Are Lip Plumpers Damaging Your Lips?
Lip-plumping products and their safety concerns you need to know before investing in one.
On Apr 8, 2023 – 9 minutes read
I understand the love we have for lip plumpers, not all of us are blessed with naturally plump lips. Makeup tricks like overlining do help a lot in giving the illusion of fuller lips but not like the more natural effect a good lip plumper will give you. Botox is the current trend and one way to get permanent fuller lips. I am not a fan of Botox, this is because Botox need not always work the way we want it to. You might have seen celebrities who have destroyed their face with Botox or simply just don’t look like themselves anymore. I wouldn’t risk going there and this is why people like me love lip plumpers for that extra boost on those extra special occasions. But are lip plumpers damaging your lips? That’s something we haven’t given much thought, right?
People enjoy the bold eyebrow and large pout, so it’s unlikely to go out of style very soon. Lip plumpers are popular because they are non-invasive, cheap, and provide instant appeal to the face.
Are Lip Plumpers Damaging Your Lips? Three Variants & How They Work?
People enjoy the bold eyebrow and large pout, so it’s unlikely to go out of style very soon. Lip plumpers are popular because they are non-invasive, cheap, and provide instant appeal to the face.
Category 1: Plumpers With Irritants
Lip plumpers have irritants, which irritate the skin on the lips causing the plumping effect. Irritants are responsible for the plumping effect, also known as swelling, which is generated by an increase in blood flow, which in turn gives the lips a more vibrant hue. The effects of the plumping can persist for a good few hours at a time.
Category 2: Plumpers With Hyaluronic Acid
Plumpers with hyaluronic acid. This kind of lip plumper will not only make your lips look fuller over time, but with regular use, they can also nourish and keep your lips from drying out because hyaluronic acid is particularly good at attracting moisture from the environment and sealing it into your skin.
Category 3: Collagen-Building Plumpers
Collagen-building plumpers work using a mixture of hyaluronic acids and peptides.
Category 1 lip plumpers will give your lips an instant plumping effect, while category 2 and category 3 lip plumpers work slowly when compared to category 1 but give your lips the plumbing effect over time.
Lip plumpers can cause a problem in the long run when not used properly, so the answer to the question is, are they damaging your lips? Yes, they will, but also the answer might vary depending on a lot of factors which we will be discussing further.
Are Lip Plumpers Damaging Your Lips? Category 1: Plumpers With Irritants
Lip plumpers that irritate, ie category 1, are not necessarily the bad ones in the market. The plumping effect or the swelling effect is caused by the irritants which in turn increases the blood flow and adds color to the lips. The plumping effects can last you a good few hours. The swelling from these kinds of lip plumpers is also known as the vasodilation effect which is just the expansion of the blood vessels. These types of lip plumpers are not painful as they might sound but can cause a mild tingling sensation as soon as you apply it, gradually getting better as your lips swell.
Lip Plumpers: Know The Ingredients!
You might have wondered,” What’s in lip plumper that makes it tingle?” or wondered Are lip plumpers damaging your lips? Though lip plumpers that cause mild tingling might seem like they have a lot in them the formulation is quite simple and easily be DIY’ed. It could have anything from Cinnamon, Peppermint, Ginger, menthol, Cayenne pepper, Camphor, Caffeine, and Vitamin B (Niacinamide), all of which have vasodilation effects on the sensitive skin on the lips.
Effectiveness Of Plumpers With Irritants:
The effect of these types of lip plumpers could last you about 2 to 3 hours making it a quick and short-term solution for thin lips. The results can be seen just minutes after application.
Category 2: Plumpers With Hyaluronic Acid
This type of lip plumper is exclusively formulated with hyaluronic acid which is also the same key ingredient used in expensive derma fillers. Hyaluronic acid(1) is very effective in pulling the moisture from the surroundings and locking in your skin, so this type of lip plumper will not only plump your lips over time but with consistent usage, they can also nourish and prevent the lips from drying out.
Effectiveness Of Lip Plumpers With Hyaluronic Acid
The results with this type of lip plumper will not be instant. With consistent use, you will see a difference in the size of your lips. This is not a one-time treatment but something you need to use every day. Once you stop using the plumper within a few days your lips will go back to looking their normal self. For better results remind yourself to be well-hydrated throughout the day because Hyaluronic acid needs water to lock in the moisture and bounce.
Category 3: Collagen-Building Plumpers
Peptide plumpers are quite on the pricier side but they are quite effective too. Peptides boost the production of collagen which is the building block of your skin. Multi-peptide lip plumpers might also have Hyaluronic acid and antioxidants in them which are both great ingredients that work effectively in improving the overall texture of the lips apart from just the pumping effect.
Effectiveness Of Collagen-Building Plumpers:
Like the category 2 lip plumpers, peptide-based lip plumpers also don’t give you instant results but over time they work in improving the fine lines, and dryness, plumping the lips, and also protecting the lips from UV rays.
Are Lip Plumpers Damaging Your Lips? What Are The Side Effects?
