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“The Mona Lisa’s” face represents da Vinci’s Golden Ratio. (Photo: History Archive/REX Shutterstock)

One doctor wants to end the trout pout trend once and for all, and he’s looking to Leonardo da Vinci’s “The Mona Lisa” for inspiration. Mona Lisa’s face is structured around the artist’s Golden Ratio, implying that beauty has mathematical ratios and proportions. Dr. Tim Pearce of the UK clinic SkinViva uses the same ratio to determine where and how much to enhance lips based on the clients’ other features and facial proportions. “Leonardo da Vinci was one of the first people to realize that facial proportions are not arbitrary, that there is a mathematical ideal ratio and geometry for beauty, outside of which it become less attractive,” SkinViva’s clinical director told The Daily Mail. “This principle, otherwise known as the ‘golden ratio,’ enables us to ensure that patients look more beautiful, rather than just get bigger lips that might not fit their existing facial proportions.”

Kylie Jenner started a dangerous Instagram craze with her overly plumped lips that inspired the Kylie Jenner Challenge. (Photo: Instagram)

Da Vinci’s golden ratio occurs in nature and represents the way that plants and animals coil, as well as the proportion of the hand compared to the forearm and the distance between fingers. It is recognized as the most appealing ratio to the eye, which is what inspired Pearce the most. Da Vinci’s 1505 book The Divine Proportion explores using the ratio, 1:1.618, in art and architecture. The ratio is achieved when a line is divided into two parts so that the smaller part is equal to the total length divided by the longer part. The final ratio is the same as that of the Fibonacci Sequence, which too is regularly used in art and architecture — so it’s clear that da Vinci was onto something.  The golden ratio is found in his 1499 mural “The Last Supper,” as well as on Mona Lisa’s haunting face. “The Mona Lisa” took da Vinci 14 years to complete, and 12 of those years were spent perfecting the lips in the divine proportion.

Dr. Pearce’s before and after Da Vinci Lip Injection photos look natural and subtle. (Photo: SkinViva)

Pearce and SkinViva promise not to take 12 years to achieve your perfectly proportioned lips. In fact, per their website, the practice promises that their version of standard Juvederm fillers, Juvederm Volift, “integrates quicker and more accurately than any other, feels more natural, and lasts longer.” Pearce’s treatment is best for people who are hesitant about the idea of having lip enhancements but have thin lips or are experiencing thinning due to smoking or the natural aging process, ensuring a natural look. “The SkinViva doctors will analyse your lip proportions in relation to your nose, jaw, chin, and using Da Vinci’s ideas, plan a treatment that makes you lips fit beautifully,” the site reads. “Time is also spent analyzing and shaping the details of your cupids bows, vermillion border and philtrum to ensure the subtle details are present.” Da Vinci lip injections cost £499 or $752, compared to the $500-$600 typical price for standard lip injections in the U.S, but SkinViva claims that Juvederm Volift lasts twice as long. This may be a small price to pay for a divinely proportioned face.

Related:

What Your Lip Shape Reveals About Your Personality

How Much Does It Cost To Look Like A Kardashian?

Three Golden Rules for Lip Injections: Rule #1: The Lower Lip Should Always Be Fuller The lower lip should always be fuller than the upper lip. When the upper lips catches up in fullness with fillers, the trout comes out. And when the upper lip is fuller than the lower lip, things get really awful!

Rule #2: No Pout Without Pouting There’s no doubt the full pouty lips can be sexy, but if you look like you’re pouting your lips all the time, you got too much filler injected. A full-time pout is a dead giveaway for lip injections.

Recent reports indicate that there is a rising interest in lip augmentation – fuller lips are considered exotic and are being increasingly looked upon as a new standard of beauty.

It may not be very cold or dry yet in the Scuzzy Femme’s part of the world, but harsher weather will get here sooner or later, and if you’re looking for ways to take extra good care of your skin during what can be a trying time, hopefully these tips will help.

💦 Moisturize like, every day 💦

I know this is a running theme here, but that’s only because it’s so important! Do it when you get out of the shower, or before bed. I’ve gotten into the habit by treating it less as a chore and more as an excuse to take care of my body while watching TV.

👍 For softer hands and feet, get a dedicated hand moisturizer 👍

You want something thicker than your usual Lubriderm for this. You can use it on your hands during the day, or do what I do and slather it all over your hands and feet at night, cover them in cotton socks (or buy some spa gloves/socks) and wake up to ridiculously soft extremities. Seriously, people have been shocked by how soft my hands are and this is my only real secret.

👄 Stash lip balm everywhere 👄

Keep some in your coat pocket, by your bed, by your computer. Lips often experience the worst of winter in the form of dryness, cracking, and bleeding, which can be painful as heck. Keep them moisturized and they’ll thank you.

🍑 Sleep in cotton undies or none at all 🍑

Basically, find something breathable to sleep in. Otherwise, after you’ve done all that work of moisturizing you’re going to just end up trapping sweat up against your body. Take it from someone who’s had butt pimples: they’re no joke.

I had been wanting to give this a go but I had my reservations. However, after a few weeks, I can see the benefits! There are SO MANY skin benefits to shaving your face (google can go into deeper detail) but it is amazing for smoother make up, a gentle exfoliant, and a great addition to your anti aging regiment. 

The world of skincare can be as – if not more – intimidating for newcomers than cosmetics. It’s easy to get lost in seas of ‘scientific data’, outlandish claims, and complicated-sounding ingredients. But here is a secret – you don’t need most of that stuff, at least not to start. If you’re new to thinking about taking care of your skin, there’s only three things you need to know.

💦 1. Moisturize babe, moisturize 💦

Maybe you’re already doing this one. If not, there’s lots of entry-level drugstore brands that will work fine – you don’t have to splurge on something expensive. I use L’Oreal Paris Ideal Moisture Day Lotion, which is pretty cheap, lasts me forever, and contains SPF (more on that in a second). Especially in the winter, moisturizing your skin on a regular basis can make a huge difference.

🌞 2. Wear sunscreen every day 🌞

Growing up, my parents slathered me in gross sunscreen all summer and while it was probably a good thing overall, it was pretty unpleasant. The good news is that there’s all kinds of facial sunscreen available now that absorb easily and sit well under makeup, too. 

Sunscreen isn’t just for the summer or sunny days at the beach – nearly every skincare advice article you read will tell you that protecting your skin from the sun is one of the most important things you can do to take care of it. 

Get something that feels nice, is SPF 30 or higher, and wear it every day. Again, you don’t need to break the bank here! Brands like Coppertone have cheap options you can pick up at the drugstore.

💤 3. Don’t sleep in your makeup 💤

I used to do this all the time, and it’s hard to argue with how great slept-in eyeliner can look. But leaving makeup on overnight can weigh heavily on your skin, clogging pores and causing issues. Find a nice eye makeup remover and if you wear foundation or concealer, something to remove that to. If you’re really having a hard time with this, buy a box of makeup remover wipes and keep them next to your bed.

Because I’m lazy, I find ways to make this already really simple process even simpler. Like, I use a moisturizer with pretty high SPF (though I’m adding a dedicated sunscreen soon), and the product I use to remove my facial makeup, LUSH’s Ultrabland Cleanser, also helps moisturize.

Women are badass creatures—ones that can run a business, run a country, or run sh*t all while rocking bright red lipstick (or not). In honor of International Women’s Day this Sunday, here are some beauty-related quotes from some of favorite power women, who, above all, believe in a woman’s right to define herself.