The Art of Overlining: How to Get Fuller Lips Naturally

In the age of social media, full, plush lips have become a major beauty goal. While lip fillers are a popular option, they aren't for everyone. Fortunately, with a bit of makeup geometry, you can significantly enhance your natural lip shape and size using nothing but a pencil and lipstick.

The key to a successful overlining lips tutorial is subtlety. If you go too far, it looks obvious and "drawn on." If you do it correctly, it mimics the natural shadow and light of a fuller pout. Here is how to master the art of the "faux-fill."

Choose the Right Shade

The biggest mistake people make when overlining is using a color that is too bright or too dark compared to their skin. To make overlining look real, you need to use a shade that mimics the natural shadow of your lip line.

Look for a "contour" shade—a nude or mauve that is just one or two shades deeper than your natural lip color. Charlotte Tilbury Lip Cheat in Iconic Nude or NYX Slim Lip Pencil in Nude Truffle are perfect for this because they lean slightly cool/taupe, which looks like a natural shadow. Avoid using reds or bright pinks to overline, as the lack of shadow will make the overlining very apparent.

Focus on the Centers

The secret to a natural-looking overline is to only overline the "centers" of your lips—the cupid’s bow and the very middle of the bottom lip.

• Upper Lip: Slightly draw outside your natural line at the two peaks of your cupid’s bow.
• Lower Lip: Slightly draw outside the line in the very center of the bottom lip.
• The Corners: As you move toward the corners of your mouth, you must return to your natural lip line. If you overline the corners, you will end up with what makeup artists call "clown mouth"—a wide, unnatural shape that doesn't move correctly when you talk or smile.

Use the "Shadow and Light" Technique

To really sell the illusion of fullness, you need to play with light. After overlining and filling in your lips with a matte lipstick, apply a slightly lighter shade or a dab of gloss (like the Fenty Glow Gloss Bomb) only to the very center of your lips.

The gloss reflects light, making the center of the lip appear to "protrude" more, while the matte overlined edges recede like shadows. This contrast is what creates the 3D effect of a larger lip. If you're looking for Trending Shades to use for your center highlight, we have plenty of recommendations.

Set It to Forget It

Because you are drawing on skin rather than lip tissue, the overlined part of your look can sometimes fade faster or look "shiny" compared to the rest of the lip. Gently tap a tiny bit of translucent powder over the overlined edges to mattify the skin and lock the pencil in place. This ensures your "new" lip shape stays put all night.

Ready to find your perfect shade? Skip the guesswork — try POUT's free Shade Matcher and discover your match in seconds.