The Inkey’s Plumping Lip Balm, Can It Actually Plump Your Lips?

If you’re into lip care, you might have come across the buzz surrounding The Inkey List’s Tripeptide Plumping Lip Balm. People are talking about it all over social media, sharing their thoughts – some are raving, while others are a bit skeptical. Today, let’s dive into the science behind this lip-plumping sensation and figure out if it truly lives up to the excitement!

What’s the Deal with The Inkey List’s Lip Plumping Balm?

The Inkey List has stepped into the world of peptide lip care with their Tripeptide Plumping Lip Balm. This isn’t surprising because peptides are having such a moment in the skincare world right now. They’ve gained quite a reputation for their transformative effects on the skin which is some market hype but also based on some science.

The Inkey List’s lip balm boasts a hefty 6% peptides and 2% hyaluronic acid, all packed with nourishing oils and butters. And it’s marketed to be your lips’ new best friend, with almost filler-like results after 4 weeks of consistent use. A promising that coveted plumpness we all desire.

The Lowdown on Lip Plumping

Traditionally, lip plumping products irritate your lips, causing a temporary puffiness. If you have used one you might have experienced that tingling sensation with some lip balms – it’s all part of the game. But The Inkey List took a different approach. Instead of instant results, they focused on a gradual, long-term solution. The aim? To enhance your lips’ natural proteins, like collagen and elastin, making them look fuller over time.

This plumping lip balm product boasts 6% peptides and 2% hyaluronic acid with other nourishing oils and butters. It comes in a 0.33-ounce screw top tube that is pretty typical for lip products. The product has The Inkey List’s signature black and white minimalist packaging and the formulation is fragrance-free which is also true to the brand’s other products and overall philosophy. The product costs $13 so it is a little less expensive than the Rhode Skin Peptide Lip Treatment which is probably its biggest competitor in this category.

The Science Behind Inkey List’s Trieptide Lip Plumping Balm

In contrast to traditional plumping products that irritate the lips to give a temporary plump appearance, The Inkey List’s product is focused on enhancing the presence of proteins in your lips to plump them over time. As we age the production of extracellular matrix proteins like collagen and elastin slows down all over our bodies, and our lips are included. This is why our lips thin as we age.

The Inkey List’s approach to combat this aging in your lips and ultimately create a plumping effect is to incorporate ingredients that not only temporarily enhance the hydration in your lips to make them fuller but also help boost your protein production in your lips so that they look more plump overtime. The key ingredients for this plumping lip balm, plumping effect are two peptides and hyaluronic acid.

So let’s talk about the peptides first. The Inkey List’s website says this formulation includes 6% peptides. And the two peptides are Tripeptide-1 and Tripeptide-38. The palmitoyl at the front of each of the names is actually another molecule that is added to the ends of peptides to help them, penetrate into your skin better.

Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1 is a popular peptide that is used in tons of products! This signal peptide, derived from collagen, stimulates the production of important extracellular proteins like collagen and elastin. There are studies that show it

Palmitoyl Tripeptide-38 is a peptide that l mingles with collagen and laminin naturally. When it infiltrates your skin, it boosts the production of critical skin matrix components.

Typical clinical studies with peptides as a standalone active or in a formulation show they can be effect at concentrations less than 1%. So a formulation with 6% is definitely more than is necessary. However this was a clever formulation decision by The Inkey List’s team to account for active that will not be able to penetrate. Some of the product will get wiped off if you drink water or something and due to the thickness of the product the penetration will be slowed. This is also one of the reasons you should apply your actives before your heavier creams in your skincare routine.

The product also contains 2% low molecular weight hyaluronic acid spheres, aka sodium hyaluronate, which keeps your lips hydrated. The type of hyaluronic acid has the ability to infiltrate your skin’s barrier and bring water molecules with it. This is beneficial because it can give your lips a temporarily plumped appearance due to the increase in hydration.

This formulation is also packed with a blend of oils and butters to lock in that moisture and leave your lips soft and supple.

Remember, there’s no water in this product, so apply it on damp lips to help the hyaluronic acid spheres draw hydration into your lips and let the oils and butters lock in that moisture.

My Personal Experience

I decided to give this plumping lip balm a shot after finishing my previous favorite. It’s fragrance-free so it does not taste great if you do get some in your mouth. This was probably my only criticism of the product. But if you are someone that stays away from fragrance this is a positive for you.

When I applied it, my lips instantly felt softer. While it didn’t give me super plump lips overnight, I did notice a reduction in fine lines after using it consistently for four weeks. Not a miracle, but definitely a noticeable improvement.

The Verdict

So, does The Inkey List’s Lip Plumping Balm live up to its lip plumping promise? Well, it all boils down to expectations. If you’re seeking an overnight transformation or the same effect you get from fillers, you will be disappointed. But if you’re patient and consistent, this balm could be your ticket to plumper lips. It won’t work like magic, but hey, gradual progress is still progress, right?

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