August 2007
Dear Paula,
I am in my late 50s and I am noticing that my lips do not seem as defined as they once were. I am finding it harder to apply lipstick either with a tube or a brush because the outer portion of the lip is less defined. Is this a normal part of aging? Other than using a lipliner, which seems out of fashion at the moment, is there anything you can suggest?

Abby, via email

Dear Abby,
It is absolutely an “age” thing, and it is also affected by whether or not you did or still do smoke, how much sun exposure you’ve had, and the genes you inherited from your parents. As we grow older our lips become less defined and for many almost seem to disappear (Source: Journal of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, November 2005, pages 1634–1641).

Your dilemma explains some of the overabundance of lip-plumping products on the market. They don’t work, but the desire to have lips à la Angelina Jolie, Julia Roberts, or Cameron Diaz is significant, and women of all ages want the same sensual appearance as the models and celebrities we gawk at in magazines and on television. Full lips have been the standard of beauty over the past 20 years or so (as opposed to the 1920s and ’30s when thin, Cupid’s bow, pursed lips were cover girl basics).

Lip pencil that obviously shows through your lipstick is definitely not in fashion (and hasn’t been since the ’80s). It is equally problematic to try to change the shape of your mouth with a pencil because as the lipstick wears off, it will look as if you missed your mouth. The only real solutions are medical, and they involve dermal injections to enhance the shape of the mouth. Sorry, I wish I had better news but unless you can be comfortable as you are, this change can only be remedied by a talented cosmetic dermatologist or plastic surgeon.