Some people are blessed with genetics for that full-lipped, just-kissed look, but most of us aren’t. The best lip plumpers give us a way to temporarily transform our lips without having to resort to injections.
Why are fuller lips so hot?
Some of why we think big lips are hot is entirely biological. We’re hardwired to find facial symmetry attractive and larger lips contribute to a more balanced look.
Plumper lips are also a sign of youth. As we age, our skin loses elasticity and collagen, causing lips to appear thinner and fine vertical lines to appear–particularly if you’ve been a smoker.
Some of it is cultural. What’s thought of as beautiful now isn’t the same thing that was sought after even just 100 years ago. But all bodies are beautiful and time and trends and cultures can’t change that.
Does that mean I think you should never alter your body? Ask my 10 tattoos if that’s what I mean. I’m saying you like the look of full lips, you can obtain that but that doesn’t mean your natural lips aren’t beautiful too.
Probably the biggest reason we’re attracted to full lips is because of sex. When we’re aroused, our lips swell and flush with blood. Plump lips have that just-kissed look that signal to our primal brain that someone is sexual active and maybe available.
Is it weird for guys to want fuller lips too?
Of course not. Anyone of any gender can have or find plump lips sexy on anyone. If you want them, check out the best lip plumpers and get your pout on!
How do lip plumpers work?
There are three main ways to increase your lip volume that I’ll talk about quickly: Surgery, suction, and chemical.
Surgical. We all know that Hollywood star look of collagen injected lips. That’s an option but an expensive and painful one requiring a doctor and recovery time. It is fairly permanent which none of the other options can say.
Suction.One way some people go about getting fuller lips is to stick their lips in a shot glass or suction product and suck out the air until your lips get stuck. This pulls blood into your lips causing them to swell temporarily.
It’s your lips, but my feeling is please don’t do this. You can end up with bruises, burst blood vessels, and stretch out the skin of your lips so that they’re more likely to have lines when the swelling goes down.
Chemical. Then you have the option of applying something to your lips that makes them plump up and flush–which sounds way better to me than the other options.
Sometimes that’s referring to intensive moisturizers that help your lips retain more water. Other times your lips swell because the plumper is irritating the sensitive skin of your lips.
The mild swelling lasts from one hour to all day depending the substance and how your body reacts to it. The most common plumping substances are derived from foods like cinnamon, ginger, mint, and capsaicin which is what gives hot peppers their heat.
If you’re using a plumper that causes your lips to tingle or sting, make sure you’re using them as directed. You’re going for just-kissed, not bee-stung.
It’s normal to feel tingling or mild stinging at the beginning. If you feel straight up pain, abort your pout-mission and find a different plumper.
Some plumpers even work long term by stimulating your body to rebuild lost collagen or be able to retain more moisture. These products are slower acting but their results last longer than the immediate results that stinging plumpers provide.
So let’s look at the best lip plumpers on the market that will give you that sexy pout.
1. Jouer Pearl Lip Enhancer
Jouer
The Jouer Pearl Lip Enhancer is a hydrating, tinted lip gloss and lip treatment. It soothes dry lips with moisturizers like shea butter, jojoba oil, and vitamin E.
This hydration adds more volume, but to really fill out your lips, Jouer includes Maxi-Lip, a serum that contains moisturizing oils and natural peptides and that have been clinically proven to increase lip volume over time.
So you’ll want to use this treatment often to get the full results. And you’ll want to because the formula is so smooth and creamy.
The gloss adds a great shine, though it isn’t shimmery despite the pearl name. If you’re looking for a non-stinging way to fill out your lips, this is a great option. If you need Kardashian lips today and fast, keep moving down the list.
Price: $18
Buy the Jouer Pearl Lip Enhancer here.
Pros:
- No pain
- Creamy hydrating gloss
- Choice of tints
- Maxi-Lip increases lip volume with continued use
Cons:
- Not vegan (beeswax)
- Not as fast acting or dramatic as others
Find more Jouer Pearl Lip Enhancer information and reviews here.
2. Christian Dior Addict Lip Maximizer
Amazon
This one has a subtle immediate change but works best slowly over time. The Addict Lip Maximizer contains collagen, which is one of the things we begin to lose when we age, as well as marine based fillers and hyaluronic spheres.
The hyaluronic spheres are the real powerhouses here. They’re molecules of a natural acid that love water like nothing else. When they are exposed to water, they suck it all up and fill up in a balloon shape.
Inside the Dior plumper, these sphere are dehydrated so they’re empty and all crumpled flat. When they soak into your lips with the moisturizers, they come into contact with water and begin to swell, increasing the volume of your lips.
It’s about as close to the action of a surgical filler as you can get without a needle. The effect is temporary and takes time and regular use.
