While our TikTok and IG feeds may be full of lip-plumping 'hacks', there's an easy way to achieve a fuller pout without having to resort to anything more extreme than a swipe of lippie. Yes, lip plumping products have raised their game of late, with a whole host of different formulas now available to condition and nourish, all while giving the illusion of a fuller pout.
'Lip gloss is having a come back', says Bobbi Brown makeup artist, Amalie Russell. 'Lipgloss formulas should be nourishing and oil-based, this helps the skin’s moisture barriers and gives a non tacky feel on the lips (so it won’t get stuck in your hair).'
How to choose a lip plumper?
There are countless lip plumpers out there, from super-tingly (borderline, ouch-inducing) formulas, to nourishing balms with reflective pigments designed to give the illusion of a plumper pout, so it's understandable if you're a little unsure where to start...
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First things first, it's worth considering how you prefer to apply your favourite lip products, a touch of balm, a swipe of lipstick or a slick of gloss? Luckily, the best plumpers come in a range of different formats (more on that below), so there's one to suit every preference.
Next, is to select a shade you love, whether it's a bold red, like the NYX Professional Makeup's Duck Plump Plumping Gloss in Cherry Spice, or you fancy playing it safe with a sheer pretty-pink, a la Bobbi Brown's Extra Plump Lip Serum in Bare Blossom.
How we test lip plumpers
The ELLE UK beauty team are always up for swatching and swiping the latest in beauty to bring you an edit for the very best products around. With so many lip plumping balms and glosses on the market, it's tricky to know which will actually work. So, to save you from a bad case of buyer's remorse, we've done all the hard work for you and put countless lip plumpers to the test, to bring you a definitive round-up of our favourites. If a gloss has made it into our edit, you can be sure it's worth every penny.
Shop The Best Lip Plumping Products
Lip Plumping Balms
We're spoilt for choice when it comes to lip glosses, but if you want all the caring benefits of a conditioning lip balm, whilst plumping, it's best to try one of the below. Peter Thomas Roth's Instant FIRMx Lip Treatment gives a light tingle to the lips, combined with skincare-level ingredients including hydrating Hyaluronic Acid and nourishing squalane oil, for a smoother, healthier, fuller-looking pout.
Next, our favourite affordable skincare brand, The Inkey List's Tripeptide Plumping Lip Balm has a sheer, creamy formula, loaded up with a Tripeptide Complex that works to smooth out lines and define the lips. Finally, Kosas' Plump + Juicy Collagen Lip Booster is a must-try thanks to its clever formula loaded with peptides to firm lips and plump without causing irritations.
The Inkey List Tripeptide Plumping Lip Balm
Plumping Lipsticks
From gloss sticks to glide-on balms, there's something oh-so convenient about a swipe-on-and-go stick formula. Of course, it's the plumping benefits we're all here for, so let's break them down for you. First up, Hourglass have managed to create the perfect hybrid balm, lip plumper and colour in one, with their Phantom Volumizing Glossy Balm. Within seconds you'll start to feel a cooling sensation that gives lips a subtle fullness.
Of course, makeup maestros, MAC Cosmetics, are just as clever, their Squirt Plumping Gloss Stick gives a high-shine, non-sticky sheen, with a touch of tingly ginger to give an instant plumpness to the pout. Last but not least, UK Lips Plumping Lip Gloss in Rose, made with an infusion of menthol, it gives a cooling tingle to the lips that reveals a fuller finish just seconds after applying.
MAC Squirt Plumping Gloss Stick
UK Lips Plumping Lip Gloss in Rose
Sheer Plumping Lip Glosses
Technically a 'lip serum' we're big fans of the Bobbi Brown Extra Plump Lip Serum, available in 13 sheer shades, the non-sticky, lightweight gloss gives a pretty shine and impressive plumping. Meanwhile, Dior's Addict Lip Maximizer, has an ultra-hydrating formula that remains glossy for hours, not quite as intensely plumping as some of the others, but the conditioning formula and holographic finish gives a stunning fuller finish to the lips.
Speaking of intensely plumping... Too Faced's Lip Injection Maximum Plump Gloss packs a serious punch and is not for the faint hearted. Not only does it plump the lips, but the volumising formula also helps to temporarily fill out fine lines around the mouth that can appear with age. It's a sharp tingle though, so be prepared.
Bold Plumping Lip Glosses
If you want a gloss that makes an impact, it's worth trying NYX Professional Makeup's Duck Plump Plumping Gloss. Available in a range of hues, from sheers to bright-as-can-be bolds, the high-pigment payoff is loaded with spicy ginger for an intense tingle and plump. Maybelline's Lifter Plumping Lip Gloss is just as punchy, formulated with chilli pepper it's borderline ouch-inducing, but gives a noticeable fullness to lips almost instantly.
Finally, Milk Makeup's Electric Lip Plumper, offering a more 'comfortable' tingle, it contains Sichuan pepper to boost lip volume, but also calms, soothes and moisturises the lips with jojoba oil. There are five shades to choose from, but our favourite is the bold berry hue, Charged.
NYX Professional Makeup Duck Plump Plumping Gloss
Maybelline Lifter Plumping Lip Gloss
Victoria Jowett is an award-winning journalist and the former Beauty Director at Cosmopolitan UK. She was named one of PPA’s 30 Under 30 for her work in beauty journalism and oversees the skincare, hair, makeup and fragrance content across all of Cosmopolitan’s platforms. She's worked in the beauty industry for over 13 years (and tested 1000s of products), making her an expert when it comes to recommending beauty brands that truly work. Having started her career working weekends on a makeup counter, Victoria began interning at the likes of AnOther and IDOL magazine, before landing her first Beauty Writer job at weekly fashion magazine, LOOK. Joining Cosmopolitan in 2016, Victoria has always remained a beauty fanatic and has been lucky enough to interview everyone from Britney Spears to Kourtney Kardashian about their beauty routines. Follow her on LinkedIn.
