I Tried This $3 Mask & My Lips Are Plumper Than Ever

I've toyed with the idea of lip fillers, but I've never pulled the trigger. Instead, I've spent an embarrassing amount of money on pricey lip products that promise to soften and plump yet rarely live up to the hype. 

Then I found Patchology's FlashPatch Lip Renewal Gels. I snagged a pack for a self-care night with friends (more for fun than anything else)—and I was shocked by the results. These five-minute miracle workers rejuvenated my perpetually chapped lips and left them way plumper than before.

Starting in my late 20s, I noticed my lips were significantly less full. I know lips lose volume with age—and some people aren't bothered by it at all—but I personally found it incredibly frustrating.

In my quest for a fuller pout, I found that I truly hate the feeling of dry lips. Of course, this presented an issue since many lip-plumping products are inherently drying.

Patchology's lip gels genuinely surprised me with their results. They're made with peptides to soften fine lines and wrinkles, green tea extract to soothe, and niacinamide to restore moisture—and they seriously made my lips feel like silk.

The first thing I noticed about the patches was the amount of product in each mask. Each mask is drenched in serum, and there's even residual serum leftover in the packet.

Just five minutes later I removed the mask and massaged in the excess serum, noticing immediately that my lips felt soothed, soft, and supple. My smile had life again!

What seriously shocked me, though, is that the moisture was locked into my lips for over a week after using the mask. Since then, I've been applying these patches every couple of weeks or anytime I feel I need an extra boost, like after a plane ride.