23 Best Lip Plumpers of 2022 – WWD
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According to Google Trends, search interest in lip plumpers has skyrocketed since May 2021. The sudden rise in popularity may be in part due to a few recent viral TikTok videos showcasing how effectively lip plumpers can volumize a pout. The lip-plumping serums and lip glosses’ popularity could also be attributed to the change in lip filler trends, with many filler-proud celebrities announcing in recent years that they’re allowing their fillers to dissolve. A natural lip-plumping alternative to fillers, the best lip plumpers can provide a temporary add volume to your lips without the needle.
A topical plumper is any lip product, whether that be in the form of gloss, balms, masks, oils, or serums, that temporarily swells the lips. According to board-certified dermatologist Macrene Alexiades, some lip plumpers “work temporarily by irritating the lip or transiently causing them to swell.” This is usually accomplished from a proprietary brand blend of active ingredients, whether that be hyaluronic acid, peptides, ginger, or cinnamon. For those formulas which rely upon irritating the skin for plumping, you’ll usually feel a tingling or cooling sensation, which is a sign your lips are reacting to the active ingredient.
“These irritants trigger your body’s natural inflammatory response, causing a surge in blood flow that results in a plumper look,” says board-certified dermatologist, Geeta Yadav.
Do Lip Plumpers Actually Work and Are They Safe?
First and foremost, lip plumpers are perfectly safe. Some formulas are more comfortable and less irritating than others, but any of the recommended lip plumpers below are considered safe and effective. And they really work, too.
“I think topical lip plumpers are a fantastic option if you’re like me and looking for full but not faked lips,” says Wende Zomnir, famed founder of Urban Decay and co-founder of the new clean cosmetics brand Caliray.
But maybe leave it to the experts and save DIY experimentation for another beauty product (like a simple turmeric and yogurt face mask). There are a plethora of natural lip plumper recipes online, but our experts do not recommend using ingredients laying around the house. Utilizing these products, like cinnamon, habanero peppers, or lemon juice, as a natural lip plumper “will be very irritating and not recommended,” says Annie Lawless, founder and CEO of Lawless Beauty.
Top Lip Plumpers of 2022
The Different Types of Lip Plumpers
Teens of the early aughts will remember the feverish hype of painful lip-plumping products, like DuWop Lip Venom. The iconic stinging associated with these early iterations of plumpers had one thing in common: no gain without pain. But the modern versions of lip plumpers can be filled with lip-healing ingredients (like peptides, ceramides, and hyaluronic acid) and come in a variety of formulas, from balms to serums.
- Lip Plumping Balms: If you are looking for hydration with your plump, a lip balm or lip mask is perfect for you. The formulas are usually enriched with humectants (like hyaluronic acid) and occlusives (usually shea butter or beeswax) to seal in moisture and heal lips while giving them a boost.
- Lip Plumping Serums: Just as a facial serum can penetrate the skin more effectively and deeply than a moisturizer can, lip serums follow suit. But just as in skincare, lip serums usually need to be ‘sealed’ with an occlusive to keep hydrated. Most lip-plumping serums will flood the delicate lip area with hydration, usually in the form of hyaluronic acid or proprietary ingredients, to help gently boost lip volume over time. Serums are most beneficial when used consistently and if applied daily, lips can see noticeable fullness around the four-week mark.
- Lip Plumping Glosses: If you love a shiny finish on lips or just appreciate the feel of a glossy lip, grab a lip-plumping gloss. The formulas work as a two-in-one: the shine provides an optical illusion of sorts, implying that lips are more full than they may be without shiny gloss; and secondly, lips are plumped with humectants and boosters that temporarily plump.
For long-term lip plumpers, the best hydrating masks-meets-lip-plumper and the greatest drugstore plumping glosses, check out the best lip plumpers below.
