I'm a beauty writer, and these are the best lip plumpers I've tested

6 days ago 4

This article was medically reviewed by Debra Jaliman, MD, a board-certified dermatologist with a backstage signifier successful New York City.

A compositie representation  of the exertion   wearing the 1  of the champion  articulator  plumpers from Colourpop connected  the near  and the writer  wearing 1  of the champion  articulator  plumpers from Too Faced connected  the right.

Thanks to these articulator plumpers, you don't person to sacrifice comfortableness for fuller, glossy lips. Maiya Pascouche; Lauren Dana Ellman

Updated 2025-05-07T21:22:03Z

As a quality writer for implicit 5 years, I've tried galore articulator plumpers that person near my tegument irritated and burning. Sure, filler injectables are an enactment for fuller lips, but it's an costly enactment and besides painful. So I went connected the hunt for the champion articulator plumpers that adhd a boost with the comfortableness and easiness of a gloss.

Several of the articulator plumpers I tried — from the Makeup by Mario MoistureGlow Plumping Lip Serum and the Tarte Maracuja Juicy Lip Plump — person gone connected to execute highest TikTok fame. However, the implicit champion articulator plumpers rightfully travel from Too Faced, with my favourite being the Lip Injection Extreme Lip Plumper for its lasting, afloat articulator effect. Its iconic look has been connected the marketplace since 2015 and continues to beryllium the champion I've tried. For a fund option, effort the Maybelline Lifter Gloss for its precocious radiance and comfy plumping effect.

Below are my reviews connected the champion articulator plumpers I've tried, what I emotion astir each one, and immoderate communal FAQs to assistance usher you.

Our apical 5 picks for the champion articulator plumpers

Best overall: Too Faced Lip Injection Extreme Lip Plumper 

Side-by-side collage. Left broadside  depicts a adjacent  up   selfie of a idiosyncratic   staring astatine  the camera successful  an effort   to show  their usage  of the Too Faced articulator  injection gloss. Right broadside  illustrates a agleam  pinkish  articulator  gloss instrumentality  of the merchandise  “Too Faced.”

Lauren Dana/Insider; Amazon

Too Faced's Lip Injection Extreme Lip Plumper whitethorn beryllium the astir costly articulator plumper connected this list, but spot maine erstwhile I accidental it's good worthy the splurge. This cult favorite, which has been astir for a fewer years, decidedly delivers connected the plumping effect. 

Within 2 minutes of applying the product, I noticed immoderate tingling (most — if not each — articulator plumpers person this, arsenic it's the irritation that leads to the impermanent swelling). It felt similar a flimsy (albeit painless) burning sensation arsenic if I had eaten thing spicy. My lips appeared visibly larger successful the mirror, and I noticed they stayed this mode for astir an hr aft application. The super-shiny decorativeness lone enhanced the plumping effect, too. Also, contempt the formula's wide hue, it turned my lips into a beauteous brushed pinkish for the cleanable lavation of color.

While this 1 volition by acold springiness you the astir melodramatic results, support successful caput it has capsicum, and immoderate radical person reported allergic reactions. If you are prone to sensitivity, we urge a look without specified an irritating ingredient. 

Best gloss: Maybelline Lifter Gloss with Hyaluronic Acid

Side-by-side collage. Left broadside  depicts a adjacent  up   selfie of a idiosyncratic   staring astatine  the camera successful  an effort   to show  their usage  of the Maybelline Lifter Gloss with Hyaluronic Acid. Right descent  illustrates a instrumentality  of the merchandise  “Maybelline Lifter Gloss with Hyaluronic Acid."

Lauren Dana/Insider; Amazon

The Maybelline Lifter Gloss with Hyaluronic Acid has besides taken TikTok by tempest for its ultra-hydrating formula, shiny (albeit non-sticky) finish, and wallet-friendly terms tag. I felt an oh-so-subtle tingling sensation upon application, and wrong a fewer minutes, I noticed my pout looked plump and juicy. I particularly loved however comfy and airy the look felt connected my lips. I'll instrumentality 1 successful each color, please.

Most earthy looking: Milani Keep It Full Maxxx Balmshell Lip Plumping Balm

Side-by-side collage. Left broadside  depicts a adjacent  up   selfie of a idiosyncratic   staring astatine  the camera successful  an effort   to show  their usage  of the “Keep It Full Maxxx Balmshell Lip Plumping Balm.” Right descent  illustrates a instrumentality  of the merchandise  “Keep It Full Maxxx Balmshell Lip Plumping Balm.”

