3 Best Lip Plumpers for Women Over 40—Get Fuller-Looking Lips Without Fillers!

Whether your favorite lipstick suddenly isn’t applying the way it used to or you’ve noticed your lips looking thinner lately, you may be wondering what you can do about it. And while you’ve researched options like lip filler, you’d rather avoid the pain and price tag. A smart—and budget-friendly—alternative: lip plumpers. We tapped dermatologists to explain how they work and share their top picks for the best lip plumpers. 

Why your lips may thin with age 

“Estrogen helps maintain collagen and skin hydration, so when levels drop during menopause, lips can lose fullness and definition,” says Carol Eisenstat, MD, board-certified physician and founder of Line Eraser MD.

“It’s not just the lips themselves,” continues Dr. Eisenstat. “We lose collagen as we age, but the structures supporting the lips change too. The upper lip gradually gets longer and flatter, so less of the pink lip is visible. We also lose definition around the lip border.” With age, our lips don’t just lose volume, they also lose definition and support, she adds. But, there are easy ways to help fake the look of fuller lips fast. 

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How lip plumpers make lips look fuller fast

You’ve probably seen lip plumpers in drugstore aisles and maybe even on commercials, but can these products really provide any benefits over injectable filler? Hannah Kopelman, DO, a dermatologist, medical director of New York City Dermatology and co-founder of DermOnDemand, says yes. “Topical plumpers are noninvasive, require no recovery time and avoid injection-related risks such as bruising, infection and rare vascular complications,” says Dr. Kopelman. 

Still, Dr. Kopelman says that lip plumpers are not completely risk-free, as some formulations can irritate your lips. And Anastasia Andreani, licensed esthetician and founder of Vizio Makeup Academy and ASFA Spa Facial Academy, says no topical product like lip plumpers can fully replicate filler, but they can give your short-term hydration that lasts hours to weeks. 

“Warming plumpers with [ingredient lists that contain] capsicum, ginger, cinnamon, menthol or nicotinates create a mild swelling that appears within minutes and fades within hours,” says Andreani. “Newer peptide formulas with palmitoyl tripeptide-1 (Maxi-Lip) and palmitoyl tripeptide-38 (Volulip), are built for gradual change, aiming for smoother, more hydrated, more defined-looking lips with daily use over several weeks.”

Best lip plumpers for women over 40

If you want to give the products a try but aren’t sure where to start, Andreani shares three top picks that deliver a plumping effect:

The INKEY List Tripeptide Plumping Lip Balm ($14)

Andreani says this pick is best for lips that are sensitive, crepey or dry. “It’s tingle-free, with hyaluronic acid filled spheres, palmitoyl tripeptide-1 and -38 and shea and cupuaçu butters,” explains Andreani. “Rehydrated lips look fuller before anything else is added.”

Paula’s Choice Pro-Collagen Peptide Plumping Gloss Balm ($24)

Try this product as an overnight lip serum to help “fill in” lip lines and give the appearance of fuller lips, recommends Andreani. “It’s sting-free, with three peptides plus shea butter and hyaluronic acid to target the fine lines that make lips look thinner and lipstick feather,” she adds. 

LAWLESS Forget The Filler Lip-Plumping Line-Smoothing Gloss ($26)

This product makes a great daytime smoother for lip lines, adds Andreani. “[It has] Maxi-Lip peptides, shea butter and rosehip oil, with capsicum and ginger for a mild warmth and quick boost,” explains Andreani. “Choose creamy shades, since shimmer settles into lines.”

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3 things to look for when picking a lip plumper

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If you’d prefer to give another lip volumizer a try, Andreani breaks down the key ingredients you should be looking for and how to think about what they do for your lips. 

“Read the label in three layers: what hydrates, what rebuilds and what tingles,” explains Andreani.

• To hydrate: Look for glycerin, squalane, hyaluronic acid and shea butter, says Andreani.
• To rebuild: Look for palmitoyl tripeptide-38, palmitoyl tripeptide-1 and tridecapeptide-1, says Andreani. She adds that you may also see Maxi-Lip and Volulip on a label.
• To tingle: Tingling is completely optional, but if you like lip plumpers with that effect or just want to know what ingredients may cause it, look for cinnamon, menthol, vanillyl butyl ether, capsicum, ginger and methyl nicotinate, adds Andreani. 

The bottom line on the best lip plumpers

If thinner-looking lips are impacting your confidence, know that there are options out there to help restore some of the fullness you’re used to. For some women, that means filler, but for others looking to avoid the pain or high costs, topical products like lip plumpers may be the way to go. And now you know just what to look for if you want to give lip plumpers a try today!

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