Related: The 18 Best Lip Oils to Hydrate Dry Lips
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Pca Skin Hyaluronic Acid Lip Booster
- Size: 0.24 ounces
- Key ingredients: Ultra-Filling Spheres and vitamin E
- Colors available: Clear
- Pro: Science-forward ingredients
- Con: Price
Pca Skin is known for its professional-grade formulas, especially the chemical peels — but don’t sleep on their everyday skincare products, including this plumping lip treatment. One of the key ingredients is their trademarked technology, Ultra-Filling Spheres, which works to instantly fill in fine lines and leave long-lasting hydration. On the lips, this ingredient instantly moisturizes, while also increasing lip volume without any irritating side effects. The lip treatment also includes a collagen-increasing peptide and vitamin E for deeper moisture retention.
What reviewers say: “After the first time I put this on I could already see and feel a difference, no exaggeration. I was also blown away by the fact that I can put this on at night and when I wake up I can still feel it coating my lips. After a week of using this product, I can say that my lips look better than they have in my ENTIRE LIFE. I realize this entire review probably reads like hyperbole but I’m not sure that I’ve ever been so impressed or immediately in love with a product and I am now a customer for life. 100% worth the cost — if you struggle with chronic dry or chapped lips don’t hesitate on this one!”
U Beauty The Plasma Lip Compound
- Size: 0.5 ounces
- Key ingredients: Ceramides, AHAs, and peptides
- Colors available: Clear
- Pro: Cutting-edge formula packed with long-term lip-plumping ingredients
- Con: Price
Launched in 2019, U Beauty has already taken over the beauty cabinets of some of the most radiant editors, celebrities, and influencers. Created by OG style influencer, Tina Craig, the products are designed to streamline skin care routines. And this multi-purpose lip treatment not only optimizes your lip routine, but also the lips themselves: After four weeks of use, lips develop more density and volume for natural-looking fullness. The treatment features the brand’s patent-pending proprietary technology, which delivers long-chain hyaluronic acid to protect and enhance the moisture barrier, prevent water loss, and inflate and plump lips. It also includes ceramides to repair and hydrate, as well as AHAs for gentle exfoliation.
What reviewers say: “I never thought I would pay this much for lip care, but it is worth it. A little goes a long way and I can feel my lips being nourished and not needing to reach for it again to re-apply, compared to other lip care products.”
Algenist Genius Liquid Collagen Lip Treatment
- Size: 0.5 ounces
- Key ingredients: Alguronic acid (sustainably produced from algae), vegan collagen, and microalgae oil
- Colors available: Clear
- Pro: No stinging or irritation
- Con: Some users note a strange taste and scent
Visibly plump and more youthful-looking lips are only half of the benefits you’ll get when using the Genius Liquid Collagen Lip Treatment. The serum also repairs, smooths, and minimizes fine lines with a blend of proprietary Active Vegan Collagen and microalgae oil bubbles. As the product suggests, its best used as a serum, layering it under a lip balm or mask for healthier lips overnight.
What reviewers say: “The texture is slick, more like a serum than a gloss or balm, and does take a few minutes to absorb. It gives an immediate fullness, not bee-stung but moist and full. It’s like my own lips, but 20 years ago.”
Kosas Plump + Juicy Lip Booster Buttery Treatment
- Size: 0.5 ounces
- Key ingredients: Hyaluronic acid, peptides, and plumping botanicals
- Colors available: Clear
- Pro: Clean, vegan formula
- Con: Some users note the scent and flavor (reminiscent of vanilla birthday cake) can be off-putting.
Don’t let the word “clean” or “vegan” deceive you into thinking this lip treatment just has just a few botanicals. The new Plump + Juicy Lip Booster Buttery Treatment features the trademarked Plump Oleoactif, a potent ingredient that hydrates and increases lip volume for a firmer and fuller pout. It also restores the lips’ natural contour and definition. In addition, the treatment has fatty acids to soften and repair dryness, and peptides to smooth. As the name implies, this plumper gives a buttery texture, but some users note it can be a little too goopy. Your best bet is applying just a small amount — a little goes a long way.
What reviewers say: “This product is really good. It is conditioning, hydrating, subtly plumping, with a natural glossy sheen…You need very little product as it is like Vaseline and will melt across your lips. Smells like a birthday cake, no taste. Perfect for those with chronically dry lips and want a little lip treat.”
