Downplay or Highlight Your Smile with These Tips

It’s amazing how powerful great makeup application, the right use of color, or the perfect accessory can be in helping you feel put together (and look amazing!). But did you know they can also amplify your smile?

Thanks to social media, tips, tricks, and tutorials are only a finger swipe away—and there are a number of creative ways to show off your smile or camouflage any concerns you may have. To get you started, we’ve rounded up some dos and don’ts of highlighting (or downplaying) your smile with makeup, clothes, and color.

How to highlight your smile

Looking to show off your pearly whites? Whether you’re feeling particularly confident after a trip to your cosmetic dentist or simply want to enhance what nature gave you, here are a few tricks for playing up your smile:

  • Regularly exfoliate and moisturize your lips, which are often overlooked during normal skin care routines. This sensitive area is prone to flaking and cracking, which can be uncomfortable and draw the wrong kind of attention to the mouth. Healthy, smooth lips are the perfect frame for a great smile.
  • Bold, bright lipstick colors will make your teeth stand out, particularly when paired with a more subdued eye look. Eyes will immediately be drawn to the feature with the most “flash”—and a vibrantly hued lipstick is great way to take any look up a notch. Take it a step further with a small swipe of highlighter on your cupid’s bow and the center of your lower lip to accentuate fullness.
  • Are you a fall, winter, spring, or summer? Finding out your seasonal color palette is not only useful for picking out what blouse will look great on you or identifying the best eyeshadow color for your skin, it can also help your smile shine brighter! Depending on your skin tone, hair, and eye color, certain colors will complement your appearance, including helping your teeth stand out in the best way. (No idea what season you are? This fun quiz will get you started!)

Downplay concerns you have with your smile

Unfortunately, sparkling white, perfectly straight teeth can be difficult to come by naturally—and smiling can make you feel self-conscious if you have concerns you’d rather not show off. Here are some ways you can downplay any smile flaws.

  • Pure white clothes that are whiter than your teeth can make your teeth look dirty or yellowed by comparison. Choose off-white, ivory, or beige clothes instead—anything a bit less bright than your teeth—to avoid darkening your smile.
  • Help your smile look whiter by using “cooler” makeup colors, such as a red lipstick with a blue undertone (rather than orange) or eyeshadows in silvers, purples, or blues. These cool colors help offset any yellowness in the teeth.
  • Bring attention away from your mouth and up to your eyes by going bold with your eye makeup and neutral with your lip color.
  • A little bronzer can highlight the brightness of the teeth, but don’t overdo it! Too much can make you look older or make your teeth look darker.

Getting your dream smile

Preventative dental care through daily cleaning and regular checkups is one of the best ways to keep your smile healthy and beautiful—but sometimes, tooth concerns require a little expert help. While the above tips are a great start, a cosmetic dentist like Dr. Shawn Gurley can help you reinvent your smile with specialized dental services.

If you’d like to learn more about how we can help you get whiter, brighter, and more beautiful teeth, we invite you to contact us today.

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