BellaSugar

Three Pain-Free Lip Plumpers

BellaSugar — Tue, 12 Jun 2007 16:21:34 PDT

In this day and age, it's easy to make your lips look plumper. The hard part is finding a lip-plumping product that won't leave your mouth inflamed and burning with pain. I've sampled my fair share, and some of the products are just downright scary. DuWop Lip Venom produces a persistent burning sensation, while my experience with Freeze 24/7 Plump Lips Ice Sticks left me looking like I'd eaten too many jalapeño peppers.

Fortunately, there are some great lippies out there that give you a full, sexy pout without any pain. Here are three I've found, but if you know of others, tell me below.

Rather than go for immediate plumpness, LORAC Lotsa Lip Plumping Lipstick ($18.50) is designed to increase fullness over time by stimulating collagen and moisturizing your lips. I used this creamy lipstick for about a month, and while I wouldn't say my lips looked bigger, they definitely looked fluffed and fuller. Plus, it feels great.

Two more pain-free lip plumpers, so

The Balm Plump Your Pucker Lip Gloss ($14) is a more traditional plumping gloss with menthol to give your lips an instant boost. But unlike Lip Venom, this one doesn't sting - only tingles pleasantly. I love the glassy texture, and the gloss stays put for hours.

I know I've already told you about Tallulah Cosmetics Glossary Super Gloss ($16), but it's so different, I just had to mention it again. This one doesn't actually plump your lips but instead uses mica to reflect light and make your lips appear bigger. It actually works, and the effect is quite pretty.

Makeup Review: Tallulah Cosmetics Glossary Super Gloss

BellaSugar — Wed, 30 May 2007 07:14:05 PDT

A few weeks ago, I introduced you to Glossary, a line of lip glosses from Tallulah Cosmetics. I've since had the pleasure of trying some, and I have to say, Glossary stands out even among the many lip glosses I sample every week, and it fulfills all of the promises it puts forth.

This soothing, sunscreen-packed gloss ($16) is a great alternative to lip plumpers, which I don't like because they tend to make my lips sting. Tallulah's products simply make your lips appear plumper, using a mineral called mica to reflect light. Though the effect is subtle, it's definitely noticeable. The glosses have a mirror-like surface, forming a shiny rim around the lips for a very pretty effect. For the rest of the details,

Tallulah calls the gloss mildly flavored, but I only noticed a very light and pleasant scent, and the texture is velvety and non-invasive. Glossary comes in seven shades, and I prefer the lighter colors, like My Yacht or Yours and Love Me Ginger (pictured), because they allow a larger margin of error in application.

The only thing I wish were different about Glossary is that the mineral makeup were made from more natural ingredients. Aside from the mica, it's mostly full of the usual chemicals. But that is a small gripe, and it's certainly not enough to keep Glossary out of my regular rotation.

Brand-New Brand: Tallulah Cosmetics

BellaSugar — Fri, 11 May 2007 07:17:03 PDT

I've had some bad experiences with lip-plumping glosses that sting or irritate my mouth. So I'm very interested to try the new volumizing lip glosses by Tallulah Cosmetics. Founded by a first-grade teacher from Kentucky named Amy Wheeler, Tallulah launched Glossary - its first product - in December. Because these products are mineral based, Glossary is designed to give your pout a long-lasting plumpness without inflammation.

Glossary's secret ingredient is mica, which reflects light and hugs the skin to create the appearance of plumper lips. The lip gloss also contains Vitamin A to smooth your lips and SPF 15 to protect them from the sun. For more details,

The lightly flavored and scented gloss comes in seven shades of translucent shimmer: Berry Godmother (featured below), Brazilla, Love Me Ginger, Punk Rock Pink, My Yacht or Yours, Blonde Ambition, and Mouth of the South.

Each tube costs $16 and can be purchased on Tallulah's web site and in select boutiques nationwide. I'll be sure to report back and tell you what I think of Glossary after I try some.