Fenty Beauty Gloss Bomb Heat Universal Lip Luminizer + Plumper
- Size: 0.3 ounces
- Key ingredients: Ginger root oil, pepper extract, shea butter, and vitamin E
- Colors available: Hot Cherry (sheer red), Fu$$y Heat (sheer pink), Fenty Glow Heat (sheer rose nude), Hot Chocolit Heat (sheer rich brown), Lemon Lava (clear with gold shimmer), Lavender Savage (sheer lavender)
- Pro: Irresistible shine and the joy of knowing Rihanna created this product
- Con: The plumping ingredients can be irritating for some users
If it’s good enough for Rihanna, it’s good enough for us plebeians. Her plumper features the brand’s Plump Job Complex, a blend of tried-and-true enhancers, like ginger root oil and capsicum fruit extract (aka pepper), along with conditioning and hydrating shea butter and vitamin E. It has the same formula as the beloved, cult-classic Gloss Bomb, but with the addition of a few more titillating ingredients. So you’ll get the intense wet-looking shine, but with a tingling, plumping boost.
What reviewers say: “It’s nice, sheer, ultra glossy and the tingling sensation is not bad at all. Already have full lips but I do think the gloss made my lips look plumper.”
Buxom Full-On Plumping Lip Polish
- Size: 0.15 ounces
- Key ingredients: Unique Peptide Complex and vitamins A and E
- Colors available: 6 metallic shades, 11 shimmer shades, and 3 high-shine nude shades
- Pro: Vast variety of shades for your perfect fit
- Con: Some users note the plump and tingle isn’t as strong as it could be
If you’re not sure where to start on this list, maybe go with a bestseller, like Buxom’s Full-On Plumping Lip Polish. With a mild tingling sensation, three shine finishes (shimmer, pearlescent, and glitter), and 36 shades to choose from, this lip plumper is one-size-fits-all. The polish has over 12,000 reviews on Sephora, where users note its versatility, subtle plumping effect, and ease of use.
What reviewers say: “Hands down, the best lip plumper. Everyone always thinks I’ve had my lips done when I wear this. I have it in so many different colors but Nicole is definitely my favorite color.”
Revlon Kiss Plumping Lip Creme
- Size: 0.25 ounces
- Key ingredients:
- Colors available: 10 shades, from nude to deep Bordeaux berry
- Pro: Price
- Con: Not seriously plumping
Revlon’s under-$5 lip plumper is incredibly buzzy — and for good reason. It’s available in 10 glossy shades, features the trademarked Volulip technology to help lips look fuller, and feels delightfully creamy and plush. Most reviewers note that the Kiss Plumping Lip Creme doesn’t have an aggressively plumping effect and that it gives more of a subtle look.
What reviewers say: “It’s not terribly “plumping” but it looks nice, feels great, and I like it enough to have purchased multiple shades,” said one Amazon reviewer.
NYX Cosmetics Filler Instinct Plumping Lip Color
- Size: 0.5 ounces
- Key ingredients: Ginger and hyaluronic acid
- Colors available: Beach Casual (nude pink), Besos (coral red), Bitten Pout (berry red), Juicy Pout (cherry red), Miami Nights (hot pink), Sugar Pie (mauve pink purple)
- Pro: Ultra-creamy formula
- Con: Almost too creamy, which can make it bleed into lip lines
Infused with ginger and hyaluronic acid, NYX’s the Filler Instinct (A+ pun, too) is one of the best lip plumping shiny lipsticks for an affordable price. Available in six bright shades, the formula is satisfyingly light and has a juicy lip gloss-meets-lipstick feel.
What reviewers say: “This just glides on and is so creamy. A lot of lip oils and certain lip balms don’t hydrate enough but this lasted all night, adds a sheer natural color and plumps great!”
Grande Cosmetics GrandeLips Hydrating Lip Plumper
- Size: 0.084 ounces
- Key ingredients: Volulip, hyaluronic acid, vitamin B3
- Colors available: Clear, Barely There (light pale nude), Sunbaked Sedona (brown mauve), Pale Rose (light pink), Spicy Mauve (dusty cinnamon pink)
- Pro: Noticeable results, without the burn
- Con: Some users noted it made their lips drier
Guess who’s back? Rockstar ingredient Volulip, as well as our other lip-boosting colleagues hyaluronic acid, vitamin B3, and peptides. This serum-meets-lip oil from Grande Cosmetics imparts a high-gloss finish and feels satisfyingly slick, but sans stickiness. This option helps boost the overall lip volume over time, so feel free to swipe on twice a day for at least 30 days to see fuller-looking lips.