Lauren Dana/Insider; Walmart

Milani's Keep It Full Maxxx Balmshell Lip Plumping Balm was precocious released successful May 2022, truthful I was particularly excited to trial it out. I loved the subtle sparkly sheen and the cooling (not burning) tingling. Also, portion the plumper is marketed arsenic a balm, its conditioning look — spiked with antioxidant-loaded mango lipid — is akin to that of a gloss.

Despite however shiny, cushiony, and glossy the merchandise looked (and felt!), my lips did not look physically larger oregon swollen erstwhile I snapped a selfie. It's besides worthy noting that this look is simply a tiny spot sticky, but since the upwind wasn't windy erstwhile I wore it out, it didn't fuss maine successful the slightest.

Most painless: Tarte Maracuja Juicy Lip Plump

Side-by-side collage. Left broadside  depicts a adjacent  up   selfie of a idiosyncratic   staring astatine  the camera successful  an effort   to show  their usage  of the Maracuja Juicy Lip Plump gloss. Right broadside  illustrates a roseate  golden  colored articulator  gloss instrumentality  of the merchandise  “Maracuja Juicy Lip Plump.”

Lauren Dana/Insider; Amazon

The TikTok-approved Tarte Maracuja Juicy Lip Plump isn't your emblematic articulator plumper, and I mean that successful the champion mode possible. Its creamy, smooth-gliding look is akin to that of a balm oregon lipstick (as opposed to that of a gloss oregon articulator oil, which is what's astir commonplace connected the market). It besides had a cool, minty-fresh sensation (as opposed to a burning one), which, successful my opinion, served arsenic a bonus.

Even better? It's chock-full of nourishing ingredients — including plumping hyaluronic acid, fatty acid-rich maracuja oil, and moisturizing vitamin E, to sanction a few  — to permission lips feeling creaseless and conditioned for hours connected end, adjacent aft the plumping effect has diminished entirely.

Best serum: Makeup by Mario MoistureGlow Plumping Lip Serum

Side-by-side collage. Left broadside  depicts a adjacent  up   selfie of a idiosyncratic   staring astatine  the camera successful  an effort   to show  their usage  of the MoistureGlow Plumping Lip Serum by Mario gloss. Right descent  illustrates a roseate  golden  colored articulator  gloss instrumentality  of the merchandise  “MoistureGlow Plumping Lip Serum.”

Lauren Dana/Insider; Sephora

The archetypal happening I noticed — and loved — astir the Makeup by Mario MoistureGlow Plumping Lip Serum was however lightweight it was. Additionally, the instrumentality formulation made it incredibly casual to use portion connected the spell (i.e., successful an Uber without a mirror). The cool, tingly sensation took astir a infinitesimal to footwear in. And portion I did announcement a flimsy plumping effect, it went distant wrong 20 minutes upon application.

Best budget: Colourpop So Juicy Plumping Gloss Balm

The exertion   wearing the Colourpop So Juicy Plumping Gloss Balm connected  the near  and a conduit  of the articulator  balm connected  the right.

Maiya Pascouche; Ulta/Business Insider

I've been utilizing the So Juicy Plumping Gloss for astir 10 years now. Since its inception successful 2014, Colourpop has been a mainstay for affordable, amusive constitution products. In 2014, I was chronically obsessed with beauty, particularly quality gurus connected YouTube, wherever I archetypal learned astir the brand. When this articulator gloss archetypal launched, it was reminiscent of the iconic Lancôme Juicy Tubes of the nineties and aboriginal aughts. It is sticky but not excessively overmuch — don't worry, your hairsbreadth won't instrumentality to your look — and delivers the precocious radiance you're looking for from a articulator gloss. I'm not a large instrumentality of plumping products due to the fact that I person rather delicate skin, truthful what I emotion astir astir this enactment is its flimsy minty tingle that mildly plumps without irritation. The champion part, it's nether $10! — Maiya Pascouche, Beauty Editor

Best scented: Physicians Formula Mineral Wear Diamond Plumper

Side-by-side collage. Left broadside  depicts a adjacent  up   selfie of a idiosyncratic   staring astatine  the camera successful  an effort   to show  their usage  of the “Physicians Formula Mineral Wear Diamond Plumper.” Right descent  illustrates a wide   instrumentality  of the merchandise  “Physicians Formula Mineral Wear Diamond Plumper.”

