'Can hyaluronic acid really give you fuller lips? I put it to the test.'

Mamamia’s Tried and Tested series is your review of the latest to hit our desks in beauty, health and wellbeing. You won’t find any #sponsored content here, just honest, relatable and independent advice. This week, Mamamia's Beauty Editor trials the hyaluronic acid lips hack. 

There’s been a sneaky little rumour floating around about hyaluronic acid — and everyone's talking about it. Nah, nothing bad, promise. Hyaluronic acid is just fine, thanks.

It’s actually to do with your lips. Because apparently the ingredient is an incredibly easy solution to fuller-looking lips — and honestly why are we just finding this out now?!

The best part? You probably already have it in your skincare cabinet.

We love it when that happens!

Watch: You know what else I've tried before? Lube. On my face. Post continues below.

So, what exactly does the 'hyaluronic acid lips' beauty trend involve?

Allow me to explain.

What is the hyaluronic acid lip hack?

The hyaluronic acid lip hack involves using (you guessed it) hyaluronic acid on your lips, usually in the form of a topical serum. Just search 'hyaluronic acid lips' on TikTok and you'll come across about 70 million clips of people using hyaluronic acid serum on their lips, before sealing it all in with Vaseline. Curious? 

If you're not across what hyaluronic acid serum actually... is... (don't worry, we're not all scientists around here!) it's an ingredient used in skincare that basically works to draw moisture into the skin, holding it there and keeping your skin feeling supple and soft. 

Meaning? It's a very good time for your lips, especially if you deal with lines and wrinkles.

As we age, of course, our lips (along with the skin on our face) start to lose volume. Thanks to a decrease in collagen production, hyaluronic acid and elastin, they may also appear thinner. In fact, because you don't have oil glands around your lips to help fight against fine lines and dryness, your lips are usually the first part of your face to start showing signs of ageing. Hooray!

Enter: hyaluronic acid for lips.

While hyaluronic acid injections are a popular procedure to make your lips plumper and more voluminous, apparently using the ingredient in a topical treatment can also create the appearance of fuller lips, reduce lines and improve the overall appearance of your lips. 

And it's not just TikTok and the internet touting the hack — science said it works too! Yes, really. In fact, a recent study showed that people who used a lip product containing hyaluronic acid and peptides actually increased their lip area after one week of consistent use. Huge!

Does hyaluronic acid really make your lips look fuller?

While there are tons of lip balms and lip product on the market containing hyaluronic acid serum (as we mentioned, it's the holy grail ingredient when it comes to moisturised, plump lips), I tried applying a topical hyaluronic acid serum straight to my dry lips to see if it had any immediate impact.

I used The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5 (it's a re-formulated version of the OG you can grab it at Myer!) and applied a few drops to my perpetually dry, thin lips. I also applied Vaseline over the top afterwards, to lock it all in.

Here's what they looked like before and after using the hyaluronic acid serum.

Image: Before and after using hyaluronic acid serum.

The verdict.

Look, my lips are still as thin as shoelaces, but you gotta admit — there's a bit of a difference! I think my lips look more hydrated, fuller and overall... better. They also felt really moisturised and comfortable, especially after sealing it in with Vaseline.

Keep in mind, this is just one application — and with time, you're supposed to see a bigger improvement. (Apparently it takes at least a week).

Compared to more invasive options like fillers or hyaluronic acid injectables, using a topical form of hyaluronic acid on your lips is obviously a more affordable option of plumping and adding volume, and it leaves lips feeling soft and hydrated. 

As I mentioned before, there are a heap of great lip products on the market touting hyaluronic acid as the star ingredient — there's no shortage of amazing lip balm formulas, lip oils and lip plumping formulas. So, you don't necessarily have to carry around a bottle of serum all day.

With that said, it's definitely something I'm going to incorporate in my skincare routine — I'm going to start bringing my serum over my lips instead of avoiding them. Heck, if science says there's an extra bit of lip area I can snap up, I'm in!

Would you try the hyaluronic acid lip hack? Share your thoughts with us in the comment section below.

Feature image: Supplied.