Lip plumper is a cosmetics

Cosmetics

Cosmetics are substances used to enhance the appearance or odor of the human body. Cosmetics include skin-care creams, lotions, powders, perfumes, lipsticks, fingernail and toe nail polish, eye and facial makeup, towelettes, permanent waves, colored contact lenses, hair colors, hair sprays and...

 product used to make lips appear fuller. In appearance, it ranges from translucent to opaque and tinted. A lip plumper can be formulated to be worn alone as a lip gloss

Lip gloss

Lip gloss is a product used primarily to give lips a glossy lustre and sometimes subtle color. It is distributed as a liquid or a soft solid...

. Sheerer versions can be applied under lipstick

Lipstick

Lipstick is a cosmetic product containing pigments, oils, waxes, and emollients that applies color, texture, and protection to the lips. Many varieties of lipstick are known. As with most other types of makeup, lipstick is typically, but not exclusively, worn by women...

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Lip plumpers are used by those with thinner lips when full, "pouty" lips are desired. These products typically work by irritating the thin, delicate skin of the lips with ingredients like menthol

Menthol

Menthol is an organic compound made synthetically or obtained from peppermint or other mint oils. It is a waxy, crystalline substance, clear or white in color, which is solid at room temperature and melts slightly above. The main form of menthol occurring in nature is -menthol, which is assigned...

 or camphor

Camphor

Camphor is a waxy, white or transparent solid with a strong, aromatic odor. It is a terpenoid with the chemical formula C10H16O. It is found in wood of the camphor laurel , a large evergreen tree found in Asia and also of Dryobalanops aromatica, a giant of the Bornean forests...

. This makes the lips swell

Swelling

Swelling , is the enlargement of tissue.Swelling can also mean:*Die swell, the increase of volume of material due to absorption of a solvent, common for plastic polymers*Neutron-induced swelling caused by neutron radiation....

 slightly, which may also diminish the appearance of fine lines in that area. Other perceived benefits include stimulating collagen

Collagen

Collagen is a group of naturally occurring proteins found in animals, especially in the flesh and connective tissues of mammals. It is the main component of connective tissue, and is the most abundant protein in mammals, making up about 25% to 35% of the whole-body protein content...

production and moisturizing. A lip plumper's effects are temporary, so it must be reapplied throughout the day to maintain the results.

Lip plumper application

The manner in which a lip plumper is applied depends on the cosmetic's formulation and container. When the product comes in a tube, a wand applicator is usually attached to the inside of the cap. A wand applicator consists of a very small, fuzzy piece of foam on a long stem, called a "doe-foot" applicator. Semi-solid plumpers, which are applied with fingers or a lipstick brush, may come in small pots. A container with a roller ball permits direct application.