The severity of side effects of using lip plumpers will depend on the frequency of usage of the product, if you are someone who only uses the product on special occasions to add that extra glamour, then your lips are quite safe. But if you are someone who uses lip plumpers every day and more frequently throughout the day then it might cause you issues in the long run.
When used very frequently lip plumpers could make the lips sensitive, irritated, chapped, and dry and may even lead to some bleeding. Seeing such damaged lips doesn’t look very pleasing to the eyes. Also, do a patch test before using lip plumpers that tingle on your lips as this can cause allergic reactions further causing pain and rashes around the mouth.
Are Lip Plumpers Damaging Your Lips? The Right Way To Do A Patch Test!
Before arising the “Are lip plumpers damaging your lips?” question make sure you do a patch test since it’s important when it comes to your lips which are the most sensitive area.
Lip plumpers are formulated for the lips therefore you need to do a spot test on your lips and not your arms or behind your ears. The skin on our lips is very thin and soft compared to the other parts of our body therefore to know if the product is suitable for you, the patch test needs to be done on the lips. Leave the product on for a few hours on a small part of your lips and wait, this will help you ensure that the product is suitable for your lips.
Addressing The Concern: Are Lip Plumpers Damaging Your Lips?
Whether you love the instant plumpers or slow over-time plumpers, the choice is yours. With instant lip plumpers, though they are pocket-friendly, regular use can harm your lips and make them dry as well as sensitive. Slow plumpers on the other hand are nourishing for the lips along with the added benefit of giving you the plumping effects. Also, these kinds of lip plumpers are quite pricey.
Are Lip Plumpers Damaging Your Lips? What To Expect And Not To Expect.
So “Are lip plumpers damaging your lips?”, is a tricky question. The most honest answer to this is that it depends on how often you use lip plumpers in a day. It is also essential to realize that no matter what kind of lip plumper you prefer, the results are going to be temporary, and even long-term use can only give you temporary results. so it’s better to not expect anything long-term and dramatic. Also if you are someone who wants to get lip fillers, then you can try out these plumpers to get an overall idea of how your lips are going to look after the lip fillers.
List Of Best Lip Plumpers Of 2023
- Too Faced Lip Injection Maximum Plump Extra Strength Lip Plumper
- Essence What The Fake! Plumping Lip Filler
- e.l.f. Cosmetics Lip Plumping Gloss
- Grande GrandeLips Hydrating Lip Plumper
- Dior Addict Lip Maximizer Plumping Gloss
- Lawless Forget The Filler Lip Plumper Line Smoothing Gloss
- Fenty Beauty Gloss Bomb Heat Universal Lip Luminizer + Plumper
- Too Faced Lip Injection Extreme Lip Plumper
- MAKE-UP FOR EVER Lip Booster
- La Mer Lip Volumizer
- Buxom Full-On Plumping Lip Gloss
- Black Radiance Beyond A Pout Plumping Lip Lacquer
- Tarte Maracuja Lip Plump
- LORAC Holy Lips Plumping Serum
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, certain types of lip plumpers can damage the lips, especially lip plumpers with irritants that give the instant plumping effect.
No, the effects from lip plumping last only for a few hours, using them every day can lead to sensitivity.
Lip plumpers give the illusion of full lips which is similar to lip fillers, but the results are not permanent and can last only for a few hours. The cons include damage, irritation, and dryness of the lips in the long run.
Lip plumpers are good for occasional use and certain high-end lip plumpers with tripeptides and hyaluronic acid can also give the lips hydrating and healing benefits.
Everyday usage of lip plumpers could lead to chapped lips, red irritated skin, dryness, sensitivity, etc. but opting for lip plumpers which also have lip nourishing benefits can protect the lips and don’t cause damage to the lips as much as the fast-acting lip plumpers do.
Lip plumpers are great for occasional use as they can instantly make you look more appealing, especially if you have extremely thin lips.
Conclusion
Overall, we found the answer to the question,” Are lip plumpers damaging your lips?” to be Yes and No. The answer depends on the individual, what type of lip plumper you use, and how often you use lip plumping products.
As mentioned previously, category 2 and 3 lip plumpers that nourish lips gently are not harmful. These plump your lips over time and give you nourishing benefits. We believe that lip plumpers are least damaging to the lips when used occasionally, especially fast-acting lip plumpers. If you have sensitive lips, going through the complete ingredient list before grabbing the product is very important. Certain lip plumpers could have “bee venom”(2), which is an irritant and can give the best plumping effect but could cause reactions if your skin is very sensitive.
Also, here is something most lip-plumping product companies don’t want you to know: Overusing lip plumper could lead to your lips getting used to the irritants hence not giving you the desired plumping effects anymore. Our final verdict, we recommend using lip-plumping products with peptides and hyaluronic acid, which will not only give you a subtle plumping effect but also keep your lips healthy and nourished.
Pout away to your heart’s content!
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Aashika is a makeup and beauty expert known for creating stunning looks that not only accentuate facial features but also empower women to feel confident in their skin.
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