No need to step foot into a derm’s office.
Beauty trends ebb and flow as quickly as the seasons change—sometimes even quicker. Remember pencil-thin 90s brows? Or maybe you dabbled with glitter roots during festival season? While there will always be wacky trends entering the beauty realm at lightspeed, there have been a heap of them that have proved their staying power, namely, lip enhancements.
Lip augmentation is an increasingly popular, non-surgical, semi-permanent cosmetic procedure that adds volume to thin lips. But, there’s an alternative (and more frugal) way to perfect your pout without committing to lip enhancement treatments long-term and the hefty price tag that comes along with it: Lip plumpers.
The plumper, softer pout of your dreams is just one lip gloss or serum away. These formulas impart a subtle (or not-so-subtle) tingling sensation and make your lips swell without you having to step foot in a derm’s office. According to board-certified dermatologist and founder of Avant Dermatology and Aesthetics, Sheila Farhang, M.D., the magic behind these products lies in ingredients like hyaluronic acid (which help lips retain moisture) or mild irritants like cinnamon, capsaicin (i.e. chili pepper), or menthol (found in peppermint). “A lot of these products increase blood flow to the lips thereby creating a plumper pout,” she says.
Cosmetic chemist Ginger King echoes this, and adds that the slight tingle you feel is usually from menthol. She also attributes vinyl butyl ether, a chemical compound also commonly used in these products, to the sensation. King’s suggestion when using these products: exfoliate your lips first. “Using a lip exfoliator prior to any lip gloss can help promote microcirculation, leading to a more healthy-looking, plump appearance,” she says. She suggests applying a regular balm as a base and gently scrubbing on top of it with an exfoliating tool (like this silicone brush she designed for her brand, FanLoveBeauty).
Shop the best lip-plumping glosses for your dream pout, ahead.
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1
The Best For Daily Use
Hyaluronic Acid Lip Booster
PCA Skin
dermstore.com
$46.00
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This treatment glides on as smooth as your favorite balm. Formulated with Ultra Filling Spheres, an ingredient that blends hyaluronate and konjac root, and humectants for moisture, the PCA Lip Booster can be used daily to plump up your lips over time.
2
The Bestseller
Full-On Plumping Lip Polish
Buxom
ulta.com
$21.00
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Buxom offers over 50 shades to choose from so you can enhance your lips regardless of your lipstick shade. Plus, it gives a tingly, cooling sensation that lasts few minutes.
3
The It-Girl Approved
Dior Addict Lip Maximizer Plumping Gloss
Dior
sephora.com
$35.00
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This Dior classic is a Bella Hadid favorite and comes in six different high-shine colors. It uses the power of hyaluronic acid to add volume and moisture, because plumped, chapped lips aren’t cute.
4
The Dior Dupe
Outrageous Effect Volume Lip Gloss
Sephora Collection
sephora.com
$12.00
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Yes, Sephora carries thousands of brands, but don’t ever sleep on Sephora Collection. The high-shine formula combines ginger root oil and peppermint oil that maximizes volume and instantly hydrates the lips for just $12.
5
The Cult-Favorite
Lip Injection Extreme
Too Faced
sephora.com
$16.00
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Too Faced gained cult status for its fan-favorite eyeshadow palettes, mascara, and its iconic Lip Injection gloss. The formula feels as spicy as eating a plate of hot buffalo wings—but in a good way.
6
The OG
Lip Venom
DuWop
amazon.com
$15.99
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DuWop’s Lip Venom was around long before the lip-enhancement hype. One of the first lip-plumping glosses on the market, the secret is in the “sauce”: essential oils made with cinnamon, ginger, and wintergreen. These ingredients combined cause all the blood to rush to the lips to give you a picture-perfect pout in minutes.
7
The Drugstore Gem
Lip Plumping Gloss
e.l.f. Cosmetics
ulta.com
$6.00
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You’d be pleasantly surprised to see what this $5 lip gloss does compared its pricer competitors. E.L.F whipped up a nourishing blend of vitamin E and coconut oil for a supple finish.
8
The One That’s Worth The Splurge
The Lip Volumizer
La Mer
nordstrom.com
$80.00
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Look past the pretty penny you’ll spend and focus on the results. La Mer’s Lip Volumizer formula aims to soften and plump lips while reducing the appearance of wrinkle lines.
9
The Expert-Formulated Gel
Dr. Lara Devgan Scientific Beauty Platinum Lip Plump SPF 30
Dr. Lara Devgan Scientific Beauty
sephora.com
$50.00
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Formulated by a renowned, board-certified plastic surgeon, this treatment is beloved by beauty editors and enthusiasts alike for its more dramatic plumping effect. You have the blend’s vitamin B3 to thank for that–an ingredient known to cause blood vessels in your lips to (safely) swell. The thick, high-shine gloss also contains lip-softening ceramides and actives that protect your lips from the sun.
10
The Grid-Worthy Balm
Unicorn Lip Plumping Balm
Truly Beauty
trulybeauty.com
$14.00
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This whipped rainbow-colored formula could be mistaken for a dessert at first glance. It’s actually a potent lip plumper that uses peppermint oil for its lip-enhancing effects. It also leaves behind a slight shine and oh-so-buttery soft feel.
11
The Comfortable-Wearing Gloss
Wet Lip Oil Gloss
Kosas
kosas.com
$27.00
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This lip gloss’s non-sticky formula gives lips a ‘grammable shine, a subtle wash hint of color, and of course, a slight volumizing effect (via its blend of peptides, hyaluronic acid, and collagen).
12
The Two-Step System
HA Smooth and Plump Lip System
Skinmedica
skinmedica.com
$68.00
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As the name suggests, the key ingredient in this two-step treatment is hyaluronic acid, which can leave lips looking healthier overall. Consistency is key with this system—as the brand’s clinical trials suggest that optimal results come with using the product three times a day.
13
The Spicy Topper
Electric Glossy Lip Plumper
MILK Makeup
sephora.com
$25.00
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This tinted gloss is supercharged with Sichuan pepper to pump up the volume on your lips. Even better is its plush texture, that doesn’t feel sticky or tacky.
Source: www.elle.com