What reviewers say: “No longer debating lip fillers because of this product! Hydrating plump that lasts all day, has a gorgeous shine, and gives you so much volume. Tip: Use a lip scrub and apply some hyaluronic acid serum to your lips, let it dry and seal it in with grandelips, and boom, homemade lip filler (without the needle haha)!”
Caliray Glazed & Infused
- Size: 0.25 ounces
- Key ingredients: Maxi-lip, avocado oil, and squalene-rich green coffee seed extract
- Colors available: Taco Tuesday (caramel honey), Free Palomas (pale nude pink), Rainbow Blow (bright pink), Orchid Ranch (violet mauve), Likely Story (warm nude peach), Lost & Sauced (cocoa brown)
- Pro: Super hydrating, zero stinging, and no stickiness
- Con: No noticeable plumping and not as much of a color payoff as competitors
Caliray’s non-stinging lip plumper features the trademarked Maxi-Lip, which Zomnir describes as a “biomimetic peptide that plumps lips by stimulating collagen synthesis and hyaluronic acid synthesisBasically, it helps your lips look fuller immediately because moisture binds to hyaluronic acid and plumps up all those little fine lines.” She notes that they’ve been able to clinically show a 40 percent increase in long-term lip volume as well as a 29 percent smoother appearance of lip lines. It’s perfect for those that prefer the slip of a glossy lip and want more fullness, without the traditional plumper burn.
What reviewers say: “It is so light and soft on the lips. I don’t think it plumps them the way we imagine, but I noticed my lips look more hydrated and healthy. It doesn’t feel sticky at all (I don’t have a problem with sticky lip glosses, I even like them for the staying power) but it feels like it has the staying power of a sticky lip gloss without being sticky.”
Charlotte Tilbury Collagen Lip Bath
- Size: 0.26 ounces
- Key ingredients: Mustard sprout extract, marine collagen, coconut oil, and peppermint extract
- Colors available: Refresh Rose (sheer pink), Pillow Talk (nude pink), Rosy Glow (pinky nude), Peachy Plump (peach), Walk of No Shame (berry rose)
- Pro: Comfortable, silky-feeling
- Con: Price and minimal plumping
Featuring mustard sprout extract, marine collagen, coconut oil, and peppermint extract, Charlotte Tilbury’s beloved Collagen Lip Bath is one of the best glossy lip plumpers. It also has pearlescent pigments to make lips appear healthier and fuller.
What reviewers say: “I love this product. While it’s sticky when you first put it on, it becomes much more comfortable quickly. It fills in the lines of my lips and its plumping effect/feeling is way less aggressive than products like Buxom where I feel like I put minty toothpaste on as a lip mask.”
Macrene Actives High Performance Lip Filler
- Size: 0.27 ounces
- Key ingredients: High concentrations of more than 20 anti-aging actives
- Colors available: Clear
- Pro: Improves the long term health of your lips and hydrates with hyaluronic acid
- Con: Price
Dr. Alexiades’ Macrene Actives Lip Filler features a patented blend of injectable-level quality ingredients to mimic fillers for long-term results. First and foremost, the topical lip-plumping oil-meets-serum features encapsulated hyaluronic acid that can permeate the epidermis to deliver deeper hydration. Secondly, “carefully selected peptides stimulate and boost lip thickness to give a more natural look than injections,” she explains. Finally, pharmaceutical-grade ceramides mimic prescription-strength balms to heal chapped lips. “Add to this my lip therapeutic oils and you have a long-term healthier plump and plush lip,” she notes.
