29 Secrets

A plush, full mouth has always been a hallmark of sex appeal (in ancient times, it was used to gauge a woman’s fertility). These days, we have bee-stung babes like Angelina Jolie and Scarlett Johannson to thank for inspiring our lip envy. Lip plumpers make it easier to achieve that full look.

Plumpers have quickly become a must-have beauty item, not only with celebs, but also makeup artists and beauty mavens alike. They are great at defining the lips and they are much easier for people to apply than liner.

Getting luscious lips

Over time, the collagen in our lips breaks down, which can lead to fine lines around the mouth and less volume and definition as we age. Even facial movements like smiling, frowning, pouting or puckering our lips can contribute to the aging of our lips. Plumpers are a great alternative to costly lip injections that are offered by dermatologists and/or cosmetic surgeons. Those injections (of fat, collagen or hyaluronic acid to fill in lines) are expensive ($600- $1000 a pop) and require maintenance every few months to keep the plump effect. Realistically, lip plumpers aren’t going to give you the same ‘overnight’ results that you’d get from lip injections, but they will give a believable boost to your lip volume.

Plumping 101

Plumpers use ingredients like cinnamon and mint to stimulate blood circulation in the lips, causing temporary flushing and/or swelling, thus creating a fuller effect. They do give results right away, but you have to reapply often. And they aren’t for the faint-hearted, as they typically sting the lips, which many people find hard to tolerate.

Many contain ingredients like retinol and collagen to deliver a cumulative plumping effect with repeated use. Another popular ingredient is hyaluronic acid, a molecule that helps bind water to lips, to make lips appear fuller. Most plumpers are in the form of glosses and lipsticks, but some are treatment-based primers that you can apply on clean, dry lips and then layer your favourite lip gloss or lipstick on top. And there aren’t just plumping benefits – you get added moisture and smoother lips for an altogether plush pout.

Try:

• Benefit Lip Plumper

• Beauté Cosmetics Luminous Volume Gloss

• Lip Fusion Micro-Injected Collagen Lip Plump

• Lise Watier Plumpissimo Le Gloss