2015 was undeniably the year that made lip fillers what they are today, turning them into a decade-defining beauty trend. Kylie Jenner confessed she'd had her lips done and within 24 hours there was a 70% rise in enquiries for lip fillers.
So where did “big lips” come from? In 2006, Angelina Jolie was crowned People's "World's Most Beautiful Star" and was praised for her luscious lips. Then in 2014, none other than Kylie Jenner shared her selfie with new, giant lips that single-handedly powered the craze for injectables.
Kylie Jenner may have introduced the overdrawing lip technique to a whole new generation, but believe us when we tell you: it's an old school trick. As far back as the 1920's and through the decades that followed, ladies were using liner pencils to create the illusion of fuller lips.
According to Dr Marisa Coen in her essay for The Science of Relationships, fuller lips have long been desired by women because, as evolutionary psychology suggests, they signify strong mating potential. “Facial features serve as a cue of attractiveness,” explains Coen.
The desire for big lips has become a popular trend influenced by the media, leading to an upsurge in both men and women seeking to plump and volumised their lips through dermal fillers.
Men of Chinese descent had the largest total lip volume. Regarding upper lip (measured from the midline of the upper lip vermilion border) to lower lip height ratio, Chinese women were found to have a mean ratio of 1:1.25 when measured both by caliper and surface distance.
A study of 1,000 people in 35 countries revealed that the perfect lip shape is all down to symmetry. More than 60% of respondents thought a 1:1 ratio between the upper and lower lip was the most attractive shape. A cosmetic surgeon in London said a heavily-defined cupid's bow is the most-requested lip feature.
The lips have it: Research shows men are drawn to a woman's pout more than any other facial feature. If you want to catch a man's attention, don't bother fluttering your eyelashes or flicking your hair. Just practise your pout. According to a study, a woman's lips are the most attractive part of her body.
It's simply a matter of symmetry
Well, quite a lot, as it turns out that full and sumptuous lips are the most preferable lip shape of them all - but according to a global study, there's one key trait that distinguishes the perfect pouts from their equally plump, yet sub-par, counterparts.
Andrea Ivanova is 24 years old and has spent most of her adult life fashioning herself into the “Balkan Barbie.” And with 26 lip injections, she boasts of having the “biggest lips in the world” — but she isn't done yet. Ivanova has spent thousands of dollars on these cosmetic body modifications.
The Russian technique accentuates the cupid's bow to resemble a heart-shape by injecting additional volume and lift into the center of the lips, while the sides still remain relatively in line with the face. The result is doll-like while still appearing naturally full and plump.
In 1981, bovine collagen was the first agent to be approved by the FDA for cosmetic injection. Since its approval, dozens of injectable filling agents have been developed, and many are already FDA approved for cosmetic use.
Scientists have found that the size of somebody's lips plays a key role in determining whether they are sexually attractive to other people. Basically, the bigger the better - but, in a warning to those who are thinking about opting for surgical enhancement, it is possible for somebody to have lips that are too big.
A study of 1,000 people in 35 countries revealed that the perfect lip shape is all down to symmetry. More than 60% of respondents thought a 1:1 ratio between the upper and lower lip was the most attractive shape. A cosmetic surgeon in London said a heavily-defined cupid's bow is the most-requested lip feature.
Some upper lips are uniform in shape, and others dip down in the middle, revealing two distinct peaks of the upper lip. The latter is known as a Cupid's bow. Taylor Swift has a famous Cupid's bow, and it's generally viewed as an attractive feature. Cleft lips affect approximately 1 in every 600 babies born.
Cupid is the rarest of all lip forms. Cupid has a powerful, youthful appearance, and is very prominent in pre-adolescent females. Due to the natural growth process in a female's lips, the fullness of the lips fill in the middle first, then the sides.
The Cupid's bow is a facial feature where the double curve of a human upper lip is said to resemble the bow of Cupid, the Roman god of erotic love. The peaks of the bow coincide with the philtral columns giving a prominent bow appearance to the lip.
If you look at your upper lip directly beneath the tip of your nose, you'll see an indentation that appears to point downward, located between two curves that point upward. This is called the “cupid's bow,” since it resembles the bow of Cupid, the Roman god of love.
Men prefer a woman who can stay calm and relaxed. Beauty is more than make-up and a fancy haircut. Men find women more attractive when they are neat and clean. Men find women who smell nice, who have clean hair and hydrated skin more attractive than a face perfectly covered in makeup.
The peaks of the bow reach up to the philtral columns - the natural groove in everyone's face just beneath the nose. Heavily defined cupid's bows are considered the most desirable lips in the world - and Taylor Swift and Rihanna are the proud owners of this feature.
The Kylie Jenner Challenge is trending among teens, and doctors warn there are health risks involved. The challenge, which is said to be an artificial way to give lips a"natural" pout, is done by inserting your lips in a small glass and sucking.
The importance of lip ratio
To achieve a natural result, the lower lip should appear always slightly bigger than the upper one. The ideal vertical height ratio of the upper lip to the lower lip should be 1:1.6.
From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English rosebud mouth/lipsa mouth or lips that have a small round shape and are very red → rosebudExamples from the Corpusrosebud mouth/lips• Corrie had a short, snub nose and rosebud mouth, and her eyes were a smoky grey.
1. Full Lips. Full lips are the most common of shapes and typically defined by lips that are plump all-around on both the top and bottom, with no gap between.
Another new lip filler trend is Cherry Lips. This technique adds more volume to the middle areas of the lips to create a unique cherry-like shape. The added volume makes the lips resemble a pair of cherries hanging horizontally from the corners of the lips, which is where this lip filler trend gets its name.