Whether it’s for skin care, hair care or makeup, peptides are undoubtedly all the rage right now. Amongst all the peptide products on the market right now, peptide lip treatments seem to be gaining endless popularity. In fact, according to Spate, the search term “peptide lip treatment” has experienced a whopping 227.8% YoY increase in volume.
Countless brands have now jumped on the peptide bandwagon, and consumers can’t get enough of these lip-loving products. But, at the end of the day do you really know what a peptide lip treatment is? According to cosmetic chemist Ginger King, “peptides are a chain of amino acids that have the ability to induce more collagen and lipid production, so their use in a lip treatment helps to make the lips appear and feel fuller.” Not only do peptide lip treatments help the lips to look and feel plumper, they’re also a great source of hydration.
Peptide lip treatments are also gaining popularity for their ability to plump the lips over time without irritation. “Traditional lip treatments for making lips fuller are often full of irritants like capsicum or nicotinic acid to boost blood flow and appear bigger, but the effect is temporary and may not feel comfortable,” King explains. “There are also lip treatments with hyaluronic acids, which can help with fullness, but peptides are the golden ingredient in any age-related treatment, whether it’s lips or skin.”
Now that you know why peptide lip treatments have taken over the at-home lip-plumping game, here’s a roundup of some of the hottest products to try yourself and harness the power of peptides for your pout.
In a way, we can thank Hailey Bieber for putting many of us on to the peptide lip treatment train with the launch of her brand’s version back in June of 2022. Since then, the brand has expanded the product to come in several different flavors and even tints, but the combination of shea butter, peptides, cupuaçu and babassu that make up the original formula are a holy grail for creating hydrating, pillowy plump lips.
Clinically proven to plump lips by up to 40 percent in as little as four weeks, The Inkey List’s Tripeptide Plumping Lip Balm is a true multitasker. With every use, the product hydrates, repairs and plumps lips, resulting in naturally fuller and healthier appearance. Plus, the product is specially formulated to create maximum fullness without any of the tingly, burning, irritating aspects of other popular plumping balms. I’ve been using this product for a few months myself, and I definitely see a difference.
Combining the power of both peptides and hyaluronic acid—hero ingredients for painless plumping, as King mentioned—this Paula’s Choice lip booster is a great option for anyone looking added hydration and volume. The treatment is also features advanced anti-aging technology that smooths the appearance of lines and flaking.
Jam-packed with plumping and nourishing ingredients like peptides, ceramides, AHAs, beeswax and shea butter, U Beauty’s The Plasma Lip Compound comes in 13 gorgeous shades and creates plumper-looking lips with each use.
Created with skin-strengthening peptides and kokum butter, Ole Henriksen’s Pout Preserve Peptide Lip Treatment instantly plumps, hydrates and smooths for lips that are bound to impress.
