NYX Lip Plumper Review & Guide

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Stephanie Jensen

Makeup Artist at Glamour N Glow

With a personal style that screams rocker chick, Stephanie is not just a makeup and beauty enthusiast; she's a force to be reckoned with in the beauty community. Her journey began during her college days, working at Sephora. Today, her collection has grown so vast that it's almost rebellious in its proportions, leading her to stash extra products even at her boyfriend’s apartment. A testament to her dedication, Stephanie is constantly on the hunt for the latest beauty releases, often adding new products to her collection daily. For Glamour n’ Glow, she brings her expertise to the forefront, reviewing a plethora of beauty products and crafting engaging tutorials. Her passion doesn't stop at writing; when she's not contributing to Glamour n’ Glow, you can find Stephanie shopping at Sephora, engrossed in YouTube MUA videos, or meticulously caring for her makeup tools and practicing her skincare routine. Dive into her content and get a taste of her edgy, rocker-inspired approach to beauty.

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We’re seeing lip plumpers everywhere. Most makeup brands are offering them, including drugstore cosmetic titans NYX. With their Lip Plumper, they promise you’ll have fuller-looking lips with only a few swipes.

I have to admit, I’m not the biggest fan of lip plumpers. I don’t like the way they feel and I feel like most lip plumpers only make my bottom lip look fuller, and I end up looking weird. I prefer accentuating my lips with color, not size. And when I wear a lip gloss, I prefer wearing a non-plumping one to give my lips some moisture.

I was still curious to try this lip plumper. Continue reading my NYX Lip Plumber review & guide to see if this is the right product for you.

Bottom Line Up Front

If you’re looking for a gloss that seriously plumps your lips, you won’t be impressed with this one. I also don’t like the color — Brunch Drunk is too sparkly. The formula is also extremely sticky. I ended up washing off the lip gloss before I left for my friend’s birthday party.

About the NYX Lip Plumper

NYX Filler Instinct Plumping Lip Polish promises to enhance the size of your lips without the pain of traditional lip plumpers. The glosses use light-reflecting shimmer to make your lips look pouty. The glossy texture of these lip plumpers will also keep your lips moisturized.

At $7 each, these lip plumpers are significantly cheaper than getting fillers and other injections. You can wear this lip plumper alone; there are a variety of shades that can match any skin tone and makeup look. You also no longer need to overline your lips — simply apply your favorite shade of NYX Plumping Lip Polish over your favorite lipstick.

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Key Features

• Moisturizes
• Shiny and sparkly
• Variety of colors
• Affordable price

My Review

I have to be honest, I wasn’t impressed with this gloss at all. I wore it before going out to a friend’s birthday party and ended up washing the gloss off and replacing it with my favorite chapstick before heading out. This lip plumper wasn’t right for me but maybe it’s a better alternative for you.

Color

The shade I chose was Brunch Drunk. Judging by the pictures, it looked like a subtle peach-bronze color with shimmer. I love how the color looks great on all skin colors and was curious to try it for myself.

All I have to say is sparkle overload! Instead of a pretty peach-bronze color, this gloss looked like glitter was coating my lips. It was very gross looking and I hated the way it looked. I do want to mention that the glitter does subside. I still washed off the gloss for other reasons.

Want to see something funny? After I swatched the gloss for this review, I washed it off and now glitter is ALL OVER my hand!

Plump

Does the gloss do its job? Kind of. Here are before and after pictures.

Before:

After:

I definitely noticed a pout on my lips — nothing crazy, which is fine for me because I don’t like the way I look with huge lips. It does give you a tingling sensation, not a burn. I honestly hate lip gloss that tingles and burns — I prefer the lip plumpers activated with mint or cinnamon.

Fortunately, the tingling sensation doesn’t last a long time. But if you’re looking for a gloss that will get your lips extremely full and gives you serious lip tingles, I suggest checking my alternatives.

Sticky Texture

I’ve said it before and I will say it again, I hate sticky lip glosses. Unfortunately, this one by NYX is a very sticky gloss. If you want a not-sticky gloss alternative to this one, I suggest trying the Butter Gloss. It’s not my favorite lip gloss in the world but at least it feels comfortable on your lips.

Pros

• Offers a little bit of a plump
• Affordable
• Different color options including a clear one
• Can wear it over lipstick
• Cruelty-free
• Doesn’t burn like other lip plumpers

Cons

• The color was way too sparkly
• Not the most intense plump
• The tingling effect feels weird
• Very sticky gloss

Tips When Buying the NYX Lip Plumper

• If you don’t want an extremely sparkling lip gloss, buy the clear option
• Avoid this one if you hate sticky glosses — I will recommend non-sticky alternatives
• Know NYX’s return policy in case you don’t like the gloss
• Know if you want serious plumping — this one doesn’t deliver as well as the other alternatives on this list
• Know if you want a gloss with a tingling sensation

Tips When Using the NYX Lip Plumper

• This one gets sticky, so a little goes a long way
• If you want more color on your lips, wear lipstick under the gloss
• If this gloss dries out your lips, apply a balm or chapstick first
• If this product burns your list, discontinue use and wash off immediately

Alternatives

As stated previously, I don’t like plumping lip glosses. Other than the Buxom one (which I actually love), I haven’t used any of these. Instead, these are glosses that my friends and colleagues from Sephora recommended, as well as glosses that I see promoted constantly.

