Two out of every ten individuals who engage in lip-puckering are endorsed.
If you're looking for a non-injection method to enhance your lip size, lip plumpers could be an option. These cosmetics, which resemble lip gloss, claim to temporarily enlarge lips by utilizing substances such as chili, menthol, or hyaluronic acid. However, a recent study by the Stiftung Warentest shed light on the questionable ingredients used in many of these products.
Upon examination, eight out of ten tested lip plumpers were found to be unsuitable due to the presence of harmful substances like:
- Titanium dioxide, which is speculated to alter DNA properties.
- Or saturated mineral oil hydrocarbons of the MOSH type, such as paraffinum liquidum. Some of these MOSH materials can accumulate in the body, and the long-term health impacts are yet to be determined.
The Pursuit of Fuller Lips
The test lasting two weeks culminated in two recommendations. The first being the "Chili & Ginger Natural Airless Lip-Plumper" by Hipi Faible, which utilized chili extract with capsaicin to stimulate blood circulation and offered a 1-hour plumping effect.
The second recommendation was the "Cooling Lip Booster" by Lavera, loaded with menthol for a cooling sensation and hyaluronic acid for moisture locking. Neither of these products contained unwanted compounds and underwent further testing by the laboratory and application on ten test subjects each.
The Testers' Verdict
Both the "Cooling Lip Booster" from Lavera (priced at 8.75 euros for 5.5 ml) and the "Chili & Ginger Natural Airless Lip-Plumper" by Hipi Faible (priced at 14 euros for 6 ml) demonstrated satisfactory results.
The former plumped the lips to a slightly greater extent than an average lip gloss, in the testers' opinion.
The latter, on the other hand, exhibited significantly more effectiveness, permanently plumping the lips, making it a worthwhile investment.
However, the plumper from Hipi Faible included a side effect: its active ingredient, capsaicin, induced a strong burning sensation, despite the manufacturer's stated capsaicin content of 1.8 milligrams, which is well below the 300 milligrams an adult can potentially consume in a single chili meal as per the Federal Institute for Risk Assessment.
Consumers who are concerned about the safety of lip plumpers may want to consider the "Cooling Lip Booster" by Lavera, as it was found to contain no harmful substances in the recent Stiftung Warentest study. Additionally, the consumer who prefers a product with lasting effects might find the "Chili & Ginger Natural Airless Lip-Plumper" by Hipi Faible appealing, despite its potentially strong burning sensation, as it was found to temporarily plump lips to a significant extent in the testers' opinion.