The sheer, silky shine of the gloss is never sticky feeling and has a refreshing, minty tingle.
Price: $53.25
Buy the Christian Dior Addict Lip Maximizer here.
Pros:
- Contains hyaluronic spheres and collagen
- Hydrating
- Silky, non-sticky gloss
- Minty tingle
Cons:
- Not fast acting
- Pricier brand
Find more Christian Dior Addict Lip Maximizer information and reviews here.
3. Soap & Glory Sexy Mother Pucker XL Lip Plumping Gloss
Amazon
If you’ve been waiting for a tingle-heavy gloss that plumps fast and big, Sexy Mother Pucker is it. This clear gloss goes on smooth and after a moment or two, the tingling turns on and there’s no denying it’s working.
If you have very sensitive lips and are not willing to put up with some serious tingles for your pouty lips, this isn’t for you. But if feeling like your lips are covered in pop rocks for 10 or so minutes is acceptable for immediately fuller lips that last around two hours, then go for it.
Sexy Mother Pucker (shout out to whoever got that name approved by PR) uses a plant oil infusion called LipSwell and menthol to produce its rapid volumizing effect.
The only thing I’m not personally pleased with is the scent. It has a sugary, chocolate-mint smell which you either love or hate. But no matter how much you like the scent, don’t lick your lips! You’ll have a very tingly tongue to deal with.
Price: $18.66
Buy the Soap & Glory Sexy Mother Pucker Xl Lip Plumping Gloss here.
Pros:
- Immediate, dramatic plumping
- Clear so it works alone or over lip color
Cons:
- Tingling, stinging sensation is too intense for some
- Not everyone is into chocolate scent
Find more Soap & Glory Sexy Mother Pucker Xl Lip Plumping Gloss information and reviews here.
4. Jane Iredale Just Kissed Lip Plumper
jane iredale
The Just Kissed Lip Plumper by Jane Iredale is closer to balm or sheer lipstick than a gloss. It comes in a choice of eight warm shades named after famous cities across the globe.
This one has a subtle plumping effect that you don’t have to wait a week to get thanks to ginger root oil. Better yet, there is almost no tingling at all.
Peptides in the plumper work much slower than the ginger, improving the health and smoothness of your lips with regular use.
The balm goes on smooth and buttery with sheer coverage that won’t feel heavy or crease. Did I mention that it tastes divine? It’s got a zingy ginger mint flavor which I love.
Just Kissed is extremely hydrating. You’ve got avocado oil, beeswax, sunflower seed oil, shea butter, and jojoba oil. To exfoliate lips and nourish the delicate skin, Just Kissed includes lemon peel oil, tangerine peel oil, grape seed extract, cranberry extract, and green tea extract.
Price: $25
Buy the Jane Iredale Just Kissed Lip Plumper here.
Pros:
- Subtle plumping immediate and long term
- Choice of colors
- Gluten free and cruelty free
- Intensely hydrating
- Nourishing botanicals
Cons:
- Results aren’t dramatic
- Not vegan (beeswax)
Find more Jane Iredale Just Kissed Lip Plumper information and reviews here.
5. Osmotics Blue Copper 5 Lip & Tuck
Osmotics
Copper has been called the fountain of youth of beauty products–I think that’s going a little far but it does do some pretty amazing things.
Our bodies need copper to to build collagen, which gives your skin elasticity. More collagen equals fewer fine lines and fuller, younger skin.
Plus copper stimulates your body to product its own hyaluronic acid which results in more plumping–but just to be safe, Osmotics included hyaluronic acid spheres in Lip & Tuck anyway.
Hydration also increases lip volume and this gloss uses rich macadamia nut oil to keep your lips happy.
In case you don’t want to wait, Lip & Tuck also contains menthol which has a cooling, minty tingle and is a mild irritant to cause lip flushing right away. It looks blue, but goes on clear.
Price: $35
Buy the Osmotics Blue Copper 5 Lip & Tuck here.
Pros:
- Moisturizing macadamia nut oil
- Contains copper and hyaluronic acid spheres
- Clear, shiny gloss
- Tingling menthol plumps right away
Cons:
- Contains silicones and mineral oil
Find more Osmotics Blue Copper 5 Lip & Tuck information and reviews here.
6. Dr. Brandt Xtend Your Youth Lip Filler & Volumizer
Amazon
This gloss contains both hyaluronic acid, Maxi-Lip, and two other line smoothing pepetides: Snap-8 and Volulip. That’s packing in a whole lot of high quality plumping agents. They are all more long term though and less for immediate results.
To smooth vertical lines while waiting for the peptides to do their thing, Xtend Your Youth includes deep moisturizers like sunflower seed oil, jojoba oil, beeswax, and vegetable oil.
