Physicians Formula’s lip potion makes plump promises

Ever wished for larger lips, but don’t want to risk the chance of developing trout mouth with fillers?

With the help of non-surgical lip plumping products, you no longer have to just dream. In this week’s Fab or Flub? column, I’ll be taking a look at Physicians Formula Plump Potion Needle-Free Lip Plumping Cocktail ($8.79, CVS stores).

One of the most popular lip plumpers on the market, the product claims to give you plumper lips in as few as 60 seconds.

It is made with non-irritating ingredients, so the gloss also promises to improve the quality of your lips by hydrating and smoothing out fine lines.

First impression

If you’re a regular reader of Fab or Flub? you may be aware that I am not a fan of glosses. I often find them to be sticky and thick, which makes wearing them a nightmare.

Unfortunately, this means I already had a problem with Physicians Formula’s Plump Potion. Applied with a brush applicator, the thick, sticky gloss sits heavy on your lips and is an easy magnet for long strands of hair.

When I first applied the gloss, it looked as if nothing had changed. Then about 30 seconds later, I suddenly began to feel a tingly sensation.

As my lips grew puffier, the sensation turned from tingly into a slight burn. At that point I had no choice but to wipe off the gloss. Looking at my lips in the mirror, there was no denying they looked fuller and smoother.

Unfortunately, they also looked really red — like they had been stung by a bee.

Fab or flub?

Flab. For those looking to enhance the size of their lips, Physicians Formula’s Plump Potion will definitely get the job done. Just don’t be surprised if the trade-off means having some kind of reaction.

Having tried out a similar product a few years back (the discontinued Urban Decay Lip Junkie), I’m well aware that these so-called lip plumping products work by mildly irritating the lips with ingredients like cinnamon oil or menthol. However, Physicians Formula claims not to use any irritating ingredients in its Plump Potion, which is even described as being hypoallergenic.

Browsing the Internet for more information on the product, I was surprised to find a string of glowing reviews. While it’s possible that my bad reaction was due to my unique lip chemistry, I still wouldn’t take the risk and I suggest skipping the product all together.

This story was originally published April 22, 2016 at 3:13 PM with the headline "Physicians Formula’s lip potion makes plump promises."