Ever since Sarah Cameron hit our screens on the Netflix series “Outerbanks” everyone wanted that cute full upper lip with the cupid bow’s dimple. Then came the awkward (probably not-so-safe) trend where people put super glue on their upper lip and lifted it up.
We don’t know if Sarah Cameron’s lips are “natural” or not, but honestly who cares? There is such a negative stigma attached to plastic surgery or any cosmetic touch ups for people. With the gorilla glue upper lip happening, a safer, semi-permanent, cosmetic procedure became more accessible and the hot topic of beauty: the lip flip.
*GASPS*
I could not help myself but to scroll endlessly through my TikTok feed under the hashtag #lipflips. I have always been insecure about my lips but I never wanted to pursue fillers. It wasn’t until I was seeing these TikToks when I knew: “hey that’s what I want!”
lol. So, I did it.
Now let’s break it down
I am known for jumping into things that I want immediately or I lose complete interest. That $120 bra? Got it. The $375 dress that Indy Blue wore from For Love and Lemons? Own it.
Bangs? Wow, I love not seeing my forehead.
6 tattoos (so far)? Ink me up.
Okay, you get the point. I’m a spontaneous person.
But I promise you, this was something I did my research for.
First, what the flip is a lip flip?
I watched some videos, read countless articles, talked to friends who work within the cosmetic industry, and got my answer.
A lip flip is four injections of Botox in your upper lip to freeze the muscles, to allow it to plump out and not curl or thin out when you smile, talk, or laugh for 2-4 months. Giving you that Sarah Cameron upper lip vibe. Okay awesome, nothing too invasive and it’s not permanent.
One word: Budgeting
When it comes to things you are doing to your body, you most definitely do not want to coupon shop or get over charged. Find that middle ground and look up different rates. Since a lip flip is not permanent, and requires maintenance every few months, it was not as expensive as something permanent. I found mine at the rate of $120 for a session. Perfect. I can say no to that unnecessary dress that I wanted and will never wear.
Think about what you want
I looked up the positives and negatives about lip flips. Negatives being that some people do not see too much of a result, it might just give a slight difference. Or, it does not last long. Or, drinking out of straws is difficult.
Okay, two of the negatives I did not mind.
I knew I didn’t want a huge change in my lips and I also didn’t want my lip flip to last long just in case I did not like it.(SPOILER: The straw thing didn’t happen for me.)
Positives were that a lip flip is not fillers and gives a very natural look. It is not super invasive to your natural beauty, it is simply enhancing what you have not changed.
This was perfect.
How it went
The procedure was pretty quick and they did not numb me, which I was honestly okay with. It was four quick pricks of a needle that made my eyes water a lot, but the pain did not last at all.
Getting a tattoo or getting a shot is way more painful. The only thing I noticed was a bit of a headache afterwards, but other than that I felt good! My mouth felt a bit tight, but I could drink out of a straw, talk normally, smile, laugh, kiss my bestie, etc. (This is just my experience, please be gentle with yourself.)
It wills take five days to visually see the change, but each day your lip slowly starts to get into that plump look. I did document my lip changing every day and was just a slight change happening. So, do not get frustrated by not seeing immediate results.
End-results
Honestly, I loved it. I loved being able to alter something I was really insecure about. Since the procedure, I feel way more confident with my candid photos being taken. I feel more confident talking and laughing, and I just like my smile more. Doing this while still having to wear masks? Maybe not the best idea. But, hey, if it didn’t work out the way I wanted, I could easily hide it.
Overall
I will most likely continue with my lip flip maintenance.
I encourage you all to love yourself fully for who you are and what you are born with because you are special in the best way. But there is no shame in assisting yourself with something you feel insecure about. Love yourself always!