How To Make Your Lips Look Bigger at Home: Needle-Free Lip Plumping Techniques

Soft, supple, plump lips are a feature that’s almost universally sought after. But not everyone wants to undergo in-office procedures to achieve them. That’s why we’ve broken down the most popular at-home plumping alternatives, and why you may prefer them to seeing a doctor.

At-Home Lip Plumping Solutions

When it comes to plumping in the privacy of your own home, you’ve got lots of options, from devices to topical treatments to DIY TikTok hacks. But not all of them get results—and some can actually be harmful. Here are some of the most common methods for achieving bigger lips at home:

Topical Lip Treatments

Some of the most popular at-home treatments are topicals like plumping glosses and serums, which often work by dilating blood vessels to increase blood flow to the lips for a swelling effect. However, many of these formulas irritate lips with ingredients like capsicum or bee venom to cause inflammation, which can result in a painful burning sensation, and even allergic reactions.

Additionally, topical treatments only plump lips superficially can dry out lips in the long run, and can actually become less effective over time as the body gets used to the ingredients.

Suction Devices

Another approach for achieving plump lips is using devices and tools that create suction. You can try everything from electronic devices to cupping tools, all of which use the same basic method as the infamous Kylie Jenner lip challenge that simply required a shot glass: drawing blood to your lips to make them look bigger.

However, the results are very short-lived, and often cause trauma to lips, such as hickey-like bruising that takes a while to fade. In some cases, extreme suction can even pull teeth out of alignment. (Not the look you’re probably going for.)

Lip Exercises

One method that requires nothing but your face and some downtime? Lip exercises, also known as “facial yoga,” which some claim can strengthen the muscles around your lips to make them appear fuller. While this tactic is free and relatively easy, there are no clinical studies that prove it actually works, and some experts say it can even cause unnecessary wrinkles (similar to how the motion of smoking can cause lines around the mouth over time). Even if you do see a slight difference in size, your lips will quickly revert back to normal. Plus, do you really want to spend 10-15 minutes each day making funny faces in the mirror?

Quick Tricks

You may have seen TikTokkers combining things like cinnamon powder and chili flakes with lip products in the quest for bigger lips. And while this may cause short-term fullness, experts caution against it. Similar to many topical treatments, it works by irritating the lips (which is never a good thing), and can even lead to long-term damage to the skin barrier.

What to Look for in a Lip Plumper 

The best way to achieve naturally fuller lips is through hydration from within, which is why treatments that feature hyaluronic acid and collagen are some of the safest, least irritating options. 

Collagen and hyaluronic acid will also have a cumulative effect over time, rather than irritants that the body can become accustomed to with repeated use, leading to lackluster results.

The Droplette 17-Volt Lip Plumper: An Ideal At-Home Option

The Droplette 17-Volt Lip Plumper delivers all the benefits of other at-home lip plumping solutions without the drawbacks—and even takes them to the next level.

The Droplette device uses micro-infusion technology to break down ingredients into a fine mist that can go up to 20x deeper than topicals. This allows the beneficial ingredients in our lip plumping capsules (hyaluronic acid, collagen, and a hint of peppermint) to work from within. 

The painless, needle-free method takes just one minute to perform, and increases lip surface area up to 40% for a difference you—and everyone else—can really see. And it’s not just a quick fix: the effects last up to 6 hours per clinical testing. But even though you can stay plump all night long, it doesn’t require a long-term commitment like injectables.

To power up your pout with Droplette, simply download the Droplette app, connect your device via Bluetooth, and activate lip plumper mode. This will unlock the settings on your device that will give the lip-plumper capsules a high-powered boost.

Before	After Leading Topical Competitor	After Droplette 17 Volt Lip Plumper

 

Adding Makeup into the Mix

One at-home plumping technique we love? Creating the look of fuller lips with strategic makeup artistry. There are various contouring, lining, and highlighting techniques that can enhance your lip shape to give the illusion of a plumper pout.

However, they do have limitations. They only last as long as your makeup stays put, and they’re simply creating a visual effect that fools the eye rather than actually plumping lips. That’s why it’s best to pair these makeup techniques with the Droplette 17 Volt Lip Plumper, which actually increases surface area and keeps lips looking full after your makeup fades.