What reviewers say: “When cold weather hit, my normally dry lips became even more dehydrated. They became cracked, continuously sore, and dry no matter which highly recommended lip balm or treatment I tried. Fine lines and wrinkles were pronounced and claiming permanent residence. I developed cracks at the corners of my mouth. In the past, the clean, highly active products I had tried just irritated and inflamed my sensitive, reactive skin. So I was apprehensive about trying one more lip treatment. But I was feeling desperate. I researched the Lip Filler, read reviews, and took the leap. I noticed a difference in just a few days; and I can honestly write that after 10 weeks of twice daily use, my lips have fully recovered from this winter’s devastation. This lip filler does everything it purports to do. Best of all, it does not irritate nor dry out my lips. It is healing, nourishing, moisturizing, and plumping.”
Lawless Forget The Filler Overnight Lip Plumping Mask
- Size: 0.28 ounces
- Key ingredients: Maxi-lip, shea butter, and hyaluronic acid
- Colors available: Clear and Cherry Vanilla (sheer cherry)
- Pro: Stays on lips for hours (or overnight) without budging
- Con: No dramatic, immediate plumping effects
This overnight lip mask from Lawless Beauty helps to support the lips’ natural collagen production, visibly increase lip volume and improve hydration. “It works by strengthening the cellular matrix, making the lips more dense and therefore looking plumped,” says Lawless. “Unlike the competitor lip-plumping products that irritate the lips for a plumped illusion, our products provide real results over time with continued use,” she explains. This mask is a great option for those that need a serious dose of emollients and hydration but also want fuller-looking lips. It’s one of the best overnight lip products that can also improve lips’ plumpness over time.
What reviewers say: “I love this product! Makes my lips look fuller and less lip lines visible. Stays on through the night and I wear it during the day sometimes as well. My new go to lip mask for sure!”
Too Faced Lip Injection Maximum Plump Extra Strength Lip Plumper
- Size: 0.14 ounces
- Key ingredients: Max-plumping technology, avocado and jojoba seed oils
- Colors available: Clear, Blueberry Buzz (lavender with shifting blue pearl), Yummy Bear (red pink with hot pink pearl), Chocolate Plump (brown nude), Cotton Candy Kisses (light pink with gold pearl), Creamsicle Tickle (coral with gold pearl)
- Pro: More hydrating than the original
- Con: The strongly scented smell can be off-putting
After going viral on TikTok in 2020, this Lip Injection gloss from Too Faced is almost single-handedly responsible for the modern rise in topical lip-plumping popularity. The serum-like gloss washes lips with a beautiful iridescent, sheer pink color so it can be worn alone, or used as a primer before color: Dab on, let it get to work for a few minutes, wipe off, and follow with your lip color of choice. It has a very strong gourmand scent that some users describe it as bubblegum chocolate.
What reviewers say: “This formula definitely has been enhanced since the release of Lip Injection Extreme. It is wayyyyy more nourishing and doesn’t leave lips chapped or peeling. It leaves them plump, enhanced, and not dry AF. Maybe it’s the jojoba oil; not sure. Slight tingle, like the original, at first, but no burning or burning smell.”
Dr. Lara Devgan Scientific Beauty Platinum Lip Plump
- Size: 0.10 ounces
- Key ingredients: Niacin, hyaluronic acid, and ceramides
- Colors available: Clear
- Pro: Instant plumping and tingling benefits
- Con: Price and can be irritating
This is the absolute best SPF-included lip plumper, thanks to the genius of New York-based, board-certified plastic surgeon Lara Devgan. Not only does it have sun protection, but it has broad-spectrum (meaning protection from both UVA and UVB rays) SPF 30. The formula also features a brilliant mix of mixed molecular weights of hyaluronic acid, which is very important because it allows the HA to both sit on the surface and penetrate the tissue for deeper hydration. The Platinum Lip Plump also has vitamin B3 (to give a natural pink flush to the lips) and ceramides to improve the look of fine lines. Basically, it can do it all, in a single sleek tube.
What reviewers say: “It truly delivers a subtle plumping effect while offering SPF 30. Just make sure you apply within your lip line to avoid any redness. After application, there is a slight tingling sensation and once 3-5 mins pass, you’ll definitely notice juicier lips. Love the effect!”
