By Christina Collins

If there’s one day out of the year that produces the most mouth-to-mouth-action, it’s Valentine’s Day. On this day more than any other, the air is thick with expectations of kissing, smooching, snogging ~ whatever you want to call it. Well, my fellow seductresses, there is a way to ensure that you are especially kissable this February 14th. It is a matter of beautifying the three essential elements: lips, teeth, and, of course, your breath!

Let’s start with the lips. Now, we can’t all have lips like Angelina Jolie, but we can still make what we do have look good. Just remember these three words: soft, plump, and glossy.

For baby-soft lips, apply a lip balm every night before you go to bed. Best product? Try Softlips, a lip protectant with SPF that comes in four fresh-picked flavors: cherry, strawberry, raspberry, and vanilla. Yummm. Tastes good, and the name itself guarantees soft lips. Their newest product, Softlips Pure, comes in two all-natural flavors ~ pomegranate and honeydew ~ and uses plant extracts, vitamin E, shea butter, and beeswax. Your lips will thank you, and your wallet will too, since Softlips products only cost a few bucks at your local Target or CVS. Go to www.softlips.com for more info.

Now that your lips are soft, how are you going to make them full and plump? No injections or credit card debt necessary. Plump out your pout for $14 with “Tricks of the Trade” Instant Lip Plumper by Sephora, a clear, glossy lip enhancer infused with natural pepper and mint extracts to stimulate microcirculation (www.sephora.com). For a few dollars more, try Clinique’s Full Potential Lips Plump and Shine, a triple-action plumping gloss with an instant plush effect that lingers up to 6 hours (www.clinique.com). With both of these products, you may feel a mild tingle when you first apply them. Don’t freak out ~ that just means they’re working!

To add the finishing effect to your pout, you need a juicy shine. Lipstick alone won’t give you that. Apply the lipstick first, then coat it with clear lip gloss like Alba Hawaiian Clear Lip Gloss ($4.95), which comes flavored in Coconut Cream, Passion Fruit Nectar, and Pineapple Quench. If you don’t wear lipstick or want a lighter look, Alba also offers colored lip gloss ~ TerraGloss ~ which comes in six glistening shades that color your lips with a natural shimmer ($5.95). Alba products can be found at your local Trader Joe’s, Whole Foods Market, and various other natural food retailers. Visit www.albabotanica.com for more info.

Now that your lips are soft, plump, and glossy, your man will be staring like a little kid stares at an ice cream truck. But how can you really push him over the edge? No man can resist a confident smile. To have a confident smile, you have to be confident about your teeth. Whiten those babies up! Especially if you are a smoker, coffee drinker, or soda lover, some simple whitening products can make a big difference. Check out Supersmile, an ultra premium whitening smile care system recommended by cosmetic dentists worldwide. It includes whitening toothpaste, a whitening accelerator component, whitening pre-rinse, and daily oral rinse, all of which can be purchased individually or as a set ($36 for a small set and $75 for a large one). See supersmile.com. For quick at-home whitening, there is always Crest White Strips, ranging from $25 to $30 at most drugstores, but you should also try the iWHITE Maintenance Stick ($19.99), a whitening pen that will be great for on-the-go touchups on Valentine’s Day.

The final touch for that perfectly kissable quality? Fresh breath! A little mouthwash before your date and you’ll be ready to conquer. When he sees you pout those lips and flash a smile or two, he won’t be able to sit through a romantic candlelight dinner. And when he gets close enough to smell that minty fresh breath, that’s it ~ he’s a goner.