If you’re a beauty lover on TikTok, chances are your For You Page is bursting with lip plumping videos. You might have seen the lipgloss chilli flakes hack (more on that later) or have been swayed by the ASMR-esque clips of jelly lip masks. Either way, it seems achieving bigger lips is a popular goal.
Of course, the natural shape and size of your lips is determined by genetics, but if social media is anything to go by, thinner lips are a point of insecurity for some people. While procedures such as lip filler, lip threading and Botox are increasingly common as a result, opting for injectables isn’t for everyone. So how can you give your lips a boost naturally?
It’s fair to say no-one knows plump pouts quite like Dr Tijion Esho, AKA The Lip Doctor. You might know him from Netflix’s Body Fixers or Instagram and TikTok, where he busts filler myths, corrects botched procedures and shares impressive before and after pictures. There’s good news for those who’d rather make their lips bigger without needles, though, as Dr Esho recently created ESHO – a line of lip care products that aim to enhance lips at home.
Ahead, Dr Esho shares his top tips and tricks on how to make your lips bigger without surgery (no syringes or obvious lip liner in sight).
Exfoliate your lips regularly
“If your lips are looking dry and flaky, they will reflect less light, making them look smaller,” says Dr Esho. Who knew? “For an at-home solution, lightly brush them with a soft toothbrush and a mixture of sugar and almond oil to remove dead skin cells gently,” adds Dr Esho, who suggests following immediately with the COAT Lip Treatment, £18, to protect and moisturise any new skin you’ve uncovered.
“This provides relief and protection thanks to squalane (plant-based and derived from sugarcane) as well as jojoba oil for fast hydration and wound healing properties,” says Dr Esho. The trick is to apply the scrub while your lips are wet (after brushing your teeth is a good time) to avoid too much friction, though it’s best to avoid scrubs altogether if your lips are chapped or cracked. To make Dr Esho’s speedy scrub at home, combine a capful of almond oil (olive oil also works) and a level tablespoon of sugar. Scrubbing once or twice a week is ample.
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Apply lip balm on a daily basis
Dr Esho explains that the skin on your lips is very delicate and needs gentle hydration regularly. Try the Drench Lip Treatment, £18.99, which boasts 24 hour hydration without the stickiness. Dr Esho suggests using your fingertips to massage in your lip balm. You might want to re-apply if it absorbs quickly for an extra wave of moisture. “Not only is moisture needed on a superficial level, but deep within all the layers,” says Dr Esho, who recommends drinking plenty of water throughout the day, too.
R29 also rates the Avon Anew Revival Lip Serum Treatment, £10, which smooths rough lips instantly and the new Anastasia Beverly Hills Norvina Lip Balm, £13, available in a handful of summery scents.
It’s also a great idea to wear SPF on your lips (or apply a lip balm that contains it). Aesthetic nurse Nina Prisk, says, “When you’re applying sunscreen, get close to your lip line and use a chapstick or lipstick with at least an SPF30. Just as you would treat skin in other areas, the skin around the mouth should be protected every morning with sunscreen and topical antioxidants to prevent damage from daily UV light.” Try Nivea Sun Protect Caring Lip Balm, £2.99, or Sun Bum SPF 30 Lip Balm Coconut, £4.79.
Use a lip plumper
Dr Esho says that a lip plumper is your no needle solution to achieving lip volume without invasive treatments or makeup. Give the Sculpt Lip Treatment, £19, a go. “This was formulated to enhance lip shape without taking any chances of long-term scarring (which is sometimes an effect of lip augmentation),” says Dr Esho. Like other lip plumpers on the market, it does tingle slightly, but Dr Esho explains that this sensation plumps and defines lip curvature, as well as upping hydration – all without the burning irritation some lip plumpers deliver to swell lips. “With continued use, it will increase lip volume in both the short and long term,” says Dr Esho. “I spent over a decade transforming lips with a needle, so to now be able to do this without one is amazing.”
TikTokers are also obsessed with the Too Faced Lip Injection, £20, though it’s a little more subtle.
Try a lip mask
“To go that extra mile, try a lip mask,” says Dr Esho. “They nourish lips and are a way to take a moment of self-care.” Dr Esho suggests looking for products which contain emollients: ingredients which soften and smooth skin (Dr Esho adds they fill in cracks, too), as well as occlusives. “Occlusives are waxes which seal the benefits in,” adds Dr Esho, who hints he might add one to his line in the future…
The Laneige Lip Sleeping Mask, £19, is a K-beauty favourite and contains the emollient glycerin and a team of protective waxes. Also try Milk Makeup’s Melatonin Overnight Lip Mask, £20, if your lips are very dry. STARSKIN’s Dreamkiss Plumping and Hydrating Bio-Cellulose Lip Mask, £9, is a fun flash treatment sheet mask with hyaluronic acid to plump out lines temporarily.
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Look for lip products with hyaluronic acid and peptides
Talking of hyaluronic acid, it’s one of the best ingredients for filling out lip lines (totally natural, of course, but may bother some people). “Hyaluronic acid is one of the safest options for hydrating the lip surface and giving a
‘plumping’ effect to the lips, as it’s derived from sugar and is pretty safe for all skin types,” says Dr Esho. However, he continues, “In many products, its molecular size is too large to pass into the deeper layers of the lips in order to make a change when used topically.” That’s why plenty of aestheticians used hyaluronic acid-based dermal filler, instead.
If filler isn’t your thing, Dr Esho also suggests peptides – proteins which repair and protect skin on the lips. “Combining hyaluronic acid and peptides allows us to treat the lips both superficially (on the surface) and deeply, hence both Sculpt and the Pause Lip Treatment, £16, including these elements to give a true plumping effect.”
Rethink those popular TikTok trends
You might have seen TikTokers combining cinnamon oil, peppermint oil or even chilli flakes with lip products in a bid to enhance the shape and size of their lips. While Dr Esho says these types of hacks can be a short-term way to plump lips, the ingredients may aggravate skin. “That’s the reason your lips are swelling up,” says Dr Esho. “Cinnamon and chilli in particular irritate the lips which causes blood to rush towards them, making them look temporarily bigger.” Dr Esho explains that long term irritation of the lips can lead to damage to the skin barrier, which may result in dry, flaky, sore skin. “It’s not something I’d advise,” says Dr Esho.
If you do decide to use any concentrated oils, Dr Esho suggests always conducting a patch test to rule out a potential skin reaction.
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Try facial exercises
On TikTok, lip exercises (or ‘face yoga’ as it has been coined by facialists) consist of massaging the lips in a bid to firm them up. But are there any real advantages? “There is definitely some benefit in strengthening the muscle surrounding the mouth and if you have the time to repeat exercises in that area on a regular basis, you can absolutely strengthen the muscle and firm the skin attached and around it,” says Dr Esho. What it won’t do? “It’s not going to have the same effect as dermal filler or plumping serums,” says Dr Esho, “as the lip is a delicate area which benefits mostly from precise treatments.”
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