Makeup Techniques for Lusher-Looking Lips

Here are some of the most popular ways you can get that bee-stung look by simply reaching into your makeup bag:

Overlining Lips

To perform this trick, start by applying foundation that matches your skin tone all over your lips, to camouflage your existing lip line. Follow by setting and mattifying with powder. Next, use lip liner to draw a line just outside the natural outline of your lips to create a fuller-looking shape, and blend color slightly inward. Finally, fill in the lips with a lipstick shade that’s lighter than your lip liner

Contouring

Contouring your lips adds shading and depth that makes them appear fuller, and there are several techniques you can try. For starters: use lip liner to define and enhance your cupid’s bow (the M-shaped dip in your upper lip), use a darker contour shade to add a slight shadow just under your bottom lip, and add dimension by topping your lipstick with a lighter color in the middle of lips and blending outward.

Highlighting

To really make your pout pop, highlight just the middle with a shiny lip gloss, which will pick up light and make lips look fuller.

Before trying these tricks, remember to start off with a Droplette 17-Volt Lip Plumper session, so when your makeup fades, your lips will still look lush.

Caring For Your Lips Naturally

Of course, any kind of at-home plumping solution will work best when you start with a foundation of healthy lips, so you’ll want to perform some maintenance to keep yours in good shape.

Dry, flaky lips reflect less light (and therefore look smaller), so gently exfoliate the surface with lip scrubs or even a soft toothbrush. Delicate lip skin needs lots of hydration, so be sure to swipe on lip balm daily, especially one that contains SPF. When your lips need some extra TLC, try a lip mask, which nourishes lips for a few minutes or delivers overnight care.

It’s not just about products, though: believe it or not, your lifestyle choices can affect the natural plumpness of your lips, too. Drinking lots of water to hydrate from within, eating a healthy diet, and avoiding smoking and excessive sun exposure are all ways to help keep your pout looking full and healthy.

Professional Plumping Procedures

After considering all the at-home options, you may still decide you’re looking for more dramatic results that can only be achieved with in-office lip augmentation procedures. Here’s what to expect from some of the most common plumping procedures you can get from a professional: 

• Lip Fillers: A gel-like substance, usually hyaluronic acid, is injected into your lips with a needle. Results last 6-12 months.
• Lip Implants: An incision is made in the corners of your lips, and an implant is inserted. Results are permanent, but the implant can be surgically removed.
• Fat or Tissue Grafting: Fat is taken from another area of the body, often the stomach, purified, and injected into your lips. Tissue grafting is similar, but uses a piece of skin from another part of your body. Results for both last at least 5 years.
• Lip Threading: Small dissolvable threads are inserted into lips with a needle to add definition, primarily in the cupid’s bow area. As they dissolve, they trigger the body to make collagen to promote healing. The results last a year or more.

While these procedures may provide more striking long-term results, they also come with a lot of downsides and a dose of risk, including:

• Pain: Many procedures involve needles and/or incisions, which can be painful during treatment and cause soreness afterwards.
• After-Effects: Some procedures can result in bruising, redness, swelling, itching and more. Though these effects are often temporary, they usually require some downtime to fade and can cause post-procedure discomfort.
• Long-Term Commitment: While the lasting results can be desirable, they can also be a negative if you’re not happy with them—and not every procedure is easily reversed.
• Cost: It probably goes without saying that any of these in-office procedures are a lot pricier than most at-home options, setting you back hundreds to thousands of dollars.
• Unexpected/Adverse Reactions: Although your procedure is done by a professional, there’s always the risk of unfavorable results such as asymmetry, lumps, migration, infection, long-term scarring or stretching, or allergic reactions. 

If any of this makes you feel wary about making an appointment, take comfort in the fact that Droplette offers a safe, pain-free, cost-effective, and non-permanent solution that you can perform in the privacy of your own home.

Your Perfect Plumping Method

As you can see, there are plenty of approaches to plumping your lips, from quick at-home techniques to in-office surgical procedures. Deciding which method is right for you depends on many factors, including the extent of plumping you’re looking for, how much time you want to put into it, whether you’re willing to endure discomfort or risk, and of course, your budget.

All things considered, many fans are finding that Droplette’s 17-Volt Lip Plumper comes out on top for a multitude of reasons. The easy misting treatment can be done at home in just one minute, it works from within and delivers proven plumping ingredients deeper than topicals, it offers instant results that last for hours without a long-term commitment, and it’s a great value compared to other plumping methods. Best of all, you get all that without painful needles or the risk of unwanted effects. 

Ready to take the plumping plunge with Droplette? Order yours and get ready to mist your way to mega-full lips.