Ever noticed how super spicy foods can irritate your lips and make them swell? Most plumping glosses use similar ingredients. Choose between Sweet Dreams, a baby pink, and Cherry Vanilla, a sheer cherry red, and get some zzz's. Come morning, lips look fuller, smoother and, honestly, like you just got injectables thanks to its potent formula containing Maxi-Lip™ (a natural peptide that defines, smooths, and firms lips), shea butter, and hyaluronic acid. "I put the mask on before bed, and when I woke up the next morning, my lips were so hydrated," the tester admits. "The mask must have seeped into my lips right after I applied it, because it stayed on even after brushing my teeth." Similar to getting hair extensions, Botox, or eyebrow microblading — getting lip filler — injectable hyaluronic acid — is a completely optional beauty enhancement. The kind offered by professionals can get pricey, especially considering these services may require multiple sessions to achieve the level of fullness you desire. If you want to give the look of fuller lips a very temporary test run before deciding whether or not you want to take the injectable route, lip plumpers in the form of glosses and balms are the next best thing.

If you're new to the world of lip plumpers and are considering giving one a try, know that there can be many benefits to applying a swipe or two everyday or every once in a while. "Lip plumpers can add an instant boost of fullness and shine, especially for special events as there is no downtime after using them and they offer instant results," Nourian says. "If you're considering getting lip fillers, lip plumpers are a nice, non-committal way to enhance your lip shape and see what your lips might look like." Are lip plumpers safe? Board-certified dermatologist Amelia K. Hausauer, M.D. agrees, stating that, "The products that cause vasodilation (the opening of blood vessels) from increased circulation can often cause irritation, redness, tingling or even an uncomfortable sensation." Put thin, dehydrated lips to bed (literally) with this overnight lip-plumping mask from Lawless Beauty. Intended to sit on your pout while you sleep, this non-tingling mask is perfect for those that bite their lips or hate constantly reapplying a gloss every few hours. "It reminds me of a comfortable, soft balm," our tester shares.The bottle is on the small side, but you don’t need a lot of product to create a plumper lip. Duwop recommends dotting it along the upper lip, concentrating on the centre before sweeping lightly across the bottom lip. It’s easy to see why this lip plumper sparked a makeup revolution, and still remains a firm favourite with celebrities and influencers nearly two decades after launch. Not only do lips actually look different, they feel different too. "I was surprised to find that my lips actually felt nourished and hydrated while wearing the gloss," the tester says. "I didn't need to apply lip balm underneath it, which is something I usually do when I wear lip gloss." Plus, once it's on, it's on. Even after all-day wear, she didn't need to reapply it to keep her lips juicy and plump. There's variety, too. The gloss is available in five high-shine, semi-sheer shades: Clear, beige, baby pink, pink, and red. Polyisobutene, Paraffinum Liquidum, Pentaerythrityl Tetraisostearate, Diisostearyl Malate, Calcium Aluminum Borosilicate, Silica Dimethyl Silylate, Phenoxyethanol, Parfum, Rosa Canina Fruit Oil, Tocopheryl Acetate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Hexyl Cinnamal, Linalool, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Tin Oxide, CI 77891 Polyisobutene, Paraffinum Liquidum, Hydrogenated Polyisobutene, Diisostearyl Malate, Pentaerythrityl Tetraisostearate, Silica Dimethyl Silylate, Ethylene/Propylene/Styrene Copolymer, Parfum, Phenoxyethanol, Rosa Canina Fruit Oil, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Tocopheryl Acetate, Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Butylene/Ethylene/Styrene Copolymer, Tribehenin, Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate, Sorbitan Isostearate, Tocopherol, Aluminum Hydroxide, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Limonene, Linalool, Cinnamyl Alcohol, CI 15850, CI 77492, CI 77491, CI 77499, CI 77891 A lip plumper will moisturise and condition lips, and temporarily and subtly add volume. The effects typically last a few hours, but by conditioning the lips and improving moisture retention, some will have longer-lasting effects if regularly applied.

After a swipe or two, the gloss drenches lips in a refreshing, chilly sensation that the brand describes as "tantalizing." Some find that tingle to be too much, but others, like our tester, found the sensation to be an invigorating reminder that the product was hard at work. "The tingling was slightly more intense than I thought it would be, but it diminished as time went on," the tester admits. "I thought it felt good, but it could definitely be too much for some people." You’ll also notice that some lip plumpers are formulated with peptides. "Peptides are composed of amino acids. Some peptides stimulate collagen and elastin production, which work by increasing moisture as well, producing localized swelling in the lips," Green explains. Cosmetic chemist Ron Robinson agrees that all of the aforementioned ingredients offer a temporary plumping effect. According to board-certified dermatologist Michele Green, MD, who is based in New York City, topical lip plumpers are enriched with active ingredients — including cinnamon, ginger, peppermint, and the same ingredient found in injectables, hyaluronic acid (more on this later). Simply put, these ingredients create a plumping effect by temporarily swelling the lips. "The skin reaction [caused by these ingredients] results in localized swelling, which gives the lips a temporary plumping effect," Green explains. Fortunately, these ingredients are considered safe and effective, according to Erum Ilyas, a board-certified dermatologist at Schweiger Dermatology Group. Depending on the ingredients used, you’ll feel a tingling or slight stinging sensation on application, but this settles down after a few minutes, leaving you with a plusher pout.

The best lip plumpers for 2023 are:

verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ Board-certified New York City-based dermatologist Hadley King, MD, also recommends lip plumpers enriched with humectants (such as hyaluronic acid and glycerin), emollients (which include fatty acids and ceramides), and occlusives (like beeswax) for maximum hydration. Paraffinum Liquidum, Hydrogenated Polyisobutene, Polyisobutene, Diisostearyl Malate, Pentaerythrityl Tetraisostearate, Ethylene/Propylene/Styrene Copolymer, Silica Dimethyl Silylate, Menthyl Lactate, Parfum, Phenoxyethanol, Rosa Canina Fruit Oil, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Tocopheryl Acetate, Butylene/Ethylene/Styrene Copolymer, Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Vanillyl Butyl Ether, Tribehenin, Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate, Sorbitan Isostearate, Tocopherol, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Linalool, Limonene. Our tester especially loved the application brush and how generously it swiped the creamy, hydrating formula onto her lips. Like most lip plumpers, this one has a slight tingling sensation, but it's not uncomfortable and fades after a few seconds. Plump, pouty lips are highly sought after these days, and with such a saturated market of lip-plumping devices, glosses, and treatments available both at home and in a pro's office, it's hard to know what option is right for you. If you're looking for a less-invasive way to plump your lips, plumping balms and glosses are a great place to start. To make achieving the perfect pout easier, we set out to find the best lip plumpers. We researched the top plumpers on the market and enlisted the help of a handful of reviewers to test out the most popular options firsthand.