Makeup by Mario MoistureGlow Plumping Lip Serum
- Size: 0.08 ounces
- Key ingredients: Shea butter, avocado, kiwi, and argan oils
- Colors available: Bare Glow (nude pink), Apricot Glow (warm peach), Bronze Glow (nude brown), Rose Glow (rosy pink), Mauve Glow (mauvy nude), Mocha Glow (cool cocoa brown), Plum Glow (soft plum)
- Pro: Incredibly glossy and hydrating
- Con: Some reviewers think it’s too shiny, noting that it slips off of lips easily
Finally back in stock, the MoistureGlow Plumping Lip Serum is one of the buzziest new lip-plumping products that sold out in less than one hour of its initial release. What’s all the fuss about? It’s a glossy balm that instantly melts into lips with a plethora of conditioning oils (including shea butter, avocado oil, refined kiwi oil, and argan oil) that plumps and hydrates. The genius formula is so rich in oils and emollients that it drenches lips with a shiny serum, giving the illusion of a full, juicy, plump pout.
What reviewers say: “Such a great product — did not expect to be so blown away by such a concept. The color pay off while also having all the moisturizing factors is awesome. It has a lovely subtle cooling sensation and just instantly coats the lips without feeling sticky given how beautifully glossy it is. It’s a great grab n go lip product, pair it with a lip liner and you’ve got a hydrating lip stick and gloss all in one.”
Milk Makeup Electric Glossy Lip Plumper
- Size: 0.3 ounces
- Key ingredients: Sichuan pepper, vegan collagen and Volulip
- Colors available: Clear, Buzzed (nude), Lola (mauve), Wired (coral), Charged (pink), Amped (berry)
- Pro: Strong color payoff
- Con: Intense pepper scent can be off-putting
This high-shine gloss has one very unusual ingredient for the beauty world: Sichuan pepper. Stealing from the kitchen, Milk Makeup included the pepper for both plumping effects and flavor (yes, it has the subtle taste of the vegetable). The formula also includes vegan collagen to boost the appearance of fine lines on the lips and Volulip.
What reviewers say: “This is more of a buzz feeling but still a strong sensation. Eventually seems a little numbing, but no pain or burn for me.”
Patrick Ta Major Volume Plumping Gloss
- Size: 0.3 ounces
- Key ingredients: Plumping peptides, cinnamon and ginger oil
- Colors available: Clear, Full Syringe (red), Pouty (baby pink), 2 CC’s (pink), Superficial (beige)
- Pro: Provides plumping effect without any tingling
- Con: Most reviewers dislike the strong scent
The modern version of the OG lip plumping products, this Major Volume Plumping Gloss features warming ingredients with a hydrating boost. The impossibly high-shine gloss has pepper, ginger, cinnamon, and peppermint for an instant plump effect. Those volumizing ingredients are paired with vitamin E, avocado oil, and jojoba oil for a dose of shine and moisture. Available in five shades and scented like cinnamon, this is one of the best lip plumping products to pair atop lipstick.
What reviewers say: “Plumping glosses are never really my thing. To be honest I’ve always been afraid of them. This gloss however, does not leave your lips with that weird tingly sensation. It’s got more of a cooling barely there feel but I do notice while wearing it, that my lips do get notable plumper so that’s a huge plus! 🙂 I wish I had it in other shades. The one thing that does throw me off a bit is the scent but I can get past it. It’s so sheer and gives your lips just the right amount of color also.”
Dior Addict Lip Maximizer Plumping Gloss
- Size: 0.2 ounces
- Key ingredients: Volumizing spheres of hyaluronic acid
- Colors available: 7 high-finish shades (from red to nude) and 2 shimmery finish shades
- Pro: Leaves lips with an enviable shiny pout
- Con: Includes mineral oil (worth noting if you have an allergy) and minimal plumping
Designed to work in tandem with Dior’s Lip Maximizer Serum, this lip-plumping gloss from Dior has a blend of marine-based fillers, spheres of hyaluronic acid and collagen to smooth the appearance of your lips while hydrating and volume boosting. It gives a cooling, minty feeling and scent. Choose from over 10 shades, all with a subtle, everyday wash of color. This is a fabulous product to swipe on-the-go without even glancing in a mirror for a high-shine, light pop of color and slightly plumped lip.
