If you’re a beauty aficionado (like myself) and follow the latest and greatest trends, products and looks, you’ve likely been hearing an earful about lip plumpers.
Made popular for its injection-free oomph they’re said to provide, they’re a versatile way to have a glossy pout without dropping thousands (and succumbing to needles) by way of plastic surgery.
Of course, I was initially intrigued — even though I don’t have super-thin lips. Does lip plumper actually work? Will it make my lips blow up like a clown?
Well, here’s a true story for you: I began testing a handful of lip plumpers from popular beauty brands and each one tingled, had a horrible “taste” and didn’t seem to work. After a few weeks, I began to notice a trend: makeup brands tend to add “plumping” to a product’s name, but there isn’t a plumping effect after all.
Enter Dr. Dennis Gross Skincare’s brand-new Derminfusions Plump + Repair Lip Treatment — its first-ever lip product keenly formulated because the company is dermatologist-founded. When the brand dialed my phone and offered me first dibs to try the product out before the thousands who swarm to the brand year after year, my beauty reporting dreams were fulfilled.
“Over the past few years, I have had many patients at my practice ask me about creating an at-home lip product to help maintain their filler or mimic its effects,” Dennis Gross, MD, NYC-based board-certified dermatologist, dermatological surgeon and co-founder of Dr. Dennis Gross Skincare, exclusively told the New York Post. “I started to look into the competitive landscape and noticed that many of the lip plumpers on the market today are still being formulated with irritants like cinnamon, menthol or capsaicin, which will only deliver short-term plumping and can cause the lip tissue to become dry, flaky and damaged.”
On the contrary, the DermInfusions Plump + Repair Lip Treatment is unique because it immediately plumps, defines and enhances your natural lip color, while restoring the moisture barrier to prevent dryness and repair chapped lips.
Click to jump to other Dr. Dennis Gross Skincare products we’ve tried and love:
The brand’s new launch is a true 3D alternative to lip filler, immediately plumping, defining and enhancing your natural lip color while helping to restore the moisture barrier of your lips. Because of its hydrating efficacy, it even helps your lips look younger — a score for anyone (young or old) who’s all about reaping anti-aging benefits.
“What really sets us apart is my clinical expertise as a former skin cancer researcher and practicing dermatologist,” Dr. Gross shares. “My background has a profound influence on how I formulate products. After starting my career in the lab researching and studying melanoma, and then working with patients on a daily basis for the past 25 years, I have developed a deep understanding of skin, how it functions and how to keep it healthy.”
In turn, skin health has always been the brand’s top priority when formulating products, and so Gross is constantly consuming new scientific studies and journals so that he can stay on top of the latest ingredient breakthroughs and delivery systems, which he incorporate into the brand’s formulas.
“I specifically focus on delivery systems and developing different methods for getting treatments and ingredients into cells,” he adds. “I also hand-select, vet and test every single ingredient that goes into our products to ensure product safety and efficacy.”
His formulation style? To use a cocktail of proven active ingredients at lower concentrations and combine them with a blend of natural antioxidants, vitamins and botanicals. “This allows the products to deliver transformative results without irritating the skin barrier,” he highlights.
On par with the mission of Dr. Dennis Gross Skincare, the Derminfusions Plump + Repair Lip Treatment is infused with a consciously curated ingredients blend that make it stand out from the pack (and actually work, but more on that in our review section):
Before dazzling your eyes with my hand-bowing praise to Dr. Dennis Gross (the man, the myth, the legend), let’s provide an overview of my skin type. Though your facial skin may hold a different texture and type than, say, your lips, my skin has always been both sensitive and dry. For that reason, I have to be very careful with the products I use and, for best results, I tend to keep hydration in mind.
I’ve been reviewing the best lip balms for dry and chapped lips for more than a year, and the new Derminfusions Plump + Repair Lip Treatment fits that bill perfectly — but with a plumping effect that’ll leave your lips as sultry as can be.
Impressively, the product’s texture is clear and — drumroll please — not sticky. I can’t even begin to tell you how many lip glosses I’ve tried (some clear lip glosses, even) that hold that stickiness. You know, when you go to blow-dry your hair and find some strands tack onto your lips. Not fun, to say the least.
However, its hydrating, non-stickiness and clear coating make this product a triple win for me. It’s one of the most versatile in my makeup bag, too, thanks to its ability to be worn as a lipstick primer before tinted product or following your red lipstick of choice for a glossy, Audrey Hepburn-inspired look.
And, not only does it look great (trust me on this) but it feels even better.
