Lips help attract your lover
We don’t yet know exactly what gives us the overwhelming desire to lock-lips, however a common theory is that kissing on the lips help us choose a mate. When two people are close enough to kiss, they ‘sense’ each other’s pheromones. These pheromones offer biological information that we subconsciously take into consideration when deciding on a partner with strong genes. Despite the science, most people simply like to kiss because it feels nice. Your lips and tongue are packed full of nerve endings, which give you that electrifying feeling of being love… and we all like that!
The vermilion border is unique to humans
The vermilion border is just a fancy name for the outline of your lips. This junction between your lips and the rest of your face is actually a feature unique to humans – but scientists are yet to discover why. The word vermilion means “brilliant red colour”, however the appearance of the vermilion border varies from person to person and is usually slightly darker than the rest of the lips.
There might be a golden “lip-to-face” ratio
According to a 2010 study in the journal Vision Research, there might actually be a golden ratio for attractive facial features. The research suggested that larger lips on a woman suggests strong mating potential, and are therefore more attractive to the opposite sex. While the study was only small, the findings are certainly reflected in current pop culture, where celebrities such as Kylie Jenner and Angelina Jolie are revered for their perfect, plump pouts!
We lose our lips as we age
Collagen is a protein naturally found within the body that provides a supportive structure to various body tissues and keeps our skin firm, tight and youthful. However, as we age, our body produces less of this critical substance. This often leads to our gums and bones receding, causing our top lip to drop, turn inward and look thinner. Our natural, beautiful definition is also spoiled by sun damage, freckles and cold sores and our lips look less… well, less kissable! There are several ways to help preserve that youthful fullness of the lips, including wearing a daily SPF 50+, such as Balense UV Defiance, and dermal fillers.
It takes four muscles to kiss someone
Puckering for a kiss, that sweet, intimate display of love and affection, actually requires the use of four muscles! Once thought to be just one, the orbicularis oris, it is in fact a complex of four muscles that encircle the mouth. While these muscles have many different functions of facial expression, it is most commonly referred to as “the kissing muscle”. That’s one muscle we’re more than happy to work out!
