Today’s lip augmentation products are not the same as old-fashioned formulas.
Full lips are arguably one of the most coveted facial features – just ask one of the approximately 3 million people who choose to have soft tissue filler injected each year to enhance their lips. However, injections are not for everyone. If you want your lips to look fuller, lip plumping products instead of needles are another option you can try. But do lip augmentation products really work? We brought in several beauty experts to discuss the issue and straight up the truth.
A Quick History of Lip Enhancers
OG lip plumpers emerged in the mid-2000s and by 2010 had become an entire beauty category. Back then, these products typically worked through mildly stimulating “vasodilator” ingredients like peppermint, cinnamon, ginger, and capsaicin, notes Blair Hayes, a certified aesthetic physician assistant. Some even used bee venom, which is believed to trigger an inflammatory response.
Everyone has a tube of tingly plumping lip balm in their purse and a strange joy in every use. “These ingredients help increase blood flow, creating a temporary puffy effect — aka plumped lips,” says Hayes.
Sounds great until you find yourself in a situation where your lips are itchy. Lip skin is very delicate and irritating ingredients can cause sensitivity, redness, flaking, stinging and burning. This is not ideal for anyone, but especially for those with sensitive skin.
Today’s Lip Plumping Recipe
You can probably still find some of these products lying around, but modern lip plumpers tend to utilize less harsh ingredients and tend to provide longer-lasting results. Marisa Garshick, MD, a board-certified dermatologist, says common ingredients found in lip plumpers today include the following.
hyaluronic acid： A humectant that works by attracting moisture to the skin. In fact, hyaluronic acid can hold approximately 1,000 times its weight in water.
peptide： “This ingredient helps boost collagen production, which over time may help improve the overall appearance of your lips,” notes Dr. Garshick.
Glycerin: Another moisturizer that also helps make lips soft and bouncy.
Vegetable oil and butter： Shea butter, jojoba oil, and shea butter are some examples of conditioning ingredients that can make lips hydrated and juicy.
Some lip plumping products today combine less of the old-fashioned irritants with the aforementioned ingredients. You may find that your lips tolerate these ingredients.
So, how do lip plumpers actually work?
Long story short: Yes, lip plumpers work. But how useful are they? Are we talking ones that only have noticeable effects on you? Is it as effective as fillers? Usually, the visual difference is somewhere in between.
“I think these products are a good option for a quick and easy way to boost lip plumping confidence, but it’s important to have realistic expectations and understand that the results will be subtle and short-lived,” says Hayes.
Kim Nichols, MD, board-certified dermatologist, feels the same way. The results are there, but they’re not dramatic, and they’re definitely not close to lip fillers (technically, that could be a good thing, depending on the look you’re after), she says.
“Lip plumpers just swell the lips, while lip fillers, on the other hand, not only increase the size of the lips, but also define the shape of the lips, minimizing the amount of puffiness on the lips,” said Dr. Nichols. Fine lines and wrinkles, evens out upper and lower lips, and provides long-lasting hydration and enhanced lip color.
6 Top Lip Enhancing Products Worth Trying
Curious about today’s lip augmentation products? We asked our experts to share their favorite lip plumping products on the market. Here are the best of them. the
Revision Skincare Youthful Lip Replenisher
Jojoba oil, hyaluronic acid, and peppermint combine in this lip plumping product from Revision Skincare. Adds Hayes: “I love that it even targets lips for anti-aging, including antioxidants like green tea and vitamin E, THD ascorbic acid (my favorite form of vitamin C), and a blend of three peptides for fine line and wrinkle repair .”
StriVectin Double Fix for Lips Plumping & Vertical Line Treatment
“This 2-in-1 treatment uses hyaluronic acid and peptides, along with passion fruit extract and soothing, hydrating bakuri butter to help plump and improve the appearance of vertical lines,” says Dr. Garshick.
Ourself Natural Lip Filler
With Ourself’s lip fillers, the instant results you see will make you a believer in lip plumping. The patent-pending formula plumps lips with hyaluronic acid and helps create more definition.
IT Cosmetics Pillow Lips Solid Essence Lip Gloss
For some extra color in the plumping action, try IT Cosmetics’ Pillow Lip Gloss. “It contains collagen, hyaluronic acid, and a tri-oil complex that work together to help boost hydration and plump lips,” says Garshick.
PCA Skin Hyaluronic Acid Lip Balm
“This lip booster contains a blend of sodium hyaluronate and konjac root, which work together to plump and hydrate lips,” says Dr. Garshick. It also contains peptides to help boost collagen, as well as antioxidant vitamin E.