It seems simple (just swipe it on). But, you’ll want to follow a few key steps, as recommended by Dr. Dennis Gross himself:
- Gently press up from the base to dispense the desired amount and apply directly to the lips, starting at the fullest part of your lips and staying inside the natural lip border
- Apply it either to bare lips or over your lip color of choice
- Apply product as needed throughout the day
Note that it’s common to feel a slight tingle upon first application, though I only found that to be the case within the first few seconds. Because it’s not sticky and ultra-hydrating (the best-in-class, to say the least), it doesn’t have that ‘sting’ or ‘zapp-y feeling’ that’s so common among other lip plumpers I’ve tested.
Even better, I apply the product anytime I’m seeking a boost — for example, when I’m about to head out to dinner or post-shower when I’m beginning my million-step skincare routine — so it’s a great product that’s flexible enough to use when you want it most.
“This lip treatment is safe to use throughout the day and night to keep the lips looking and feeling plump, nourished and soft,” Gross says. “It’s common to experience a slight tingle after the first application, which subsides after a few seconds and decreases with continued use. However, if you have sensitive or reactive skin, I always recommend doing a patch test on a small area within the lip lines before applying the treatment to the full lip area.:
As someone who reviews beauty products for a living, I don’t ever take internal brand studies and related statistics too seriously. However, once I heard word about the below stats, I’m not surprised by all the hype:
Topical lip plumpers are an easy, cost-effective and pain-free way to achieve a fuller-looking pout without going under the needle. More, they are also great for providing long-lasting hydration and softness, according to Gross.
“Our DermInfusions Plump + Repair Lip Treatment can be used by anyone who is looking to create a more defined lip shape, reduce fine lines and wrinkles on their lips, enhance their natural lip color and smooth lip texture,” he lists. “However, it also works especially well as an alternative to lip filler if you aren’t ready for injectables yet, or if you already have filler, it can help maintain your results in between office visits.”
Ahead, find other products from the brand we can’t stop raving about.
I can rave about this cleanser day-in and day-out — it’s simply fantastic. Shop the Dr. Dennis Gross Skincare Alpha Beta AHA/BHA Daily Cleansing Gel. Since AHA works best on dry skin and BHA is more apt for oily skin, this versatile, gentle formulation is effective on a wealth of skin types for that fresh feeling.
For more options, check out our expert-backed guide to the best face washes for sensitive skin.
If you detest any facial sunscreen that leaves a white cast (read: best SPF for melanated skin), the Dr. Dennis Gross Skincare All-Physical Ultimate Defense Broad Spectrum Sunscreen SPF 50 PA++++ is meant for you. Because it’s not a mineral sunscreen, it helps prevent streaking and its ++++ marking means it has the highest possible UVA protection — helping to combat anti-aging.
Note: UVA helps with the surface of your skin, including aging and texture, while UVB helps with burns.
The acclaimed Daily Peel Pads set forth by Dr. Dennis Gross Skincare are certainly all the rage, as they contain glycolic acid to help remove dead skin cells and are safe to use twice daily at home. However, I’ve been gravitating toward the brand’s sensitive skin formula (a recommendation from Dr. Dennis Gross himself!) and have been loving the results. Totally worth it with near-immediate results, too.
Meet the LED face mask that’s a premier, luxury option to snag if you’re serious about skincare: the Dr. Dennis Gross Skincare DRx SpectraLite FaceWare Pro. Though a splurge, this FDA-cleared device boasts three different light settings — red, for anti-aging; blue, for acne-fighting; and red and blue, for combined benefits — and is a hands-free option with an adjustable silicone strap for extra self-care comfort.
For just $9, the brand-new Dr. Dennis Gross Skincare DermInfusions Lift + Repair Eye Mask is the easiest addition (especially if you’re seeking a new face mask to use) to pair with your new lip plumper that should already be in your cart. It truly does visibly lift and firm your delicate under-eye area — helping to douse the region with much-needed hydration, too.
Another mask worth the buy? The Dr. Dennis Gross Skincare Vitamin C Lactic Biocellulose Brightening Treatment Mask. For less than $15, I was beyond impressed with the brightening impact it provides after just 15 minutes. Not to mention, it contains l-ascorbic acid (the supreme version of vitamin C), niacinamide for skin-boosting benefits and gel-like coconut fibers to help lock in hydration on your skin.
If you’re looking to help make your skin appear more supple and reap that bouncy effect, shop the Dr. Dennis Gross Skincare DermInfusions Fill + Repair Serum. It’s jam-packed with hyaluronic acid to help your skin be on its way to support the collagen in your skin. Even better, it’s especially great for dryness and if you feel a loss of firmness in your skin’s texture.
For less than $50, I wholeheartedly recommend the Dr. Dennis Gross Skincare Derminfusions Plump + Repair Lip Treatment. Compared to the thousands of dollars you’d be spending over time with lip filler, it’s a seamless way to build up your natural lippies — while also keeping them well-moisturized.
Let’s all cue the round of applause for (1) the best lip plumper I’ve tried and (2) a revolutionary formula that was well-made by one of the top experts in the beauty business.
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