15 Best Lip Plumpers for Full, Big Lips — Without Pain
Your lips will look fuller in no time.
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As we age, lips naturally lose some of their fullness — and you may find yourself aching for younger looking lips. There are always lip injections, but those can get costly and require quite a bit of upkeep (not to mention, there are needles involved). Luckily, plenty of at-home lip plumpers can help get the job done — sans a shot. The Good Housekeeping Institute Beauty Lab constantly tests the latest innovations and products to find the best ones. While we've never run a test on lip plumpers specifically, the Lab did have a panel of 25 women test 14 different anti-aging lip treatments — some of which had plumping claims.
Our favorite lip plumping products don't sting, burn, or tingle, but are instead packed with hydrating ingredients to temporarily swell lips and fill in fine lines for smooth, soft, fuller-looking lips immediately. The Lab's definition of an anti-aging lip treatment is a product that instantly increases lip’s smoothness and softness, reduces lines on lips over the course of four weeks, increases lip’s firmness and fullness over the course of four weeks, while not causing excessive redness, stinging or burning. Some of our Lab winners did an especially good job plumping lips and helping them retain that volume.
Whether you're looking for a lip mask that will help increase your lips' volume over time or a lip oil that will plump up your pout immediately, there are plenty of options to choose from. Below, find some of the best lip plumpers available — from highly pigmented lip products to lip balms that sink in and smooth instantly.
Pros
- Helps fullness over time
- Softens lips
- Smooths lines
In the Lab's lip treatment test, this balm scored the highest out of all the contenders. Testers found that it made their lips appear smooth and full almost immediately after application. "I liked everything about this product," says one tester. "I would continue using it because it would be replacing three of my products. It was a great anti-ager. I saw noticeable results within 10 days. Also was a very good lip plumper.”
Pros
- Budget-friendly
- Smooths lines
Cons
- Intense tingle
While it's the least expensive option on the list, this e.l.f. gloss works just as well as some pricier options. The plumping effect is a bit more subtle, but it does help to create fullness and smooth lines. Reviewers say that the tingling sensation can feel a bit intense, but the feeling goes away quickly.
Pros
- Exfoliates lips
- Makes lips feel soft
Exfoliation is a major key to plush, full lips that's often overlooked. That's why GH's Beauty Director April Franzino opts for a product that incorporates it. "This dual-ended lip treatment from Jane Iredale has a brown sugar lip scrub on one end to exfoliate and sheer pink tinted balm on the other end that contains ginger and mint—I love how plush my lips looked and felt after use," she says.
Pros
- Wide shade range
Cons
- Tingling sensation may be irritating for some
For an impossibly shimmery and alluring finish, snag one of the many shades of this plumping lip gloss. "This is one of those products that I buy over and over again," says Danusia Wnek, chemist at the Good Housekeeping Institute. "It is a thick but not too sticky or tacky gloss that gives shine and ever so subtly temporarily plumps lips. This one does tingle on the lips a bit, which I like. I love that they have so many different shades and the crème variant is also really nice. It’s my go to lip gloss!"
Pros
- Helps fullness over time
- Smooths lines
- Softens lips
Yes, it may seem like a lot to pay for a lip treatment, but as a GH Beauty Lab test winner, this fast-absorbing, non-sticky VenEffect balm is worth it. Packed full of nourishing ingredients like peptides and antioxidants, the Lab evaluated that it made lips look fuller after four weeks of use. "It made my lips feel soft and smooth and appear fuller," a tester said.
Pros
- Wide shade range
- Long-lasting
For gloss with a high color payoff and a long-lasting plumping effect, look no further than this Dior lacquer. "As I get older, I see my lips aren't as full as they used to be and this brings my lips back 10 years," says one reviewer. "It makes them look slightly fuller and younger. It has a great feel, not heavy and last for hours."
Pros
- Softens lips
- Smooths lines
Chock full of peptides, hyaluronic acid and ceramides, this clinically-tested lip plumper helps volumize and hydrate your pout. "It does tingle but I must say my lips plumped up and the shape was not lost," says one reviewer. "They looked healthy and rosy and felt marvelously moist."
Pros
- Dramatic plumping effect
- Cult favorite
Cons
- Tingling sensation may be irritating to some
This product has been around for years — and for good reason. "I always come back to DuWop lip venom, I have tried other plumping products and this one for me is the best," says one reviewer. "My lips are already on the fuller side but I love the look this product gives me. Plumps my pout and I don't mind the tingles because I feel like that means it's working."
Pros
- Non-sticky formula
- Good color payoff
This super-light, non-sticky gloss glides on easily and delivers a plumping effect. "It is indeed plumping, and there was no unpleasant scent or stinging," says one reviewer. "The color is very soft and not very bright."
Pros
- Smooths lines
Cons
- Slightly sticky
Lawless's new lip gloss smells like spun sugar and tingles slightly when you slick it on your lips. This reflective, faintly pink gloss seemingly erases any trace of lines on the lips. Wear it over your favorite lip color or on its own — just keep in mind, the thicker formula is a bit stickier than some.
Pros
- Smells good
- Hydrating
- Non-sticky formula
If your lips are in need of a major hydration boost, this is the perfect quick fix. This lightweight balm smells sweet and minty and delivers a mellow cooling sensation. The non-sticky formula glides easily onto lips and leaves a slight shine, instantly plumping your pout. Bonus? It even tastes good.
Pros
- Smooths lines
- Softens lips
- Creates fullness over time
This lip sleeping mask is a cult favorite — and for good reason. Smooth this on before you go to sleep and wake up with impossibly plump lips. It smells like candy (they even have a gummy bear flavor), and it goes on thick without being sticky or gloopy.
Pros
- Smooths lines
- Moisturizing
Cons
- Intense Tingle
Instead of a gloss, this lip plumper comes in an innovative gel form. Even more intriguing? The vegan formula employs Sichuan pepper to help plump lips (and deliver a tingle!). "I put some on overnight and my lips look really good [in the] morning, not to mention I can still feel it on my lips," says one reviewer. "It seems to be very moisturizing."
Pros
- Hydrating
- Primes lips
Okay, it's not technically a lip plumper, but this sheer cream does double-duty for both eyes and lips. Not only does it help plump the area around your eyes (erasing dark circles), it also plumps up your lips. The lightweight formula sinks in almost instantly, creating an instant fullness effect and making the perfect canvas for your favorite lip product to go on top.
Pros
- Noticeably fuller lips
Cons
- Intense tingle may be too much
If extreme plumping is your goal, this treatment will do the trick. Reviewers say this gloss really works to make their lips appear fuller, but the effect is intense — your lips may experience a burning sensation.
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