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Plastic surgery is no longer an uncommon ritual reserved for the rich and famous—it’s alive and well all across America. Even if you don’t live in a city like Los Angeles that’s hyper-focused on appearance, odds are you or someone you know has been indulging in Botox and/or fillers. Sure, that’s not the only way to take care of your face and fight back against the aging process – there’s plenty of other more specialized facial treatments like infrared light, gua sha, microdermabrasion, chemical peels… the list goes on. But injectables are the quickest, and most effective way, to get results.
Still, those results have an air of permanence that’s hard for some of us anxious-avoidant types to commit to, and that leaves a gap in the market. Into that gap steps Ourself, a skincare company that’s best known for their semi-permanent lip filler. It comes in an applicator that’s not unlike a lip gloss or chapstick, and uses common skincare ingredients like Hyaluronic Acid to plump up the lips subtopically, or from several layers below the surface. Incredibly, as skeptical as I was when I first encountered it, this product actually works.
We like
- Visual plumping, smoothing and brighter lip color in 10 minutes or less
- Plumpness can be built over time with frequent, consistent use
- Conditioner helps moisturize the lips and is a great gloss on its own
- Sleek applicator that’s easy to carry in a purse or makeup bag
- If you stop using the product, there’s not really any permanent change
We don't like
- Slight tingling sensation reported as unpleasant for some users
- High price point for semi-permanent results
Seeing Is Believing
Like I said, I have nothing against anyone who wants to get any kind of work done, and most of my friends do, I’m just not ready yet! I have trouble committing in general, but I’m confident I’m not alone in this. Plenty of other people are in the same spot with injectables, but for an additional reason—the cost. So when I encountered Ourself at a day spa event with the option to try the Lip Filler then and there, I went for it. All you do is pop the cap off the applicator, click the button, and spread a thin layer of the filler all over your lips. You’ll feel the tingle almost instantly. Follow it with a layer of their Lip Conditioner to keep your lips hydrated and glossy.
I saw my lips start to plump within two to three minutes, but the full effect is probably the most visible at 10-15 minutes. Even before volume, you’ll notice a brighter pink to your lips as the first indication the product is working. Sometimes this extends to the skin right around my lips upon first application, especially if I haven’t used the product in a while, but it usually fades quickly. I did have one friend have a very negative reaction to what I felt as a tingle, it was a much stronger sensation for her, but again, it faded quickly. And I’m guessing it’s still far less painful than injections? The product also smooths out wrinkles and lines in your lips, leaving them softer and smoother all over.
Skincare Science, Hacked
The reason this product is so effective is that it’s based in biotech research and compounds that we already know work to restore fullness, like Hyaluronic Acid, an ingredient that’s basically a synonym for plump at this point. Backed by Glo Pharma, who cite both their subtopical delivery system—which targets below topical, or the initial layer of skin—and intelligent peptides, or Intides as they call them, for the product’s fast-acting, extremely effective results.
Immediately I thought this product would be perfect for special occasions and big events, when I want to feel a little extra oomph. It’s also been great for dates, high-stress work events, and days when I don’t feel like putting on makeup but could use a little something extra. There’s also a layering aspect at play—the more you apply it, the more the plumpness tends to build. Reading through the extensive, overwhelmingly positive (bordering on worshipful) reviews on the site, it’s clear that the lip filler is also a godsend for older women, who are losing fullness in their lips with age, and want to return to a fullness that feels more familiar.
We like
We don't like
Let’s Talk Numbers
So let’s get deeper into the details—pricing. A syringeful of filler at my favorite medspa, The Things We Do (if you live in LA it’s at The Row, and they’re amazing – I recommend the Microinfusion treatment before a big event) runs between $650-$1200. The Lip Filler pen, on the other hand, is $145 for the applicator and two cartridges of 1.7 mL of filler, one inside the pen and one refill. How long these last you will depend on usage, but even using the pen multiple times a day, I only ran through the first cartridge in about 6 weeks. My second one is still in there and it’s been about two months.
Once you have an applicator the price drops a bit: it’s $125 for a one-time purchase of two refill cartridges, with varying discounts if you sign up for autoship every three, six, or twelve weeks. Clearly, the brand thinks customers will get best results if they use the product consistently, so an incentive toward that kind of usage is built into the price. The conditioner is also all but essential to use with the filler, as the product does try out your lips. You can get the filler and the clear conditioner as a duo pack for $180 or the conditioner on its own for $45.
The conditioner, which is like a gloss, except it contains ingredients like Vitamin E, also comes in two other colors—berry, a deep burgundy, or sunset, a sparkly peach. Even if you’re not into filler, it’s one of the best lip glosses I’ve ever used because of how hydrating it is, while adding shine. Definitely worth the higher price point because it’s putting moisture back in, not drying your lips out.
And even if you’re splurging every order for a gloss and a two-pack of filler, the Ourself kit will last three or four times as long as one installment of injectables, and it requires zero downtime and a much more natural–looking process. Using the Ourself filler to slowly but surely restore or increase volume in your lips is a sustainable way to build a new look, and even if you already have injectables, it’s a great way to help maintain or stretch them out.
Using this product definitely helped me see why people love injectables. If anything, using this made me less afraid to get into the realm of filler and/or Botox because it made the results so accessible. It was more than just an aesthetic shift, it was a boost to my mood and how I felt about myself. That little extra lift was a nice change after a few years in the pandemic left me sick of all my usual makeup and skincare routines. There’s also something ritualistic about applying the filler and the gloss, it becomes part of the getting ready process, and the results are so instant it’s a very gratifying routine.
Get a taste of “unjectables” with the Ourself lip filler here (and don’t skip the lip conditioner).
