Juicy, plump lips, although a natural occurrence to some, require a little helping hand to achieve for the rest of us. We know what you're thinking - lip filler is the only way to achieve noticeably bigger lips. We're here to deliver the news that while permanent plumpness is tricky to achieve without needles, lip plumping products are a great solution if you're looking for a temporary fix.
How do lip plumpers work, exactly? Most formulas will contain ingredients which cause a slight irritation to the skin, causing the classic tinging sensation. But, while it may feel strange at first - don't panic. That simply means the lip plumper is doing its job by encouraging blood flow to the lips and gently swelling the lips. Most lip plumpers are available a lip gloss formula to leave your lips looking glossy, tinted and shiny, perfect for day and evening wear.
Grazia best lip plumpers at a glance:
Editor's pick: Dior Addict Lip Maximizer, £30
Best glossy lip plumper: Fenty Beauty Gloss Bomb, £22
Best overnight lip plumper: Ole Henriksen Pout Preserve Peptide Lip Treatment, £17
Dior's Lip Maximiser is in our opinion, the product at the forefront of the lip plumper frenzy, becoming one of the first lip plumping products to gain internet virality. Countless formulas have come along since, proving that lip plumpers come in all shapes and size.
From tinted lip balms to leave-on treatments, lip glosses to serums, our guide of the best lip plumpers has everything you need to naturally enhance your lip shape and shade.
Shop: The Best Lip Plumpers For Full Looking Lips
Editor's pick
DIOR www.sephora.co.uk
A classic product when it comes to lip plumpers. Offering an instant plumping effect, this minty lip gloss is infused with hyaluronic acid and cherry oil to keep the lips super moisturisers and looking as plump as possible.
Pros
- Provides 24-hour hydration
- Available in 43 different shades
Cons
- Sheer colour
Best nude gloss lip plumper
Charlotte Tilbury www.charlottetilbury.com
The latest addition to Charlotte Tilbury's Pillow Talk franchise, Plumpgasm infuses hyaluronic acid combined with heat and ice technology to instantly plump and hydrate the lips. I was instantly impressed with its powerful plumping ability, as well as the intense nude pigment and high gloss finish it left on the lips.
Pros
- Highly pigmented, can be used as a lipstick and gloss in one
- Large diamond tip applicator great for precise application
Cons
- Quite intense tingling feeling
Best viral lip plumper
The Inkey List www.cultbeauty.co.uk
The Inkey List knows a thing or two about hardworking skincare ingredients. Incorporating peptides into your skincare routine has so many positive benefits and now you can enjoy these benefits to create luscious looking lips. This balm has a multitude of repairing qualities alongside the blend of ingredients working over time to visibly increase the volume in the lips. Looking to find out more about this viral lip treatment? Read our full review here.
Pros
- Plumps the lips without tingling or irritation
- Available in clear or three tinted shades
Cons
- Some reviews say it leaves a slight taste
Best shiny lip plumper
www.boots.com
We couldn't talk about lip plumpers without mentioning Kylie Jenner. The Plumping Lip Gloss is available in six shades that leave the lips with a sheer wash of colour alongside a fresh, tingling sensation to create the appearance of fuller lips. This gloss can be worn alone or on top of lip product and leave a glass-like finish.
Pros
- Gloss and lip plumper benefits in one
- Targets any fine lines around the lips
Cons
- Some reviews say product need reapplying often
Best glossy lip plumper
Fenty Beautywww.boots.com
Fenty Beauty's Heat Lip Luminizer contains pepper and ginger root which act to naturally enhance the volume of your lips. Plus, the shea butter and vitamin E combine to condition and nourish your lips, leaving the perfect wet-gloss finish.
Pros
- Available in multiple shades
- Made with vitamin E and shea butter to condition
Cons
- Slightly peach scented
Best glass-like lip plumper
Too Facedwww.lookfantastic.com
A classic when we think of a lip plumper - Too Faced's Lip Injection range creates fuller-looking lips combined with a super glossy finish. This gloss leaves your lips feeling super tingly, encouraging an instant, intense, plump. Love the look of a glass-like lip gloss? You'll particularly enjoy the finish of this product.
Pros
- Feels nourishing on the lips
- Super glossy finish
Cons
- Not tinted
Best exfoliating lip plumper
REFYrefybeauty.com
A slightly different take on a lip plumper, REFY's Lip Buff exfoliates away any dead skin and encourages blood circulation to the lips to naturally create a plumper look. The nourishing serum combines five levels of hyaluronic acid, amino acids and a plant-based plumping agent to reveal plumper looking, softer lips without the need to wear any make-up.
Pros
- Multipurpose hydrating serum
- Made with five hyaluronic acids
Cons
- Applicator may need cleaning often
Best lip plumper balm
Yves Saint Laurent www.lookfantastic.com
As soon as the YSL Loveshine landed on my desk, I knew I'd love it. This lip balm leaves the lips with feeling buttery soft and flooded with hydration alongside a flattering, dewy lip tint. The patented Ph colour technology adapts to your natural lip tone making it totally customisable to you and leaves the lips looking naturally plumper.
Pros
- Ph technology adapts to your natural tone
- Lips feel soft for 24-hours after application
Cons
- Highly scented
Best overnight lip plumper
Ole Henriksenwww.lookfantastic.com
This lip treatment from Ole Henriksen combines all the benefits of a deeply nourishing skincare mask in a peptide rich lip product. If you love a nourishing treatment guaranteed to solve dry lips, we know you'll enjoy this. Designed to help plump and hydrate after one use, the peptides and kokum butter get to work to leave the lips looking and feeling smooth, defined and enhanced.
Pros
- Rich formula
- Available in an original and tinted
Cons
- Hard to tell when product needs replenishing
Best lip plumper serum
Niodwww.cultbeauty.co.uk
Much like a face serum for your skin, this concentrated lip serum from Niod gets to work solve any of your concerns with its blend of hardworking ingredients. A little bit goes a long way with this serum - apply directly onto the lips to enhance volume and hydration. The brand recommends applying to the lips twice a day for 30 days to see optimum and visible results.
Pros
- Concentrated formula
- Instantly visible results
Cons
- Reviewers say it becomes less potent with time
Best lip plumper skin treatment
www.spacenk.com
Dr. Dennis Gross gets it right with an intensely focused treatment and we love that the Plump + Repair lip treatment treats a variety of different concerns. This intense treatment is full of ingredients like hyaluronic acid and peptides to enhance volume over time. Simply apply this product throughout the day or before bed to see dramatic results overtime.
Pros
- Ideal for wearing throughout the day and night
- Enhances your natural lip colour
Cons
- Not tinted
How do lip plumpers work?
You will find a range of lip plumpers will often leave your lips with a soothing, tingling sensation that gently encourages blood flow to the lips to temporarily give them a slight swollen appearance and allow them to look as full as possible.
What ingredients should you look for in a lip plumper?
Typically, ingredients like peptides, hyaluronic acid, polymers and nourishing oils are used to intensely nourish and visibly enhance the natural volume of your lips. Menthol or peppermint oil can also temporarily increase blood flow to the lips, making them appear fuller, as can ingredients such as cinnamon or capsaicin.
Georgia Scott is a Beauty & Fashion Product Writer for Bauer Media, writing for Grazia, Closer and heat. Georgia specialises in beauty writing and spends her days hunting for the latest trending beauty products to get her hands on and review.