What’s the Point of Plumping Our Skin?
When it comes to skincare, there are certain words that we regularly use to indicate positive results.
From “bright,” to “bouncy,” to “plump” — we know all of these words mean our skin looks beautiful and youthful — but what exactly does each word mean?
Better yet, how do we get our skin to be bright, bouncy, and plump?
You probably know that the plumper our skin is, the more youthful it appears (and if you didn’t know that, now you do!)
You may also have noticed that when our skin isn’t as plump, we may look older or more tired.
But, do you know why plumpness contributes to a younger appearance? Do you know if there’s a way to prevent loss of plumpness that comes with age? Better yet, do you know how to get plump skin without turning to injectables or plastic surgery?
I’m going to answer those questions and more in this blog post!
What Exactly Is Plumping?
Chances are, it’s not often that you hear the word “plump” and wish it was used to describe your appearance.
When I think of the word “plump,” I think of ripe peaches or my little boy’s chubby ‘lil cheeks.
But, believe it or not, you actually do want “plump” to describe you — your skin, that is.
When our skin is plump, it’s not saggy or tired-looking and our fine lines and wrinkles are filled in.
It’s not that we want to look like a chubby-cheeked toddler, but we do want our skin to have similar qualities to a toddler’s!
The plumper your skin, the more you’ll appear young, refreshed, and like you got your 8 hours of sleep last night — even if you didn’t.
Unfortunately, as we age, our skin loses that plumpness, which can give the opposite effect.
You may get 10 hours of sleep, but you may still look tired.
Our skin naturally loses elasticity and starts using more collagen than it can produce as we age.
In fact, our bodies generally start working in a collagen deficit (meaning we use more collagen than we produce) at the ripe young age of 25!
This leaves our skin looking more tired and sagging — even if we’re sleeping enough.
How Do You Achieve Plump Skin?
Lucky for you (and for me), there are plenty of ways to combat sagging skin, and many are simple!
In fact, many methods or tips to achieve plumper skin can be done at home, so let’s start with those!
If you’ve read my blog before, you know I’m all about tackling skincare problems from the inside first, and plumpness is no different.
As I mentioned above, the decrease in the production of collagen as we get older contributes to the appearance of aging.
So, what to do? Eat more collagen-boosting goodness!
Certain foods are said to boost your body’s collagen production: think superfoods like dark leafy greens (hello, kale!), fatty fish like salmon, avocado, garlic, carrots, and eggs.
You can also simply purchase a collagen supplement or a collagen powder to mix into your morning smoothie – just do extra research and make sure to speak to your doctor first.
Once you’ve stocked your fridge up with whole food goodness, let’s talk about facial massages.
Jennifer Aniston, Gwyneth Paltrow, and Anna Wintour swear by facial masseuse Georgia Louise.
But, it’s not always realistic for all of us to spend the time (and money) on a professional massage, so let’s talk about DIY-ing it!
By massaging your face using your fingers or a quartz roller, you can naturally stimulate your facial muscle tissue.
This stimulation can plump your skin, refine your pores, and tighten your face — I like to think of it as a natural facelift.
If you’ve never massaged yourself before, you’re in for a treat.
Distribute your favourite serum or moisturiser into your hands, warm it up, then sit back, relax, and gently roll your face using upward motions.
You deserve to chill — and getting the beauty boost is just an added benefit!
Another at-home plumpness tip? A DIY collagen-boosting facial.
The best part is that many of them only need one or two ingredients that you already have in your pantry, like the egg white and lemon juice “quickie facelift.”
Of course, you don’t have to DIY a collagen-boosting topical solution.
There are tons of anti-aging, plumping products available for purchase at your favourite skincare store.
I also love this Two-Step Anti-Wrinkle Polish and Plump Peel. It gives me the effects of an in-spa treatment like microdermabrasion and a chemical peel in the comfort of my own home — not to mention much more affordably!
But if you’re not interested in at-home plumping treatments, many women turn to the professionals.
Another celebrity-approved anti-aging expert is Joanna Vargas, who gives treatments such as her “Forever Facial” for $400-600.
Other women turn to injectables or plastic surgery to keep their skin plumped up.
From Botox to cheek fillers to lip fillers (which we’ll talk more about later), many women find that with the right doctor and the right amount of injections, they can maintain a younger appearance without feeling like they’ve lost their natural look.
The key is being patient, finding the right doctor, and not overdoing it.
I’ve heard that women have pressured their doctor into giving them an extra injection because they weren’t happy with the results, and the results came out less than stellar.
How Do You Achieve Plump Lips?
Even if you’re not quite worried about plumping your skin at this point in your life, you may have thought about plumping your lips.
Part of the reason for this may be because more celebrities these days seem to be going for a plumper pout by getting subtle (or not so subtle) lip fillers.
If you’re not interested in lip injections, you can also try a store-bought lip plumper product.
If you’ve never tried one before, I’ll give you a heads up: they tingle!
Most of the lip plumpers work by involving ingredients that cause blood circulation on your lips (and maybe even a small allergic reaction) such as cinnamon and wintergreen.
It’s certainly not a long-term solution, but if you want a short-term solution for plumper lips, lip plumpers are certainly an option!
If you’re looking for a less tingly/stinging sensation, I’d recommend this lip plumper from Aminogenesis. It incorporates collagen in the formula so that your lips will (hopefully) look plumper with continued use.
Other lip plumpers, like this one by GM Collin, are made with tiny dehydrated spheres that get absorbed by your lips and result in an instant and long-term plumping effect.
Another simple but effective option?
Keeping your lips hydrated!