What to Use When You’re Afraid of Lip Injections

I’m obsessed with lip injections…maybe it’s because I enjoy a good “before & after” but I LOVE seeing what a difference lip injections make. Many of my beauty blogger friends have worked with top dermatologists and tried out lip injections for themselves – and I am in awe of their results!

Dress: c/o Romwe / Boots: c/o Romwe / Bag: Chanel

But when it comes down to it…I’m just a chicken. I would rather live with “ok lips” than try out injections and end up with an unnatural result or accidental scarring. I know MOST people are happy with their lip injections, but I personally could not risk it.

So what options are there for people who want fuller lips but don’t want injections?

I’m definitely willing to try any risk-free tips and
products that will help my lips look bigger! I’ve tracked down and
tested three of the most popular lip-plumping products

Alyria Intense Lip Volumizer ($63 for 7.4ml)
How it works: This product contains Niacin and Peptides to boost circulation and increase lip volume, and Retinol to stimulate collagen production.
My thoughts: I first came across Alyria when scrolling through the Instagram account of a top cosmetic dermatologist. I thought that if dermatologists were recommending it as an alternative to lip injections – then it must be good! I feel like this product makes my lips feel moisturized and full – but doesn’t make them noticeably bigger.

Jouviance Plump FX Lip Plumping Serum ($32 for 4.7ml)
How it works: This product uses Volulip, Maxilip and SWT-7 to simulate the effect of a Hyaluronic Acid injection, resulting in firm and plumped up lips.
My thoughts:  I was interested in trying Plump FX because I’ve read amazing reviews on Jouviance’s products – they’re meant to be high quality and very effective. This serum starts feeling tingly as soon as you put it on, but it’s not painful or uncomfortable. I feel like this products made my lips slightly larger and a LOT fuller – so it definitely made the most of my lips! I think it would work great as an overnight treatment too.

Too Faced Lip Injection Extreme ($39 for 4.1ml) –
How it works: This product uses Vitamin E, MaxiLip and Dehydrated Marine Sponge to increase circulation and provide fullness, with Avocado and Jojoba Oil for moisturization.
My thoughts:  This product is my secret weapon – Listen to Lena recommended it to me – and you know that when Lena loves something, it HAS to be good! This is not for the faint of heart – about a minute after applying, it starts to sting…it feels like lots of tiny pinpricks – but the effects you get are very noticeable – especially on my upper lip, where I need the most volume.

The good thing about incorporating lip plumping treatments into your daily routine, is that they contain collagen boosting ingredients. Maybe it’s all in my head – but I do feel like my lips are slightly bigger since I started using them daily.

I’ve always wondered how people could make their lips look bigger through makeup – while still looking natural. After a lot of trial and error – I’ve discovered a technique that works for me:

• Apply a lip plumping product – and leave it in place while you do the rest of your makeup
• Dab off the gloss and start filling in your lips with a waterproof lip pencil
• DON’T draw outside of your lipline – this can look unnatural – but DO draw RIGHT on the raised border of your lip. Make the most of what you have!
• Dip your finger in a clear setting powder and dab it all over the border of your lip to make your liner budge-proof
• Re-line your lips with the pencil. Optional – you can lightly outline with a darker shade to make your lips look even fuller (I like MAC’s Half-Red or Chanel Vamp).
• Take a lighter lipstick shade (MAC Sandy B.)  and apply it in the center of your lips for a highlighting effect…and you’re done!

I always used to have problems with my liner wearing off unevenly when I lined my lip border – but this technique makes everything stay in place all day – even after eating! I wish I had discovered this trick before I took these outfit photos. One last tip I have is – don’t be afraid to wear a bright lip colour. I feel like a lot of “so-called beauty experts” say you should only wear nude sparkly gloss if you have small lips – but that doesn’t make sense to me, because that just makes my lips disappear completely!

Would you try lip injections? What is your favourite Lip Plumping product? (I’ve tested many other popular lip plumpers including Smashbox O-Plump and Dior Lip Maximizer – but they didn’t seem to have much of an effect on me.)

DISCLAIMER: I contacted Jouviance PR and requested a sample of Plump FX for this review. I purchased the other 2 lip plumping products myself.