I was endowed with more of a zip than a pout and so I don’t obsess over my lips thinning as I get older. But there comes a point in life when a smear of lipstick doesn’t seem to be enough and recently I decided that my lips needed more TLC to maintain natural color and hydration. There are other things to consider as well, such as sun protection and ensuring that my dab of lipstick doesn't have anything in it that I wouldn't want to ingest.

One of my favorite lip products is the simplest and cheapest, Vaseline alternative, Waxelene ($6.99 for 2oz). I keep some on my desk to prevent drying and chafing as a result of central heating or air conditioning and love that its natural beeswax and rosemary oil are organic. YBF has a slightly more cosmetic lip salve called Quench Lip Treatment ($15), which majors on cupuacu butter with blueberry seed oil and YBF's signature antioxidants.

Another lip saver (although considerably more expensive) is YBF’s Private Reserve ($ 75). This lightweight facial oil has only four ingredients and while the two oils help soothe ragged lips, I like to think that the two powerful antioxidants could give lips an anti-aging boost. YBF has a product specifically designed to make lips fuller and darker called Define ($70). I have found that combined with a heavy-duty wrinkle repair serum, such as ReLuma, it is possible to lick (little by little) your lip lines.

Most lip plumpers are disappointing. They either deliver an uncomfortable and fleeting swelling or are almost completely ineffectual. One of the few that I found worth trying is Hydropeptide’s ($38). It does deliver some immediate gratification and the lips become nice and soft. Longer term it may be doing some good with tripeptide-29, which builds and repairs collagen.

For color, I am enjoying the flattering shades of RMS Beauty’s Lip Shine. For a wider range of colors and the safe knowledge that you will be imbibing nothing nasty, there’s Primitive’s Lipsticks ($19 in the TIA shop), loved by Kristen and Oksana. Also worth looking at are KaplanMDs Lip Treatment 20 lip colors with SPF and antiaging ingredients. These are a great idea and really popular, although some - including me - may be unwilling to compromise on the use of chemical sunscreen.

Do check out Kristen’s video demo on how to get fuller lips with lip liner, lipstick and gloss, as well as her warning that lip liner is your frenemy and her promise that red lips are sexy lips – at any age!