What reviewers say: “It’s the best of everything; it’s shimmery and not glittery, and isn’t thick and gloopy and yet, has staying power. My lips still look shimmery and plump hours later. There’s an immediate cooling, ‘pulsing’ sensation, which I happen to like, because I feel like it’s doing what it’s supposed to do.”
Make Up For Ever Ultra HD Lip Booster
- Size: 0.20 ounces
- Key ingredients: Loofah oil and hyaluronic acid
- Colors available: Clear and Light Pink
- Pro: A healing dose of hydration
- Con: Minimal instant plumping
If all of these lip plumpers and filler-inspired products have you smacking your lips in fear, grab this Lip Booster from Make Up For Ever. Infused with a rich dose of hyaluronic acid, this lip serum floods your kisser with moisture, which can naturally make lips appear more lush and plump. It has a nice, soft feel on the lips with a slight natural shine that can be worn alone for a healthy-looking pout. Or use it as a pre-lipstick mask: apply a generous amount, allowing it to absorb for as long as possible, then wipe off any excess before applying color.
What reviewers say: “Love this product! Not sticky, works well to smooth and help with lip wrinkles. Works well under lip color or by itself.”
111Skin Meso Infusion Lip Duo
- Size: 0.12 ounces
- Key ingredients: Collagen neodermyl and Volulip
- Colors available: Clear
- Pro: Complex blend of ingredients deliver serious healing and hydration
- Con: Price
This two-step wand is inspired by the mesotherapy treatment (available at 111SKIN founder Dr. Yannis Alexandrides’ Harley Street clinic in London), a subtle micro-injection procedure that boosts the skin with a cocktail of vitamins, minerals, and amino acids. This innovative Meso Infusion Lip Duo mimics the potent results of fuller and softer lips sans the needle procedure. Step One is a lip mask that features a trio of proven ingredients: Neodermyl (a collagen-boosting complex), Volulip (hello, again, dear friend), and X Styenol. These key ingredients help create the appearance of a rounder and more curvaceous pout, while also strengthening the delicate lip skin. Follow that volumizing treatment up with Step Two, the conditioning lip balm, which features vitamin E-enriched sweet almond oil, raspberry seed oil, and moisture-locking shea butter to soften and heal lips.
What reviewers say: “As you come to expect from 111, this product delivers on moisture. I like the two stages of moisture. The serum absorbs deeply and quickly. It doesn’t just sit on the surface like a balm does. The second stage seals and adds gloss and some sheer color. Very healing.”
La Mer The Lip Volumizer Serum
- Size: 0.24 ounces
- Key ingredients: Algae extract, collagen, and a healing blend of oils
- Colors available: Iridescent clear
- Pro: Luxe packaging and hydration
- Con: Price
La Mer’s lip treatment is not cheap, but it’s well worth the price for this little luxury. Swipe on this healing (and trademarked) marine-sourced complex charmingly referred to as the Miracle Broth. Giant Sea Kelp is hand-harvested off the coast of Vancouver Island, which is the regenerating ingredient at the base of the Miracle Broth. Paired with a plumping collagen mix, The Lip Volumizer softens fine lines and imparts an instant plumping effect. Plus, the luxe gloss has an iridescent sheen that makes lips look impossibly healthy.
What reviewers say: “While I agree with the other reviews that this is not a volumizer…it is a lip conditioner that I will purchase again. It goes on super easy with a beautiful slight gloss that is not sticky. It fills in the lines around my lips to make my lipstick application look flawless.”
Ourself Lip Filler
- Size: 1.7 ounces
- Key ingredients: Hyaluronic acid and vitamin B3
- Colors available: Clear
- Pro: Significant, noticeable long-term benefits
- Con: Price, and must use daily for three weeks to see best results
Ourself is the brand new subtopical skin care system that provides only topical alternatives to common cosmetic procedures, like injectables, fillers, and lasers. The brand’s patent-pending topical lip filler focuses on reclaiming volume, suppleness, and definition with the help of hyaluronic acid and vitamin B3. According to clinical trial results for the lip filler, 100 percent of users saw long-lasting naturally fuller lips in just three weeks.
