Smoker’s lines, also known as “barcode” lines run vertically down the skin into the top lip and are caused by repetitive pouting action as a result of talking and smoking. Preventing them is near impossible as collagen and elastin levels in the skin drop, though there are ways to make them less noticeable. According to one makeup artist who specialises in mature skincare and beauty, the key to doing it successfully is to eliminate the “shadows” that appear around stretched skin near the mouth.
In a recent video on her TikTok profile, 65-year-old Cheri (@maturebeautystudio), demonstrated her quick tip to help those with smoker’s lines soften their harsh appearance around the mouth.
She said: “Do you have those lines around your mouth, smokers lines, marionette lines and you just want to make them look a little less noticeable? Let me show you how.”
Having already applied the rest of her makeup, the beauty expert took a “very fine tip makeup brush” dipped in some brightening highlighter to match her skin tone.
Using the brush, she gently dotted the highlighting product into the wrinkles to fill in the depth and even out the texture of her skin.
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Cheri noted that she applied the cream product in a downward motion to match the direction of the lines in order to “get rid of the illusion of that shadow”.
While the lines of highlighter may look harsh and unnatural at first, don’t be alarmed. The next step in the beauty expert’s quick hack was to blend the brightening cream out using a soft brush.
A clean eyeshadow or concealer brush will work just fine for this step, as long as it is fluffy enough to soften the highlighter and blend it into the skin.
The TikTok makeup artist said: “Go ahead and just pat those out and just smooth out hath colour. So we’re just filling in the shadow.”
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Cheri added: “That’s how easy it is. All we’re doing is filling in those lines to get rid of that shadow – buffing it out, and we’ve definitely gotten rid of the illusion of those lines.”
For long-term improvement in the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, hydration is essential to prevent the skin from drying out.
According to cosmetic expert and professional makeup artist, Ariane Poole, eye cream is often better than standard moisturisers when it comes to signs of ageing around the mouth.
She recommended using it above the lip line before putting on your other makeup to create a nourishing barrier between textured skin and the products on top.
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Speaking to Sixty + Me, Ariane recommended the Yves Saint Laurent Touche Éclat and her own Ariane Poole mineral pen.
The cosmetic expert also suggested using a lip pencil on the outer edge of the lip to create definition and draw attention away from fine lines around the mouth.
She explained that it is “not necessary to apply powder”, all you need is a slightly darker lip colour that works with your skin tone to make them pop.
To address the lines on the side of the lips, Ariane said to use the same highlighting product, applying a generous amount before blending it upwards to visually “lift your face”.
Cosmetic remedies like dermal filler and botox can be used to treat skin concerns like wrinkles, you could try using essential oils on mild to moderate wrinkles around the mouth. Keep in mind that these remedies may reduce the appearance of, but won’t get rid of fine lines and wrinkles completely.
According to an expert at Healthline, when diluted with a carrier oil, certain essential oils may increase firmness and skin cell turnover to help reduce the appearance of wrinkles.
They warned that before applying diluted essential oils to your face, you’ll want to do a patch test on the inside of your elbow a couple of days beforehand to ensure you aren’t allergic to the oil.
Frankincense, lemon, lavender and sandalwood all have different benefits and can be applied in small amounts to the mouth area twice daily using your fingertips.
