Lip Saviours or Merely a Bit of Lip Service? x

A personal review of 3 of the best lip plumping products currently available in the UK offering an alternative to lip augmentation and traditional injectable dermal fillers.

My natural lips have always been a feature for me that I’m at peace with. But thanks to a free sample from a recent order with Space NK, I am hooked on getting that perfect pout. This little sample of Ven Effect Lip Treatment, started me on my journey to make the my lips the best version they could be – something I’d never thought of before but now in my 40’s I realised the importance of treating your lips.

If I wasn’t so allergic to so many cosmetic products and procedures and slightly terrified of the thought of needles injecting alien substances into me, then sure, I’d happily give the dermal filler injections a go.

Done subtly I think that fillers can look stunning, but it seems to happen, oh so many times, that they are addictive and people always seem to want more – losing a grip on the ratio of their actual appearance. So, as I don’t want to become addicted, and am intentionally seeking a 'bee-stung' pout than ending up with the proverbial ‘trout pout’, it will never be for me.

I began researching alternatives and here’s my review of 3 of my best rated alternative lip treatments that claim to plump, shape, smooth and define ideally creating perfection as per below - sadly not my lips - but that's the goal!

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Ven Effect Anti-Aging Lip Treatment £68 10ml available in the UK from Space NK

Founded by sisters Rebecca Booth MD and Celica Booth, a skin care expert with 20 years in the beauty industry, Ven Effect provides products ’By Women, For Women’. Ven Effect Anti -Aging Lip Treatment balm claims to instantly hydrate & smooth, prevent vertical lines, plump, enhance rosy glow and prevent lipstick bleed.

I had never given much thought to lip treatments but since trying this product from a free sample from Space NK, I realised that it’s an unequivocal essential for women in their forties and above.

From the first use it was clear this was a wonder product and the sample felt like gold dust. It was so good that I went straight to Space NK to purchase not even being put off by the high price tag for a lip treatment.

It truly does all it claims, to give my lips a new defined shape particularly on the cupids bow and felt smooth and hydrated. As for plumping this seemed to be minimal as I feel that this product is more for hydration and definition. Worth every penny, works instantly and a definite game changer.

IS Clinical Youth Lip Elixir £52 3.5g available in the UK from Is Clinical

Is Clinical products claims to combine the science of skin with the use botanicals with products being 95-98% botanically derived and of pharma grade quality. Is Clinical products are described as proven luxury cosmeceuticals with an emphasis on being results driven with Youth Lip Elixir redefining, hydrating, protecting, plumping and smoothing.

Is Clinical is my current favourite Skin Care range since being recommend to me following on from IPL treatments to reduce facial pigmentation and I have been using in my skincare routine ever since. I naively tried to look at alternatives and spent a fortune on an alternative skincare range only to find my skin reacted so badly that I had no other option but to heartbreakingly throw the products away. Since returning to Is Clinical my skin was immediately restored back to normal proving they really do have a winning combination of botanics and science to achieve real results without compromising the skin. I will stray no more as these really are the best products suited to my skin out there.

This then also goes for the Youth Lip Elixir which really does seem to do as it claims. My lips have been hydrated and more noticeably plumper. I would say that though that the Ven effect product gave a better lip condition and definition, but this product provides a good all-round treatment but with a bigger plumping effect.

Fillerina Lip Volume Grade 2-3 £50 - £60 5ml available in the UK at Look Fantastic

Fillerina Lip Volume brought to us by Labo Suisse is my final product to review and the product I had the highest expectation for. This lip volumizing gel claims to improve the appearance of lips to increase the look of lip volume through filling and plumping.

This seems to be placed as the nearest product to dermal injected fillers currently available so I jumped at the chance to use this, I was so excited to try this product but after using for several weeks now I’m on the fence on this one.

The packaging looks reassuringly clinical as though it comes straight from the clinic which further added to my expectation. I do feel that this product has plumper my lips but, on the downside, it feels drying and I feel I’ve lost the definition achieved from the Ven Effect lip treatment. I tried the Grade 2 option but am going to upgrade to the Grade 3 version next time and then take a view after that.

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Time will tell with my view on this one, but I am willing to keep going and investigate further.

Decisions, decisions, decisions! I guess in the end you must choose what works best for you, depending on what you are trying to achieve out of your lip treatment.

In an ideal world I would look to combine the hydrating, smoothing effects of Ven Effect lip treatment with the plumping and filling Fillerina Grade 3 Lip Volume.

I would however recommend the IS Clinical Lip Elixir as a great all-rounder alternative in combining both plumping and hydrating effects.

Just don't leave it too late to look after your lips. Make sure to invest in a quality lip treatment and you will see the return on your investment.

'Lips, however rosy, must be fed.'

Ovid