~Pucker Up!~

aSalaam uAlaikum and Good Evening My Stylish Sisters!

As per a special request by one of my fabulous followers I want to chat a little bit about lip plumpers.  Whether lip plumping is permissible as part of a muslimah's beauty regime, or whether it's considered a haraam way of enhancing our beauty is debatable.  I, for one, have used a couple of lip glosses that had natural lip-plumping ingredients, but don't use it regularly (honestly mostly because I didn't see much result from them).  However you feel about the subject, full, pouty lips are the envy of many women, and there are many different treatments available to achieve them. 

 Women may have thin, or thinning, lips for a variety of reasons.  Some women have naturally thin lips throughout their life because it is hereditary in their family.  Many women experience thinning of their lips as they get older, as a natural part of the aging process. Regardless of the reason behind it, most women who desire to have more luscious lips, tend to choose between either cosmetic surgery, or topical treatments.

 

I am not going to discuss plastic surgery because, in my opinion, Muslimahs should not be turning to these superficial, and many times dangerous, procedures to achieve what society has determined to be true beauty.  This, of course, is just my personal opinion and I'm not one to judge any sister who believes otherwise.  Allahu Ahlem. So, instead of delving into the subject of plastic surgery, I'm going to share with you some of the best topical lip plumping products available, and discuss a little bit about how these treatments actually work.

 
Lip plumpers usually contain ingredients that stimulate the natural production of collagen, and regenerate skin cells more quickly than normal, in order to give the lips a smoother, fuller look.  More intense (and usually more expensive) products also use a mild stimulant that creates a tingling sensation, which causes instant plumping and increased coloration.
 
Some ingredients to look for in topical lip plumpers include Hyaluronic Acid (HA), Peptides, Cinnamon, Pepper Extracts, and Benzyl Nicotinate.  Hyaluronic Acid is used in the medical community to stimulate the natural healing process, and when used in topical lip plumping treatments encourages the production of new skin cells.  Peptides also do this, as well as encourage collagen production.  Cinnamon, Pepper Extracts, and Benzyl Nicotinate are all ingredients that are effective in producing instant plumping and increasing natural color.  It is also important to make sure that whatever product you use also has moisturizers like Jojoba Oil and Vitamin E so that lips stay soft and hydrated.
 
According to BeautyViewPoints.com, there are several topical lip plumping treatments that are both effective, and safe.  Although some of them are kind of expensive, they are all much cheaper, safer, and less invasive than cosmetic surgery, or even botox treatments.  Here are their top five picks, and why:
 

#1:  MaxoLip

 

Available at http://www.maxolip.com/, this product recieved a 5 out of 5 in the categories of Potential To Promote Plumper Looking Lips Instantly, Potential To Diminish Appearance Of Fine Lines Around Lips, and Quality Of Ingredients; and recieved a 4 out of 5 in Potential To Enhance Appearance Of Lips (Long-Term).

 
 

#2:  LipFusion XL

 

Available at http://www.sephora.com/, this one got a 5 out of 5 in Potential To Promote Plumper Looking Lips Instantly, and Quality Of Ingredients.  It recieved a 4 out of 5 in Potential To Enhance Appearance Of Lips (Long-Term), and Potential To Diminish Appearance Of Fine Lines Around Lips.

 

#3: Perricone MD Lip Plumper

 

Available at http://www.perriconemd.com/ his treatment has the same ratings as the LipFusion XL, but with about five times more ingredients.  It is supposed to have been developed by a doctor, but when checking around the internet I have found mixed reviews about this one.

#4: Freeze 24/7 Plump Lips

Available at http://www.freeze247.com/, this item received a 5 out of 5 in Potential To Promote Plumper Looking Lips Instantly, and a 4 out of 5 in the other categories of Potential To Enhance Appearance Of  Lips (Long-Term),  Potential To Diminish Appearance Of Fine Lines Around Lips, and Quality Of Ingredients.  This item is not recommended for use under lipstick or lipgloss, which may be something you want to take into consideration.

#5: Lips To Die For

 

 

This item by Peter Thomas Roth is available at http://www.skinstep.com/.  It received identical reviews as the previous treatment, but you apply this one more like a cream, than a lip gloss.  There is no applicator, so if you would prefer not to use your fingertips to apply, this may not be the item for you.

 

There are ten more topical lip plumping treatments reviewed on BeautyViewPoints.com, but I didn't feel it was necessary to talk about any more of them (and it's past my bed-time LOL)  If you are looking for the best value for the price, I would suggest taking a look at one of the five we chatted about.

 

So, for those sisters who are considering getting any plastic surgery or Botox treatments to achieve those (admittedly GORGEOUS) Angelina Jolie-type smackers, why don't you try out one of these items before taking the plunge?  Even if they don't work to the extent you want them to, you won't be out more than around $50.00, and better yet: you may just realize that you are perfectly beautiful the way you are.

If you want to read some more advice about how to achieve fuller looking lips you can check out this article at http://www.squidoo.com/.

For now, I am off to bed to insh'Allah catch my 8 hours before what I'm sure will be a long day tomorrow of shopping, eating, and spending time surrounded by my wonderful family and fabulous friends as we draw closer to the end of our travels. 

Ma'Salaama and Happy Plumping!!

Fashionably Yours,

The (Angelina Jolie-loving) Mujahada in Prada