Whether through injectables, lip plumping balms, or tingling glosses, the quest for fuller lips is big business in the beauty world.
But if you’d rather not opt for an expensive, invasive or uncomfortable treatment to achieve a fuller pout, TikTok creators are going crazy for a lip cut that has impressive results, without the need for surgery.
In recent months, ‘hyaluronic acid lips’ have become a huge trend on the video-sharing app, with hundreds of creators posting before and after effects of using this common skin care staple. fur.
The popularity of hyaluronic acid serums has skyrocketed in recent years thanks to their hydrating effects and often affordable prices.
Hyaluronic acid is a known humectant, meaning it attracts water for faster hydration.
TikTok creator @tainara.zappi relies on hyaluronic acid to have fuller lips and shares before and after photos of her transformation.
While skincare experts have questioned how hydrating hyaluronic acid can be when applied topically, TikTok creators are convinced that it has dramatic effects when applied to the lips.
Spearheading the hyaluronic acid lip trend is US-based skinfluencer @sincerely.juliana, whose video about the effects of hyaluronic acid on her lips has racked up more than 4 million views.
“When I first did this, the difference was so noticeable it scared me,” Ari, one of @sincerely.juliana’s followers, replied in response to the video.
A fan named Brittany wrote: ‘Finally a product I already own!!! Thanks for the advice.’
TikTokker @makeupbyalissiac, who is based in the US, said: ‘Hyaluronic acid on lips is a game changer!! ‘It literally plumps and hydrates lips instantly!’
British TikTok creator @darcieratcliff shared her method on how to use hyaluronic acid for lips with a viral video that has been viewed almost 2 million times.
‘You start with wet lips and apply the hyaluronic acid serum. I then let this dry, but it mainly dries out my lips, so I apply a lot of lip balm afterwards.’
While British creator @evepilee called using hyaluronic acid and Vaseline her “favorite lip plumping trick.”
TikTok creator @evepilee calls this her ‘favorite lip trick’ and layers lip balm over the hyaluronic acid to finish the at-home treatment.
So does this DIY treatment really work or is it another TikTok beauty fad?
Speaking to FEMAIL, Face the Future clinic leader Kimberley Medd shared her expert opinion.
The good news is that it rates hyaluronic acid for giving a plump “glass lips” finish.
She explained: “HA’s moisturizing property means it’s able to hold a thousand times its weight in water, creating a fuzzy, glassy lip finish.”
‘Hyaluronic acid is an incredibly popular skincare ingredient, and most of us probably include it somewhere in our routines, whether we realize it or not!’ She explained.
TikTok creator @darcieratcliff shared her method for getting fuller lips without filler and the TikTokker also opts for ‘a lot of lip balm’ to keep her lips hydrated.
Our lips are the thinnest part of skin on the body, with only three to five cell layers compared to the 16 cell levels of skin on the rest of our body, according to skin care expert Medd.
She explains how hyaluronic acid is a great ingredient for combating dry lips by filling in dry, cracked lines and keeping lip skin cells hydrated.
‘Dehydrated lips won’t look as plump, so hyaluronic acid can be a great way to plump your lips with essential moisture.’
“Hyaluronic acid may also benefit lips by being anti-aging, promoting healthier skin, and boosting collagen.”
Medd also believes this skincare ingredient is worth the money, explaining: ‘Hyaluronic acid is a natural polysaccharide in the body.
‘It resides in the large spaces between the cells of our skin, where it gets to work performing a series of tasks.
‘It’s not the newest, flashiest or most expensive ingredient out there, but it’s tried and tested. Think of it as the old faithful of your regime.
Dr. Noman Mohamed, a London-based cosmetic dermatology expert, has also jumped on the trend, giving his professional blessing.
Dr. Noman Mohamed, a London-based cosmetic dermatology expert who has over 396,000 TikTok followers on his @drnomzzy account, also joined the trend and offered his professional blessing.
She broke down the results of applying hyaluronic acid to her pout by referencing a study. In the video, she tells viewers: “So you’ve started applying hyaluronic acid and Vaseline to get bigger lips, but what kind of results can you expect exactly? Is there any science or research behind this?”
She then goes on to share some before and after lip shots, with the explanation: “This study basically looked at women between the ages of 20 and 40, and gave them a lip serum to apply twice a day, one of the main components of which was hyaluronic acid.
He continued: ‘To be eligible for the study, they had to have no history of lip fillers. As you can see, one of the powers of hyaluronic acid shown here is as a powerful moisturizer.
“It can hold up to 1,000 times its weight in water and when your lips are properly hydrated you could argue that you may have had half a ml of filler in your lips – just look at the results.”
Fuller lips were high on beauty wish lists long before Kylie Jenner and her lip kits skyrocketed in popularity.
The origins of lip filler date back to the 20th century, when doctors (somewhat risky) experimented with injectable materials such as paraffin and silicone to enhance lip volume.