I Quit Lip Filler—Now I Fake a Fuller Pout With My 10 Holy Grail Lip Contour Products
Kiss painful needles and pricey med spa appointments goodbye.
Over the years, there was nothing (I mean nothing!) that could come between me and my yearly lip filler appointment. But when I decided to break up with injectables at 30, I needed another way to achieve the fuller, more defined pout I’d grown accustomed to. Enter: lip contouring. With the right products and a few makeup artist-approved techniques, I found I could recreate the look—sans any needles.
While lip filler will likely always be in high demand, the best lip contours come pretty close to creating the illusion of large, luscious lips. In fact, these liners, creams, crayons and sticks can completely “change the shape of the lip to appear fuller or more symmetrical,” according to celebrity makeup artist and former L’Oréal Paris Makeup Director, Tobi Henney.
I know what you’re thinking: Isn’t this just lip liner? The short answer: no. Traditional lip liner is typically chosen to match your natural lip color or lipstick, while lip contouring relies on cool-toned brown shades that mimic natural shadows to make lips look bigger. That’s why Henney recommends choosing a cool brown for fair skin or a neutral brown for medium-to-deep skin tones, then concentrating the product on the cupid’s bow and the center of the bottom lip.
After testing my fair share of lip contours, I've rounded up the 10 I use daily to line, define…and fake filler.
Pucker Up
When I first started experimenting with lip contouring, pencils were the easiest place to start. The two ahead offer the most control, making it simple to sketch soft, shadow-like lines that mimic naturally fuller lips.
One swipe of this creamy lip pencil and I understood the hype. Its ultra-smooth, matte formula glides on and blends seamlessly before setting, then stays put for hours, making it perfect for creating believable shadows that won’t budge. Fair skin tones should reach for cool browns like Pinky Brown, while medium-to-deep complexions will love richer neutral browns like Rich Brown.
If you, like me, prefer a more natural-looking lip contour, this pencil is hard to beat. Its pigmented, creamy formula creates soft, barely-there definition instead of harsh lines, while the neutral shade range is designed to mimic natural shadows—exactly what you want when contouring rather than simply lining your lips. Choose a cooler brown like Nudist if you have fair skin, or opt for one of the deeper neutral browns such as Chocolate if your complexion is medium to deep.
Kiss and Tell
If I’m after a softer, more diffused lip contour, I always reach for these two cream formulas. Their blendable textures melt into the lips for subtle, shadow-like definition that’s incredibly forgiving (and nearly impossible to overdo).
If you’ve spent any time on TikTok lately, you’ve probably seen Hailey Bieber’s Peptide Lip Shape from Rhode everywhere (and for good reason!). The creamy contour stick glides on effortlessly to create soft, filler-like shadows, while peptides and fenugreek extract help keep lips hydrated as you sculpt. For the most natural results, fair complexions should stick to cooler shades like Squeeze, while medium-to-deep skin tones should opt for Balance.
Don't let the $12 price tag fool you—this cream-based lip contour performs like products twice the price. It glides on smoothly, blends with minimal effort, and creates natural-looking definition that makes lips appear fuller. Its thoughtfully curated shade range includes cool-toned browns for fair skin and richer neutral hues like Saddle that beautifully contour medium-to-deep complexions.
Skip the Syringe
Think of the two lip crayons below as the happy medium between lipstick and liner. Their chunky shape makes them easy to swipe on in seconds, while their creamy formulas deliver more pigment and coverage than a traditional pencil, making them perfect for lip contouring.
MAC’s jumbo crayon tip makes this one of the easiest lip contours to apply, while the creamy, shimmer-infused formula delivers comfortable, long-lasting wear that instantly makes lips look larger. For the most believable contour, choose a cool brown like Gem Stone if you have fair skin or a neutral brown that’s one to two shades deeper than your natural lip tone if you have a medium-to-deep complexion.
Created by the one and only Lady Gaga, this creamy lip crayon glides on easily, delivers rich color in a single swipe, and leaves behind a satin finish. The deeper neutral shades like Mahogany Matte work well for medium-to-deep skin tones, while the cooler browns like Rose Matte are a good fit for fair complexions.
Perfect the Pout
If I’m going for the most defined pout possible, these duos ahead are my secret weapon. Each pairs complementary shades that work together to sculpt, contour, and subtly enhance lips, making it easier than ever to achieve a fuller-looking pout.
Celebrity makeup artist Pat McGrath knows a thing or two about creating fuller-looking lips, and this two-in-one duo proves it. One end features a cool-toned contour shade to sculpt shadows, while the other adds a complementary hue for dimension and definition. If you have fair skin, opt for a cooler brown like Supernatural Nude, while medium-to-deep complexions should reach for richer neutral shades like Shockalate Brown.
Equal parts lip liner and contour, this product makes faking filler easy. The double-ended pencil pairs a deeper contour shade with a coordinating liner to create soft, natural-looking dimension in just a few swipes. Fair skin tones should gravitate toward cooler shades like Fair, while medium and deep complexions will get the best results from Medium or Deep.
Fake Filler (On a Budget)
If I’m after fuller-looking lips without spending like I’m at a med spa, these are the two holy grail products I reach for. Both create soft, believable contours that look far more expensive than they are—and neither costs more than $15.
The name says it all. This affordable creamy contour pencil is designed to blur, sculpt, and subtly plump lips. Fair skin tones should opt for cooler shades like Brown Caramael, while medium-to-deep complexions will achieve the most natural-looking contour with richer neutral browns like Mocha Mousse.
Somewhere between a lip liner and a lip stain, this innovative formula delivers the best of both worlds. It creates soft, natural-looking lines before setting into a long-lasting stain that won’t smudge through coffee or happy hour. Just be sure to reach for Up to No Goode, a cool brown, if you have fair skin, or Naughty Nude if you have medium-to-deep skin.
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Meet the Expert
Tobi Henney is a bicoastal makeup artist who originally hails from Sydney, where she was previously the L’Oréal Paris Makeup Director for Australia. She is known for flawless, glowing skin and signature red carpet looks created for clients such as Barbara Palvin, Megan Fox, Mila Kunis, Jessica Alba, Ashley Graham, Karlie Kloss, Lillie Reinhart, and Emma Roberts. Henney has worked with major brands including Ray Ban, Oliver Peoples, Longines, Miu Miu, Tiffany & Co, Balenciaga, Tom Ford, Victoria’s Secret, Chanel, Dior, Louis Vuitton, L’Oréal Paris, Clinique, Maybelline, Nike, Anthropology, and Coach, and her editorial talents can be seen in Vogue, InStyle, L’Officiel, Elle, Grazia, Harper’s Bazaar, Schön! and more.
