I'm not really sure what inspired me to purchase this. I don't tend to have need for lip plumpers (a decent lippie formula provides enough moisture to even out any lines), and I'm not really a gloss girl. But still, upon returning my Chanel and Armani lip glosses to Nordstrom (last July, as in 2013. Because I am super behind.) and being asked if I wanted to pick up something else instead, I asked for this, the Dior Addict Lip Maximizer High Volume Lip Plumper. Which is an utterly absurd name, and shall henceforth be referred to as "it" or "this".
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| Pretty! That brown in the background is the ruins of the Acropolis at Pergamon, where I discovered that it is a very bad idea to wear lip gloss in a dusty place on a windy day. |
I don't see much of a difference when I use this. I sometimes apply it to my bare lips before putting on my makeup, then blot off the excess before applying my lippie for the day, but I can't say it makes my lips that much more plump or lush; the effect seems similar to any decently moisturizing gloss, but without the moisture––I find that wearing this over the course of the day leads to drier lips than I started with, which is puzzling, given the hyaluronic acid. Perhaps the peppermint, while fun and tingly, is enough to desiccate my lips when repeatedly worn. Pretty much every other review of this that I've read raves about its plumping and moisturizing action, but it's not like this is the first time a lippie formula has misbehaved on my apparently-persnickety kissers. The little bits of pink shimmer are barely noticeable but do help add some dimension, and the texture, while not non-sticky, is comfortable and decently long-wearing–-I can tell I have it on for 1-2 hours after applying.
Unlike some of my other high-end lippies (by which I mean, most of my other high-end lippies), this one requires no mirror to apply and no worrying about uneven fading. The packaging is lovely, and I feel fancy whenever I apply it, but there's many other products that could achieve a similar effect for less money. While I will use it up (I'm down to the last 1/4!), I shan't be repurchasing––Dior's Addict glosses are more moisturizing, slightly cheaper, and come in a lovely variety of pretty colors. As much as I would like to have a pretty plumper, I've yet to find one that actually differs noticeably from simply moisturizing products, so I should probably just stick to those!
I should note, though, that they recommend wearing it all day every day for 15 days for lips that "look noticeably fuller and more defined"; I was not willing to do that, as it would make my lips very dry, not to mention how am I supposed to wear the same lippie for two weeks?!. Perhaps had I worn it as advised, I would have plush lips, but...I guess we'll never know!
$32.00 for 0.20 oz, available from Sephora and department stores
Have you tried this? Do you have a favorite lip plumper?
I should note, though, that they recommend wearing it all day every day for 15 days for lips that "look noticeably fuller and more defined"; I was not willing to do that, as it would make my lips very dry, not to mention how am I supposed to wear the same lippie for two weeks?!. Perhaps had I worn it as advised, I would have plush lips, but...I guess we'll never know!
$32.00 for 0.20 oz, available from Sephora and department stores
Have you tried this? Do you have a favorite lip plumper?