#01 Soap & Glory Sexy Mother Pucker Lip Plumping Gloss

The plumping lip gloss that I recommend the most is the Sexy Mother Pucker by Soap & Glory. What I love about these lip plumpers is how they’re perfect for daily use. Most of the colors are subtle enough to keep in your purse and swipe on whenever you want to increase the size of your pout. The gloss and the effects are also long-wearing, so these are the perfect glosses to wear if you’re going out on the town.

Pros

• Lasts a long time
• Perfect for daily use and for special occasions

Cons

• Some of the shades are out of stock on their website

#02 Buxom Dolly Glitz Full-On Plumping Lip Polish

As I stated previously, I love the Buxom lip polishes. I’ve owned many colors throughout the years and Dolly is one of my favorite shades that they ever released. Dolly is a beautiful mauve color and it looks amazing on everyone.

I’m choosing the Dolly Glitz Lip Polish instead of the traditional one since Dolly Glitz has more of a sparkle, making it more similar to the NYX ones.

Pros

• Dolly Glitz is the traditional Dolly shade but with more sparkles
• Can be worn alone or layered over lipstick
• Smoothing lip gloss, never dried out my lips

Cons

• Not the best option for sensitive skin types

#03 L’Oreal Paris Infallible Pro Gloss Plump Lip Gloss

If you’re looking for another budget gloss option, I suggest this one by L’Oreal. I really like their glosses in the Infallible line. While the plumping effect is very subtle, they do last a long time. Keep in mind that these glosses are very thick and sticky, though the stickiness wears off over time.

At least the Infallible Gloss I have is like that (I don’t have one of the plumping ones). This gloss also has a scent so I don’t recommend this to anyone with a fragrance allergy. You can also wear this alone or under lipstick.

Pros

• Creamy and smooth gloss
• Long-lasting
• Multiple color options
• Doesn’t burn, rather has a cooling sensation
• Won’t dry out your lips

Cons

• Thick and sticky
• Plumping effects are subtle
• The fragrance may cause an allergic reaction

#04 Too Faced Lip Injection Power Plumping Liquid Lip Balm

Typically I would recommend the traditional Lip Injection but this product stands out to me. The lip balm formula is very moisturizing. The color here is very subtle, just a slight pink tint. As with all Too Faced products, I absolutely love the packaging. My only complaint is I don’t think this one plumps as much as the original Lip Injection, but this new product will be fine for me.

Pros

• Plumping gloss with no sting

Cons

• Not as good as the original

#05 Fenty Beauty Gloss Bomb Heat Universal Lip Luminizer + Plumper

What I love about this gloss is it emphasizes the fullness of your lips with high shine and not high sparkle. I love the versatile and unique shade range — Lavender Savage is my favorite. This gloss not only plumps but feels very smoothing on the lips, thanks to vitamin E and shea butter. Keep in mind that the volume is subtle, which is fine for me. The tingling sensation is very mild and won’t irritate your skin. Keep in mind that this gloss does have a fragrance.

Pros

• Impressive shade range
• Shiny, not sparkly
• Non-irritating with a mild tingling sensation

Cons

• Has a scent

#06 Milani Keep It Full Nourishing Lip Plumper

For the longest time, Milani was one of the most underrated drugstore makeup brands. I’ve been using this brand for years and I’m so glad they’re getting the recognition that they deserve.

What I love about this lip lumper — other than the price — is the cooling sensation. This gloss doesn’t burn or sting, rather feels nice on the lips. It does deliver exceptional plumping effects. Thanks to hyaluronic acid and various oils, this gloss is extremely hydrating.

I’m not the biggest fan of the packaging and the large applicator, but that’s my only downside with this product. There are also a variety of colors but they’re on the sheer side. It does have a vanilla mint fragrance which I know will bother some people.

Pros

• Hydrating
• Cooling sensation, not stinging

Cons

• Has a scent
• Large applicator
• Not the longest-lasting option on this list
• Feels sticky

#07 Dior Addict Lip Maximizer

I remember when I worked at Sephora, a colleague loved this lip gloss. He always raved about how the plumping capabilities are amazing yet this gloss is so hydrating. It’s infused with hyaluronic acid and collagen so it shows results and smooths your lips. While the plumping effect is subtle, I think this one plumps better than the other glosses on this list. I love the range of shades here — I love Rosewood (natural pink) the best.

Dior products are cruelty-free and this gloss is vegan. The packaging is recyclable. Keep in mind that this gloss has a vanilla-mint scent.

Pros

• Hydrating
• Range of colors
• Plumps better than other glosses on this list

Cons

• Has a scent
• Colors are sheer

#08 La Mer The Lip Volumizer

Does the $80 price tag ($110 in Canada) throw you off? I don’t blame you. However, the price you pay is worth it if you truly want a high-quality lip volumizer. Its plumping capabilities are strong and the formula is conditioning so your lips feel smooth. This gloss also contains anti-aging ingredients such as antioxidants and Miracle Broth.

Pros

• Conditioning formula
• Incredible plumping abilities

Cons

• Color is subtle
• Expensive

FAQs

NYX Lip Plumper Review: Bottom Line

NYX is one of the most popular brands and I was curious to try their lip plumper. However, I wasn’t impressed. The plumping effect wasn’t as effective as I expected and I thought the gloss was too sparkly. However, it didn’t dry out my lips. If you want to try this gloss, I suggest choosing the clear one.

Read More:

• Best NYX Lip Gloss Guide: Which Gloss Should You Buy?