MAKEUP RULES: Lips in three dimensions

March 12. 2013 11:44PM By Bobby Walsh (The Real King Bob), Weekender Correspondent

Everyone wants the perfect pout; routine trips to the local plastic surgeon for fillers aren't for everybody. For a super small fraction of the cost, I can show you how to create a dimensional lip that will give you that bee stung voluptuous lip!

All you need are four items. The first is a lip plumper (my favorite is Too Faced Cosmetics Lip Injection Extreme for $28, toofaced.com). This lip plumper is exceptionally great because you can wear it during the day as well as at night. The more you use it, the more your lips will become conditioned and smoother, filling lines and creating a more prolonged plump.

You will also need a darker colored lip liner, a lighter matching colored lipstick, and lip gloss. Application is very quick, easy, and, of course, painless. First apply the lip plumper generously to your top and bottom lip; feel free to over line a little to help accentuate your cupid's bow and to give you that extra pouty bottom lip. Leave the plumper on a few minutes until your lips are at a desired fullness.

Next, take your dark colored lip liner and apply around your new plump lip line, over lining slightly. Then, with the same lip liner, fill in both outer corners of your lip, top and bottom. This will deepen the outer edges, making the center of your lips appear bright and larger.

Now take your lipstick in a few shades lighter, then the lip liner color, and apply all over the top and bottom lip; this will blend all of the colors together and give you a gradient effect on the lip.

Finally, apply your gloss. To do so, place the gloss on the tip of your finger and dap that onto the center portion of your lips only; doing so will give the center area a more highlighted effect when light reflects off of it, giving you that perfect pucker!

It's always good to play around with different shade and color combinations with your lip liner and lipstick. A favorite of mine is using a nutmeg liner ($4.50 from NYX Cosmetics,nyxcosmetics.com) and Orange Soda round lipstick, also from NYX.

Another combination that works great for a night out or something more romantic is using a deep plum liner and a cool toned medium shade of red; it's that perfect sultry-meets-sophisticated color combo.

A nice alternative lip plumper that retails for $6 is NYX Cosmetics' Pump It Up lip plumper – it says right on the bottle, “Feels like spicy chilies,” and they are right! Feels hot but looks even hotter!