What reviewers say: “I am 64 and always had thin lips that are now disappearing more and more. I cannot bring myself to try injections so I thought I was out of luck…I saw a difference with my upper lip within a couple of weeks. My lower lip has been a much harder case but at 6 weeks I can tell the difference! It’s odd but I could feel the fullness before I could see it…I know it won’t seem like much to many of you but at my age little things count and I am thrilled!!! Try it for yourself.”
How Long Do Lip Plumping Effects Last?
The only way you’ll achieve a more permanent plump in the lips is with filler. All topical lip plumpers are only temporary, with some lasting between only 15 minutes to a few hours. “Users should know that lip plumpers are a temporary fix,” says Zomnir.
“In most cases, the effects of topical lip plumping treatments and glosses are temporary,” says Dr. Yadav, adding that results last up to about three hours.
But buyer beware: “Because they typically work by causing irritation, over time, they can cause minor damage to the skin,” she says.
That being said, several of the plumping products above have ingredients in them that are scientifically proven to gradually increase lip thickness, which helps to strengthen and boost the lips’ appearance both immediately and over time. “Many plumpers can deliver great, long-term results, but you have to keep applying daily to see continued plumping benefits,” Zomnir explains.
These newer lip plumper formulas rely on hyaluronic acid and peptides to create fullness in the lip without the irritation of “old-school” formulas, says Dr. Yadav. “Hyaluronic acid is a humectant that draws moisture into the skin, holding up to 1,000 times its molecular weight in water to smooth the look of lines and create a slightly plumper look,” she explains.
“Another popular choice for lip-plumper formulations is Maxi-Lip, a proprietary peptide complex that stimulates your natural collagen production to create firmer, plusher lips,” says Dr. Yadav. You’ll see several products below that feature this innovative ingredient. Though these products need to be applied quite frequently – as often as three or more times a day for a month – to see results, Dr. Yadav notes that they can be effective. “Just keep in mind that no topical product can achieve results that are comparable to injectable filler,” she explains.
Should I Try A Lip Plumping Tool?
Lip-plumping tools are a category of devices that work to temporarily plump lips with suction, poking, or inflaming the skin. As you might guess, dermatologists are not fans. “Most ‘tools’ work by traumatizing the lip skin,” says Dr. Alexiades. “If you poke, abrade or otherwise inflame the lips, they will swell temporarily. However, I am against violence and harm to the lip; I believe you are far better off by gently and permanently boosting your stem cells and actual lip structure.”
How to Extend the Effects of Lip Plumpers?
So you’ve purchased one of these products above, but how do you extend the impressive results? Thankfully, some of the best lip-plumping serums and products have formulas that can penetrate the lips deeper, helping to gradually increase lip thickness over time while strengthening and boosting the lips overall health and appearance. With daily reapplication, these highly-technical formulas are designed to mimic injectable fillers without an actual injection. Similar to reapplying lash growth serum every night for fuller, more lush eyelashes in a few weeks, a lip plumper (if formulated to do so) can be reapplied twice a day for more plump, full lips in as little as four weeks.
A great rule of thumb is to exfoliate with a lip scrub prior to the application of a plumping product. This will help remove excess dry skin and help the lips absorb the lip plumping ingredients even better.
Meet the Experts
- Dr. Macrene Alexiades: Manhattan-based, double-board certified, research-focused dermatologist, Dr. Alexiades, holds three degrees from Harvard and is an associate professor at the Yale School of Medicine. She founded her eponymous skin care brand, Macrene Actives, and continues to upgrade her formulations, like the recently relaunched Tinted Moisturizer.
- Dr. Geeta Yadav: Dr. Geeta Yadav practices general, medical and cosmetic dermatology at her Toronto practice. She performs the entire range of procedures, from Botox injections to skin cancer screenings, all in the course of a day.
- Wende Zomnir: She’s the founder of Urban Decay, one of the original start-up makeup brands in the 90s, as well as Caliray, her newly launched makeup brand with a focus on clean, cruelty-free beauty.
- Annie Lawless: After selling her first multimillion dollar venture to Coca-Cola, Annie turned her attention to developing Lawless Beauty, a toxin-free, full coverage makeup line. She serves as the brand’s CEO, which is one of the fastest-growing brands at Sephora.
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