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Contrary to what some large-lipped, self-conscious divas think, having a set of bountiful smackers gives you a head start on the road to becoming a confident, sexy beauty. If you've been given a more-than-hearty serving of kissable lips, consider yourself fortunate -- you share the same class with some uber-hot ladies (think Naomi Campbell and Angelina Jolie). Once you realize how lucky you are to have those generous lips, maximize your pucker power and boost your confidence by learning a handful of beauty tips and tricks that can help you make the most of your full lips.
1.
Exfoliate those luscious smackers. Moisten your lips with a bit of warm water, then rub them with a gentle scrub or soft-bristled toothbrush to slough off dead skin cells and boost blood flow to your bountiful lips.
2.
Pay attention when you slap on that lip liner. Select a color that matches your lipstick shade, so that it doesn't stand out and draw unwanted attention to your large lips or make them appear cartoonish. Avoid running the liner along the outside edge of the lips, which results in making your lips appear unnecessarily large. Instead, apply the lip liner carefully along the inside edge of your lips.
3.
Apply a lipstick color that makes you feel like the beautiful diva that you are. Back off on brightly colored lipsticks, especially if you're a bit self-conscious about the size of your lips. Opt for muted shades, such as brown, bronze and even purple, instead of hot pink, red or fuchsia; these toned-down colors downplay and gently subdue your lips, which helps keep them from being the focal point of your face. If you're comfortable with your large lips and want to strut your stuff, consider going for bolder colors, which serve to draw eyes to your smackers instead of away from them.
4.
Tone down the high-shine lip gloss. If you're already endowed with a set of lusciously large smackers, you don't want to overemphasize their size with a hearty coating of shiny gloss, which makes them appear even larger. If you're really into gloss and can't see yourself not using it, just dab a very light coating across the center of your bottom lip; this imparts just enough shine to make your lips both pouty and kissable without emphasizing them excessively.
Tired of having to reapply your lipstick? Prolong the life of your lipstick (and the kissability of your lips) by first applying an even coating of lip liner along the entire surface of your lips, suggests Paula Begoun, beauty expert, cosmetics designer and author of "The Complete Beauty Bible."
