A Quick History of Lip Plumpers
OG lip plumpers surfaced in the mid-2000s, and by 2010 were a full-blown beauty category. Back then, these products typically worked via mildly irritating “vasodilator” ingredients such as peppermint, cinnamon, ginger, and capsaicin, notes Blair Hayes, board-certified aesthetics physician assistant. Some even used bee venom, which were believed to trigger an inflammatory response. Everyone had a tube of tingly lip plumper in their purse, and there was a weird sort of pleasure in the zing of each application. “These ingredients helped increase blood flow, causing a temporary swelling effect—AKA plump lips,” says Hayes. Sounds great, until you find yourself with a case of an ouchy pout. Lip skin is incredibly delicate, and irritating ingredients can lead to sensitivity, redness, flaking, stinging, and burning. Not ideal for anyone, really, but particularly for those with sensitive skin.
Today’s Lip-Plumping Formulas
You may still find some of these products around, but modern-day lip plumpers tend to leverage less irritating ingredients that tend to offer 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 roughly 1000 times its weight in water. Peptides: “This ingredient helps to boost collagen production which may help improve the overall appearance of the lips over time,” notes Dr. Garshick. Glycerin: Another humectant that also helps make lips soft and supple. Botanical Oils & Butters: Avocado oil, jojoba oil, and shea butter are a few examples of conditioning ingredients that lend to a hydrated and juicy pout.
Some of today’s lip-plumping products combine lower amounts of the old-school irritants with the above ingredients. You might find that your lips tolerate these,
So, How Well Do Lip Plumpers Actually Work?
Long story short: yes, lip plumpers work. But how well do they work, exactly? Are we talking noticeable-only-to-you results? Comparable to filler results? Typically, the visual difference falls somewhere between the two. “I think these products are a great option for a quick and easy lip-plumping confidence boost, but it’s important to have realistic expectations and understand that the results will be subtle and short lived,” Hayes says. Kim Nichols, MD, board-certified dermatologist, feels the same. She says the results are there, but they’re not dramatic and they definitely don’t come close to lip filler (which could technically be a good thing depending on the look you’re going for.) “Lip plumpers simply swell the lips while lip fillers, on the other hand, work to not only augment lip size but also define lip shape, minimize the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles on the lips, even top and bottom lips, and provide long-lasting hydration and lip color enhancement,” says Dr. Nichols.
6 Top Lip Plumpers to Try
Curious about today’s class of lip plumpers? We asked our pros to share their favorite lip plumpers on the market. Here’s the cream of the crop:
