The Ultimate Guide to Getting Fuller, Plumper Lips

Why has lip fullness, smoothness, and plumpness suddenly become such a big deal? Even though you might think that this “perfect pout” ideal has been impressed upon us via media, influencers, models, blah blah blah (you know the drill), where in fact, science has a theory that goes much further back than this.

The desire for fuller, luscious-looking lips isn’t just about the size, it’s about the health of the lip, lip hydration, and silky-soft smoothness. It is no secret that women with fuller, plumper lips appear healthier and younger than they really are. Take one example – perioral (lip) wrinkles… Unfortunately, these do come with dehydration and eventually aging. Another example is dry, flaky, chapped lips; not really a selfie you would include in your “healthy is the new sexy” carousel post… So, it is safe to say that a person with smooth, plump lips and no lip wrinkles (for example), automatically appears healthier and more youthful and hydrated than those who do.

With the world consistently moving towards “healthy being the new sexy”, it comes as no surprise that getting fuller, plumper lips has been a rising trend over the past few years, and continues to gain popularity as we speak.

The great news is that there is a lip-plumping solution fit for people from all walks of life. Whether you are a naturalist in need of vegan-based lip hydration or whether injectables have been on your bucket list since you can remember, we’ve made it our business to consult with our non-surgical rejuvenation specialists at California Cosmetics and compiled the ultimate guide to getting fuller, plumper lips.

Lip plumping hydration

Lip hydrators containing hydrating compounds, such as hyaluronic acid (HA for short) may increase the fullness of your lips temporarily. How you ask? HA is a molecule that occurs naturally in the skin already and can hold 1000x its weight in water! Yes, it’s a seriously cool humectant. Topically applied HA attracts and binds to water molecules and increases the hydration in the outer layers of the skin, giving you that plump, radiant, fresh look.

ARMÉE Cosmetics took this one step further by creating a (vegan and cruelty-free) lip hydrator like no other… This intensive lip hydrator contains a combination of hyaluronic acid, arnica, and antioxidants - a unique formulation that not only aids in lip hydration, but also helps lip filler lovers prepare their lips with intense hydration prior to a lip augmentation procedure, and (inclusive of arnica and a cool tip applicator) also aids in the healing of possible bruising and swelling thereafter.

This must-have is available in all ARMÉE Lip Care Kits; as seen in the best-selling Nefertiti Nude Lip Care Kit.

We’ve also heard that applying cayenne pepper and menthol to the lips can give you a short boost in fullness – the kind that lasts long enough for a selfie, but this is most likely due to the irritation and inflammation that follows application. Seeing that we’re on the route to long-term lip health, we’ll try and ignore this tip altogether.

Scrub your way to sultry lips

Using a refined and all-natural lip scrub is a safe way to plump your lips. The plumping here comes from the fresh oxygenated blood that is circulated to the lips with the scrubbing action (don't overdo it) and is not permanent, but it is great for long-term lip health. Exfoliating your lips with a great quality scrub also removes dead, flaky skin cells, making your lips silkier and smoother for a perfect-finish lipstick application.

If you’ve never used a lip scrub before, we highly recommend it. You will become obsessed with how soft it makes your lips look and feel. We have to mention the ARMÉE Lip Scrub here. This moisturizing all-natural sugar scrub contains jojoba oil, shea butter, and mango seed butter for a truly irresistible lip refinement experience, and you can “accidentally” eat it too!

Create fuller-looking lips with lipsticks and liners

Once your lips are fully scrubbed and your lip hydrator is starting to work its magic, it’s time for some “fake it till you make it” action. Concealers and lip liners have been used to recreate the ideal lip contour for years. This is a temporary solution to fuller-looking lips of course, but one worth talking about regardless. Once the lip contour has been concealed, it is recommended to use a lip pencil to overdraw on the upper lip slightly by going just above the line of the lips, while keeping the cupid’s bow in line with your natural lip line.

Once you’ve created the ideal contour with your lip liner, it’s time to move to lipstick selection and application. For extra depth and contouring, you might want to look at using lighter shades in the middle of the lips and darker shades toward the sides of the lips. This lowlighting (darker) and highlight (lighter) combination will create an even fuller appearance. It’s also extremely important to check the moisturizing and nourishing properties of your lipsticks before applying as you really don’t want a drying lipstick to fight all the effort you are putting in to create healthier, plumper lips.

The cherry on top is a glossy finish that leaves the lips looking visibly smooth and plump. It is not easy to find a lip gloss that is as good for lips as it is gorgeous to look at, that’s why we recommend a repeat application of the ARMÉE Lip Hydrator for a gorgeous gloss that happens to be great for your lips too.

Fuller-looking lips with a lip flip

If lip liners and shading it not your vibe, then it might be time for some injectables and a lip flip is an easy introduction into the world of lip injectables. A lip flip is a quick, in-office cosmetic procedure where BOTOX is injected into your cupid’s bow (the middle of your upper lip), and sometimes into the corners of your mouth as well (depending on what you need). At California Cosmetics Med Spa, they typically inject around 4 units for the optimal lip flip result.

This very safe neurotoxin temporarily relaxes the muscles around your lip (for about 3 months). This causes the part of your upper lip that’s inside your mouth to “flip” upward and outward, giving your lip a fuller appearance by exposing more of the natural pink of your lip. The bonus? It can even help improve the appearance of a gummy smile!

Get fuller, volumized lips with lip fillers

Hyaluronic acid-based lip fillers come in right at the top of treatment options for a more serious approach to fuller, plumper lips. Getting poked and propped by needles (and in your lips nonetheless) can be intimidating to some, but there’s no need to worry. Most injectors make this experience all about comfort. You will be totally numbed (with topically applied and injectable numbing agents) before your lip augmentation starts.

Your lip filler guru (make sure you do your research when choosing an injector) will then continue to place the chosen filler just under your skin, giving you volume and sculpting your lip shape. The treatment usually takes about 20 minutes, and you’ll be able to see the difference right away. After about 3 to 4 weeks, all traces of swelling (from the poking and prodding) should be gone, leaving you with your ultimate results. The added bonus? Your new pout may last up to a year!

Managing lip filler side effects for the perfect pout

It's common knowledge that having your lips done, might leave them a little bruised and flaky. Having multiple injections in such a sensitive area is bound to bring on the black and blue. The skin expansion that takes place due to the additional volume can also cause the skin to become dry and flaky. Neither of these temporary side effects is what we want for an (almost) perfect new pout.

For this reason, the ARMÉE Cosmetics Lip Augmentation Care Kit was created. This one-of-a-kind lip filler aftercare kit offers solutions to post-treatment redness, bruising, and swelling. From lip scrub refinement and pre-treatment hydration to post-treatment concealer and color coverage, this kit allows patients to arrive at their lip filler appointment feeling prepared and leave feeling confident during the healing journey and far beyond.

Whether you’re looking for slightly plumper lips for your lunch date or whether you are in it for the long haul, rocking the lip look of your dreams is a right you’ve earned by simply being human. We believe in the celebration of everyone's unique beauty and confidence, so get the lipstick or get the lips. Do what you need to do to regain your confidence and Conquer Your Day, every day.

Start your journey to the most beautiful lips you’ve ever seen: SHOP ARMÉE COSMETICS.