Vitamin E and extracts of grape seed, green tea, and white tea bring antioxidants to your lips and nourish your skin. With regular use, vertical lines begin to fade so I would say it’s very successful as a filler. The plumping is more subtle.
Price: $18.32
Buy the Dr. Brandt Xtend Your Youth Lip Filler & Volumizer here.
Pros:
- Contains hyaluronic acid spheres and three smoothing peptide solutions
- Great for erasing vertical lip lines
- Hydrating
- Green tea and white tea extracts
Cons:
- Not vegan
- Contains hydrogenated vegetable oil
Find more Dr. Brandt Xtend Your Youth Lip Filler & Volumizer information and reviews here.
7. Buxom Full-On Lip Cream
Amazon
Buxom’s Full-On Lip Creams are rich lip glosses without all the sparkle and shimmer. They aren’t necessarily matte, but they don’t have that excessively wet look that other glosses have. This could be a good or a bad thing depending on your style.
Buxom uses menthol to achieve that cooling, tingling feeling with subtle plumping. Hyaluronic acid spheres absorb deep into your lips and swell to increase volume.
This is in what’s considered the line’s best shade, White Russian–a soft, neutral pink that looks great alone for a natural look or over lipstick.
Price: $19.99
Buy the Buxom Full-On Lip Cream here.
Pros:
- Contains hyaluronic acid spheres
- Cooling menthol
Cons:
- Wears off when eating and drinking
Find more Buxom Full-On Lip Cream information and reviews here.
8. Jouer Essential Lip Enhancer
Jouer
This intensely moisturizing lip treatment by Jouer plays double-duty as a lip gloss when you’re out and hydrating balm when you’re just kicking around your place. It’s so creamy you’ll want to put it on your lips all the time–and that’s not a bad thing because it contains those smoothing peptide fillers like Maxi-Lip that over time reduce vertical lines and plump your lips.
Jojoba oil, beeswax, and shea butter help lips feel healthier and hydrated. It’s not one of the tingling treatments so if you look forward to that cooling feeling, this isn’t for you. It’s a clear glossy balm so it can be worn by itself or over lip color, especially if your lipstick tends to make your lips feel dry and heavy.
Price: $16
Buy the Jouer Essential Lip Enhancer here.
Pros:
- Contains smoothing peptides
- Super hydrating
- A little goes a long way
Cons:
- Not vegan (beeswax)
Find more Jouer Essential Lip Enhancer information and reviews here.
9. 37 Actives High Performance Anti-Aging & Filler Lip Treatment by Dr. Macrene
dr. macrene
Dr. Macrene uses a high concentration of hyaluronic acid spheres and anti-aging peptides to penetrate the lips and gently increase their volume from the inside.
This lightweight lip primer is an ultra-hydrating oil. It’s packaged in frosted glass bottle with a metal roller ball applicator. To be more eco-friendly, there is no plastic at all in the bottle.
A base of coconut oil, sunflower seed oil, soybean oil, and shea butter keeps lips intensely hydrated. Antioxidant botanicals including goldenrod, mint, snow parsley, rose of winter, rosemary, and purple viper’s-bugloss nourish lips while slowing the aging process that causes fine lines.
This plumper creates natural looking results over time with regular, twice a day use.
Price: $95
Buy the 37 Actives High Performance Anti-Aging and Filler Lip Treatment here.
Pros:
- Vegan and cruelty free
- Hydrating oils
- Contains hyaluronic spheres
- Contains no plastics, parabens, sulfates, phthalates, or fragrances
Cons:
- Not everyone is wild about roller ball applicators
Find more 37 Actives High Performance Anti-Aging and Filler Lip Treatment information and reviews here.
10. Bareminerals Marvelous Moxie Lip Gloss
Amazon
The plumping Marvelous Moxie lip glosses from BareMinerals come in several different shades and have a mild tingling effect thanks to peppermint oil. This mild irritant immediately starts plumping your lips for a subtle increase in volume that isn’t extreme and still looks natural.
It’s not super long lasting, but you’ll get a few hours of poutiness before it wears off.
Moxie deeply hydrates your lips with shea butter, avocado butter, and murumuru seed butter. Naturally derived peptides stimulate your lips to build up more collagen and hyaluronic acid spheres plump your lips long term with regular use.
The colors are tinted but sheer and perfect for daytime wear including Hot Shot, Night Owl, Rebel, Maverick, and Spark Plug.
Price: From $17.99
Buy the Bareminerals Marvelous Moxie Lip Gloss in Hot Shot here.
Pros:
- Immediate mild plumping
- Paraben and sulfate free
- Several color choices
- No animal testing
Cons:
- Not everyone likes doe foot applicators
Find more Bareminerals Marvelous Moxie Lip Gloss information and reviews here.
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