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Microcurrent For Lips? A Golden Ticket For Needle-Free Plumping

Hannah Frye
Author:
March 19, 2024
Hannah Frye
Beauty & Health Editor
By Hannah Frye
Beauty & Health Editor
Hannah Frye is the Beauty & Health Editor at mindbodygreen. She has a B.S. in journalism and a minor in women’s, gender, and queer studies from California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo. Hannah has written across lifestyle sections including beauty, women’s health, mental health, sustainability, social media trends, and more. She previously worked for Almost 30, a top-rated health and wellness podcast. In her current role, Hannah reports on the latest beauty trends and innovations, women’s health research, brain health news, and plenty more.
full lips
Image by Liliya Rodnikova Kazakhstan / Stocksy
March 19, 2024
We carefully vet all products and services featured on mindbodygreen using our commerce guidelines. Our selections are never influenced by the commissions earned from our links.

Believe it or not, burning lip gloss isn't the only noninvasive path to plumper lips. In fact, there's an abundance of options to try, from nourishing lip balms to overnight masks to contouring liners and beyond. Most recently, I learned about a unique, device-driven hack that might just take the cake for the most effective method. 

Below, how to use microcurrent for a plumper pout and the must-know safety precautions. 

Real quick: What does microcurrent do for the skin?

If you're new to microcurrent devices, let me give you a brief introduction before diving into the lip-related perks. 

To be concise, microcurrent tools work to support a lifted, contoured appearance by sending low (micro) currents to the muscles under the skin. You can think of it like a workout for your face. 

This helps support facial aging because wrinkles and sagging aren't just skin-deep. These signs of aging also show up through muscle fatigue as the years pass. When those muscles begin to sag, so does the skin on top of it. So by building up your facial muscles with microcurrent, you'll help to lift and tone the face from beneath the surface

Why microcurrent can help revive aging lips

As a reminder, yes, you have muscles around the lips too. The orbicularis oris, as it's formally called, is an oval-shaped muscle outlining the lips themselves, which helps support movements like puckering, smiling, and frowning. As this muscle (plus those surrounding it) begins to droop with age naturally, you may notice more lines on and around the lips and less volume overall. 

For this reason, strengthening that muscle via microcurrent is an approach worth considering. 

Esthetician and founder of microcurrent brand ZIIP Melanie Simon gave me the breakdown as she rolled out the new ZIIP Lips treatment housed on the device's app. What's unique about this device, and especially the app-guided routines, is that it offers nanocurrents that are gentle enough to use on the lips, even though the skin is quite sensitive. 

"​​The waveform is a vasodilator," Simon says about the ZIIP Lips nanocurrent. "It's a sine wave, which is really good at bringing in volume, but it also brings a ton of blood flow… You can actually feel the blood flowing into your lips and your skin, especially if you hold it still."

Here's the tricky part: Not every microcurrent device is suitable for use on the lips because many of them are too powerful. I'm speaking from experience here as a beauty editor: I've tested numerous microcurrent devices and found that some are so intense they can irritate thicker skin on the cheeks. So unless specifically instructed, it's best to avoid using them on the delicate skin of the lips.

ZIIP

HALO

$399
Ziip Halo

In fact, some brands have created separate devices designed for this delicate area, like the NuFace Lip Flick or the FOREO Bear 2 for eyes and lips. 

But if you'd rather use one device for your full microcurrent routine, you'll find success with the ZIIP HALO's versatility. With this single item, you gain access to a plethora of facial treatments, including the lip routine, all conveniently available in the app. If you're contemplating investing in a microcurrent tool, this one proves to be a worthy choice.

A sneak peek at the ZIIP Lips treatment

The entire ZIIP Lips treatment lasts two minutes and can be done twice a day. As you'll see in the app, you'll need to apply conductive gel to the skin around the lips (focusing on that oval-shaped muscle we touched on earlier) and on the lips themselves. 

By gliding the ZIIP Halo around the lips, you'll notice them begin to plump with your natural flushed lip tone—an underrated perk for those with paler lips. While the immediate plumping is great, much of the magic here lies in prevention. Continuously using the microcurrent device to support these lip-adjacent muscles may result in fuller, perkier lips for the long haul. Plus, regular microcurrent treatment can help address smile lines, should that be an area of concern for you.

So whether it's the ZIIP Halo or another lip device from adored brands like NuFace and FOREO, making your lips a part of your microcurrent routine will help support a plumper pout now and in the future without a painful sensation.

Editor's note

It's undeniable that deflated lips are a common concern that comes with aging. Still, it's important to remember that aging is not only normal but a privilege—sagging lips and all. When you can support fuller lips while contributing to your skin's health, it's a win-win—but don't get down on yourself for the completely natural process that is skin and facial aging.

The takeaway

Incorporating lip-focused microcurrent treatments into your beauty routine can help you achieve a plumper, more youthful pout without stinging lip gloss or filler. You'll just want to find a microcurrent device designed for use on the lips rather than using any device on this delicate area. By doing so, you'll support stronger muscles around the lips and even help target fine lines around the mouth. Here, a full guide to microcurrent devices if you want to dive deeper into the science.

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