Lauren Dana/Insider; Physicians Formula

The archetypal happening I noticed astir this articulator plumper was however saccharine it smelled (literally similar a marshmallow). About 3 minutes aft I swiped connected the product, I noticed a cooling sensation. About a infinitesimal later, I was pleasantly amazed by the size of my now-juicy lips successful my iPhone camera. However, the swelling went down astir 10 to 15 minutes later, though the glossy sheen remained.

Best hydrating: Grande Cosmetics GrandeLIPS Hydrating Lip Plumper Gloss

Side-by-side collage. Left broadside  depicts a adjacent  up   selfie of a idiosyncratic   staring astatine  the camera successful  an effort   to show  their usage  of the “Grande Cosmetics GrandeLIPS Hydrating Lip Plumper Gloss” Right descent  illustrates a golden  instrumentality  of the merchandise  “Grande Cosmetics GrandeLIPS Hydrating Lip Plumper Gloss”

Lauren Dana/Insider; Grande Cosmetics

The GrandeLIPS Hydrating Lip Plumper Gloss is among Grande Cosmetics' astir fashionable products — and for bully reason. Although the swelling started astir immediately, the merchandise took astir 15 to 20 minutes to footwear into afloat gear. Plus, the clear, shiny hue is perfect for layering implicit different lipsticks (liquid ones, too!), glosses, stains, and balms. Meanwhile, the skincare-focused formula, which is enriched with hyaluronic acid, is an unthinkable added bonus. It is besides the slightest irritating for delicate lips.

How we tested articulator plumpers

lineup of plumping articulator  glosses tested by the writer  from Nyx, Too Faced, Makeup by Mario, and more

Lauren Dana/Insider

As a quality writer, I've tried dozens, if not hundreds, of articulator products implicit the years. This has allowed maine to trial instrumentality favorites and hidden gems, the second of which I'm ever keen connected discovering. Ultimately, these 8 articulator plumpers are nary exception, and I'm beauteous pleased with each of them.

When investigating articulator plumpers, it's ever important to cheque the ingredients. Some plumping effects travel from cayenne, menthol, cinnamon, and capsicum resin (derived from peppers), to sanction a few. It's emblematic for these to intentionally irritate the tegument successful bid to execute a plumped pout. If you person delicate skin, we urge a gentler look and 1 packed with hyaluronic acid for added hydration.

FAQs

Are articulator plumpers safe? 

Lip plumpers are mostly harmless for occasional use; however, if you person delicate tegument oregon are prone to irritation, it's champion to debar these ingredients arsenic they are known irritants:

Capsicum resin:

Capsicum is derived from blistery peppers and is the constituent that makes peppers blistery oregon spicy. Too overmuch of it tin origin irritation and burning erstwhile applied topically, truthful beryllium alert erstwhile utilizing articulator plumpers made with capsicum. If you announcement your lips tingling to an aggravated degree, beryllium definite to halt utilizing the articulator plumper.

Artificial fragrances:

If you person delicate skin, it's recommended that you debar artificial fragrances, arsenic they are known irritants. Instead, spell for much earthy fragrances, similar indispensable oils. A idiosyncratic favourite is peppermint oil, which offers a earthy cooling effect.

Menthol:

On the different hand, menthol creates a cooling sensation that is often drying oregon irritating. Again, if you person delicate tegument oregon lips, it would beryllium champion to debar menthol successful a articulator plumper.

Do articulator plumpers really work? 

Lip fillers oregon injectables are worthy consulting your dermatologist astir if you privation a much lasting plumping effect. However, the champion articulator plumpers tin connection a temporary, voluminous pout. Over-the-counter articulator plumpers enactment arsenic mild irritants, generating humor travel to the lips, which causes a short-term plumping effect that goes distant aft a fewer hours.

Can you execute semipermanent benefits from wearing articulator plumpers?

Lip plumpers connection a impermanent effect that is acold much subtle than a much cosmetic enactment similar articulator filler. However, moisturizing articulator plumper formulas whitethorn incorporate hyaluronic acerb oregon ceramides that creaseless and capable retired the lips implicit continual use.

Lauren Dana Author Page

Lauren Dana Ellman is simply a New York City-based freelance writer, editor, and societal strategist specializing successful each things travel, beauty, wellness, and food. Her enactment has appeared successful Bustle, Allure, POPSUGAR, ShermansTravel, Elite Daily, Hotels Above Par, and Mental Floss, among different lifestyle-oriented publications. She holds a grade successful Magazine Journalism from Syracuse University's SI Newhouse School of Communication. Follow her connected Instagram astatine @laurenvellman.  

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