamins and therapeutic plant terpenoids help encourage skin regeneration while aiding wound healing.
Apply daily as needed to gradually restore softness and fullness to lips.
2. Protect your lips
We can’t stop time, but we can make sure we don’t speed it up. Quit smoking if you do now—smoking accelerates aging in and around the lips. Then, protect your lips from harmful UV rays with a broad-spectrum sunscreen.
Then do your best to manage the internal inflammation. Eat a balanced diet, exercise regularly, manage your stress and apply our CV Skinlabs products, all designed to help reduce inflammation in the skin.
3. Exfoliate
Just as you regularly exfoliate your face to get rid of old, dead cells and reveal new, younger ones, you should do the same for your lips. Not only will it improve the texture of your lips, but it will stimulate blood circulation, giving lips a more vibrant appearance.
Gently buff your lips with a lip scrub or a soft toothbrush. Be careful not to be too harsh. Then follow with our Restorative Skin Balm. Repeat once or twice a week as your lips need.
Our pro tip: Mix Restorative Skin Balm (which contains nourishing oils) with a teaspoon of sugar and oil to form a scrub, then gently scrub lips. Follow with a swipe of Restorative Skin Balm to keep skin plump, soft and healthy.
4. Try lip masks
Overnight lip masks help deliver intense hydration and nutrients while you sleep. Ingredients like honey, coconut oil and glycerin create a protective barrier that prevents moisture loss. You’ll wake up with softer, plumper lips while helping to reduce the appearance of fine lines and cracks.
Us Skin repair balm can be used as an overnight lip mask—just apply it more heavily than usual before bed. Contains natural lip moisturizers, healers and collagen boosters.
5. Try a Lip Plumper
There are many lip plumping serums or “lip plumpers” on the market today. Feel free to experiment to see what might work for you. Many contain ingredients like capsaicin (derived from chili peppers) or menthol that create a mild tingling sensation and cause a little swelling in the lips. Others focus on hydration, using hyaluronic acid and glycerin to help lips retain more moisture so they look fuller.
Some contain bulking agents designed to promote collagen production while temporarily increasing the size of the lips. Some have light-reflecting particles that create an optical illusion of fullness.
Always read the label to know what is in your products. To be safe, choose ones with moisturizing or volumizing ingredients from natural sources.
Us Skin repair balm contains all natural ingredients, including castor oil, which helps stimulate circulation and gives lips a natural and subtle plumping effect.
Note: Avoid lip plumping devices such as hyaluronic acid pens and suction devices. They can accelerate the breakdown of collagen.
6. Use Makeup Techniques
Makeup can dramatically improve the appearance of your lips. Use a lip liner slightly outside the natural line of your lips to create the illusion of more volume. Start by lining the outer corners first, then move inward. It also helps to lightly fill the lips with the liner to keep the shape of your lips firm so you can’t spot obvious lip lines.
When you’re done, use a cotton swab or your finger to gently blend and blur the contour you’ve created. Finally, add your lip color. Keep in mind that lighter colors make lips look bigger, in general, while darker colors create a more defined look that can make them look smaller.
A glossy lipstick reflects light, which gives lips a fuller look, while matte finishes can emphasize dryness and thinness. Add a highlighter pad to the love bow to further enhance the pout.
7. Eat right
A well-balanced diet rich in essential nutrients supports skin health from the inside out. Omega-3 fatty acids found in nuts, seeds and oily fish maintain skin elasticity and hydration. Vitamins C and E are vital for collagen production and skin repair. Fruits, vegetables, and leafy greens contain antioxidants that fight environmental damage that can accelerate aging. Water-rich foods like cucumbers and melons boost water levels in your skin.
Avoid foods high in fat, salt and sugar, as they can dehydrate and contribute to inflammation.
Have you noticed thin lips with age?
Featured image by Tima Miroshnichenko via Pexels.
