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Pouty, pillowy and with a subtle glossy sheen, lips have become the facial feature in focus in recent times. And it's thanks by and large to Kylie Jenner, who completely changed her smile and then cashed in on it. Of course.
Now lip augmentation is considered reasonably common: that's the non-surgical, semi-permanent cosmetic procedure that gives volume to thin lips. But if you're not prepared to fork out for pricey lip enhancement treatments, there is an alternative: lip plumpers.
This week, Silke and Sinead line up five of the best lip plumpers from MECCA to find out if they really can boost their lip lines for a pout like Kylie's.
The ingredients here are 100 per cent natural: argan oil, manuka honey, and moringa butter.
There are a few lip balms out there that offer little more than a placebo effect: they may feel nice, but they don't really do anything. Unfortunately, this is one of them.
Unimpressed by what seemed to be just a regular lip balm with no plumping effect, all Sinead's only response was "It's really greasy."
Smashbox O-Plump Intuitive Lip Plumper: $46
Compared to the first sample, this was much more of a gloss. Our testers were a little shocked by how spicy the formula was. But they decided they were okay with it.
They were also impressed by the soft pink hue which they thought enhanced their natural lip colour.
GlamGlow Plumprageous Gloss Lip Treatment: $40
This one was slow to take effect. Immediately after application, our testers found themselves questioning the hype.
As a tingling, cooling sensation took hold and continued for a few minutes, Sinead checked out her pout and asked: "Is this it? Is this the final form?"
But over time they discovered the Plumprageous Gloss continued to volumise.
Mecca MAX Kiss and Tell Plumping Lip Mask: $8
Sinead found this one difficult to make the jelly lip mask stick. She decided she'd prefer an applicator with an instant result, instead of the likes of a mask where she had to be patient and dedicate time to the process.
"They didn't stick to my face," she said, adding, "it might be fine if you're lying on the couch."
Skyn Iceland Plumping Lip Gels. $26
Silke, however, liked the idea of a mask and gave it a bit of time. She noticed more volume and better hydration from this one.
The verdict
The standout for Silke and Sinead was the Smashbox O-Plump Intuitive Lip Plumper.
It gave what Silke described as "that big juicy fake look that we wanted."