Are you looking at a girl with cosmetically enhanced lips? Do they look ridiculously oversized? You could say she has ‘rubber lips.’
This post unpacks the meaning and origin of this expression.
Meaning
The expression ‘rubber lips’ has several meanings, depending on the conversation and its context. The first and most popular meaning is that someone has oversized, cosmetically-enhanced lips.
Mick Jagger is a good example of this condition, as the ‘duck face’ trend on social media. This trend involves women injecting large amounts of filler into their lips to make them look larger.
Having rubber lips can also mean you can’t keep a secret, and it can have a racist connotation referring to the size of someone’s lips.
Example Usage
“That girl I’m dating has rubber lips. She can’t kiss for nothing. It’s like I’m her first boyfriend and no one ever kissed her before.”
“Did you watch that scene in Batman where robin tries to kiss Poison Ivy, but he has rubber lips? I hope that guy doesn’t kiss like that in real life.”
“The duck lip phenomenon is here. Girls push filler into their lips and end up with the ‘rubber lips’ look. It’s hilarious.”
Origin
The expression ‘rubber lips’ has unknown origins. However, there is a story behind the racist use of the term, and it applies to a situation that happened in recent years involving Raiders coach Jon Gruden and player DeMaurice Smith in 2011.
Gruden referred to Smith as having “lips the size of Michelin tires” in an email. Gruden explained to senior Athletic writer Vic Tafur that he used ‘rubber lips’ to refer to lying.
“I didn’t feel like we were getting the truth. I refer to guys when I see them lying – and I can tell they’re lying – I refer to them as ‘rubber lips. I went too far calling him Michelin lips”.
Phrases Similar to Rubber Lips
- As useless as rubber lips on a woodpecker.
- Bad kisser.
- Mumbling moron.
- Big lips.
Phrases Opposite to Rubber Lips
- Good kisser.
What is the Correct Saying?
- Rubber lips.
Ways People May Say Rubber Lips Incorrectly
Some people may use ‘rubber lips’ as a derogatory, racist expression describing African-Americans. This racist slur exists on far-right message boards and in racist right-wing militia groups.
These groups will usually post racist images of black and brown people with large lips to mock this visual characteristic of African genetics in some people.
Acceptable Ways to Phrase Rubber Lips
You can use the phrase ‘rubber lips’ when referring to people with large lips. They could have naturally large lips, like Mick Jagger, or artificially enhanced lips through cosmetic procedures. You can also use the phrase when referencing someone with ‘loose lips,’ meaning you can’t trust them to keep quiet about a secret. It can also reference people who make mistakes pronouncing words.
It is most common for people to use the phrase when referencing people who can’t kiss well. They may pucker up and show no passion in the kiss, making the other person feel like they’re kissing a rubber doll. ‘Rubber lips’ is suitable for social conversations in face-to-face situations and in text messaging. You can use it on message boards like Reddit and 4chan to reference girls with large lips.