Do Lip Plumping Lip Glosses Really Work?

As a model for Il Makiage’s Uncensored Lip Plumping Gloss, I got to test out all five shades and found out lip plumping lip glosses really work, for a little while at least. There’s also a trick to using them correctly for the best results.

*This is not a paid post, and I do not get any commission from sales. You can find the Il Makiage glosses on their website at: https://www.ilmakiage.com/

How to Use Lip Plumping Gloss

For the job with Il Makiage, I tested out all five shades of their Uncensored Lip Plumping Gloss both on my lips and on my arm for the “color swatch” shots.

To take photos in each color, I had to apply them and wait 10 minutes for them to come to their full lip plumping effect. Then take the photos, wipe off the color, and wait about an hour or two for my lips to deflate.

This gave me a lot of experience with using the lip gloss and observing its effects.

The three main things I learned:

1. It takes about 10 minutes for the full lip plumping effect.
2. The effect usually lasts a couple hours.
3. Only apply the gloss inside your lip line. This one is important! Applying all the way to the edges or outside the lip line makes your lip edges look weird. The only time you want to do this is if you are using a lip liner and defining your edges outside where you’ve put the gloss.

As a side note, the gloss also plumped my arm where I did the swatches. When I wiped them off, each one left a little raised red area on my arm.

This is me below, on the Il Makiage website:

My face started popping up in ads on social media and a friend sent me a screenshot. I’m the one on the left. You can see that the lip plumping effect is subtle, but it does work!

How Do Lip Plumping Lip Glosses Work?

Lip-plumping lip glosses work by temporarily increasing blood flow to the lips or by adding ingredients that create a fuller appearance.

Here are the main ways they work:

1. Irritants for a Temporary Plump: Many lip-plumping glosses contain ingredients like menthol, cinnamon, capsicum (from chili peppers), or ginger. These ingredients mildly irritate the lips, causing blood flow to increase, which can lead to a slight swelling and redness that makes the lips look fuller. This tingling or warming sensation is common and typically lasts a few minutes after application.
2. Hyaluronic Acid and Peptides for Volume: Some glosses include ingredients like hyaluronic acid, a humectant that attracts moisture, or peptides, which can temporarily boost collagen production. These help lips appear smoother and more hydrated, giving a slightly plumped look over time or with regular use. Hyaluronic acid also retains moisture in the lips, creating a fuller, softer appearance.
3. Light-Reflecting Particles for an Enhanced Effect: Glosses with shimmer or high-shine finishes can visually enhance fullness by reflecting light. This effect doesn’t plump the lips but can make them look fuller by creating a multi-dimensional, glossy finish that draws attention to the lips.
4. Cooling Agents to Soothe Sensation: Many glosses include cooling agents like peppermint (this is what Il Makiage uses) or menthol to add a soothing tingle. This tingling sensation can give the impression that the gloss is actively working, although it’s more about the sensory effect than a real plumping result.

Most plumping glosses offer only a temporary effect, so the fuller look will wear off after a few hours.

A Warning About Lip Plumping Glosses

Since lip plumping lip glosses work by irritating the skin of your lips, they will irritate anything it touches! As I mentioned earlier, the lip glosses plumped my arm where I did the color swatches.

Years ago, while using a different lip plumping gloss, I gave my baby son a kiss on the cheek, not thinking anything about what was on my lips.

Within a few minutes, his cheek had bright red lip shaped welts on it! I felt terrible. It took a couple hours for it to totally go away.

So be careful with your lip plumpers. Obviously, lip plumping lip glosses do work, but be careful where the gloss ends up!