A Wren Says

I had heard of plumping glosses before. Between the idea of walking around with lips that looked inflated and that hurt, I decided they weren’t for me. But then I received the Makeup by Mario Moistureglow Plumping Lip Serum when I visited the Makeup by Mario booth at Sephoria.

I held the product in my hand, frightened by it. I thought, “Oh no,” I already like the fullness of my lips and am anti-pain. Surely a plumping lip product would be a no-go for me. But, because I already had it in my possession, I figured I might as well try it.

As I applied the lip serum, the sensation slowly increased. But instead of the immense stinging I was expecting, it seemed more like a gentle vasodilator. I could feel a tingling sensation, but not pain. I was just more aware of my lips than I had been before.

Makeup by Mario Moistureglow Plumping Lip Serum $24

A colored hydrating balm to give your lips a little oomph

The other surprising thing I noticed is that it didn’t inflate my lips. Instead, I found it took my dry lips and made them look more hydrated. Those tell-tell lines were more filled in. That was great for me and my needs. I will add that if my lips are really dry, then the color can deposit in and cling to that area until I actively work to smooth it out. I would recommend this product be used on smooth, flake-free lips. I would have said exfoliated, but potentially irritating your skin before putting this on seems like a bad idea.

Now, if you want the appearance of big stung, plumper lips, this product will not be your best bet. But if you are looking for lips that appear plumper because they are more hydrated, you might like this. Of course, if you have sensitive skin, please take care and do your research first. The plumping action is caused by essentially irritating your skin. Be mindful of that.

If you are in the market for a product to get plump, hydrated lips with a subtle wash of color, give the Makeup by Mario Moistureglow Plumping Lip Serum a try.