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3 Reasons Why You Need to Treat Your Pout With a Skin Booster Beyond Lip Balm

Well+Good Editors

June 24, 2018

Despite the number of kiss-face selfies currently taking up gigabytes on your phone, you're likely not treating your lips to skin-care perks beyond the usual lip balm swipe.

But do you actually need to add a pout-specific product to your already full-to-bursting beauty cabinet? According to Tammy Yaiser, vice president of product development at Algenist, the answer is yes (and it might even help you end your never-ending relationship with lip balm).

Enter: GENIUS Liquid Collagen™ Lip, which is basically a one-step restorative makeover for your mouth area. "Algenist went beyond simply addressing chapped lips and developed a collagen treatment product that delivers fuller, smoother, younger looking lips in 10 days," Yaiser says.

To find out firsthand whether the lip-centric benefits were too good to be true, we tapped wellness blogger and holistic nutritionist Bianca Klotsman to give us the scoop after using the vegan formula for 10 days.

Keep reading for her full review—plus the 3 major benefits of the pout-enhancing formula.

Chapped lips (and lipstick) are no longer a worry

Pre-Algenist trial, Klotsman's go-to lip product was her own creation. "I keep a homemade lip scrub handy for when they need a little exfoliation," Klotsman says, mixing coconut sugar, coconut oil, raw honey, and a few drops of vanilla for the DIY pout polish.

After nearly two weeks of incorporating the GENIUS Liquid Collagen Lip treatment into her morning regimen, her lips became way softer than after using her homemade scrub. “My lips definitely felt smoother, almost like velvet,” she says. "Applying any sort of balm or lip color was seamless."

Extra bonus: The clear serum enhanced her lips' natural tint by acting as a stimulant. "I noticed that my lips maintained a rosy color and that tinted lip balms were not necessary," she says. "They almost looked like I was wearing a sheer lip color after applying chapstick or nothing at all." Au natural FTW.

Makes lips visibly fuller (for longer)

A natural side effect of supremely hydrated lips—thanks to the collagen-packed treatment—is your pout becomes visibly fuller. "The vegan formula helps fill in fine lines and wrinkles on and around the lips for more fuller, smoother lips," Yaiser says.

Youth-boosting Alguronic Acid (sourced from sustainably produced algae), omega-rich Microalgae Oil beads, and botanical lip enhancers are the dream team that smooths and naturally boosts lip definition (AKA plumpness without fillers).

Algenist opts for plant-based lip enhancers and avoids common irritants found in traditional plumping products so you won't feel the usual sting or burn. Instead when you apply the serum twice daily, you’ll feel a very slight tingle as the ingredients work.

As for the results? “[My lips] maintained a plump look and gave me a little pout. All of these results came after using the product for about a week in the a.m. and p.m.," Klotsman says. In other words, you're one step closer to becoming your lip idol (Priyanka Chopra, FYI).

It works its magic while you sleep

Although you can swipe the golden balm over your lips in the a.m. under gloss or lipstick, you'll want to stash the applicator bedside for the impressive as-you-sleep results. “The collagen locks in throughout the night allowing more supple looking lips and preparing lips for any gloss or lipstick application in the morning," Yaiser says. "It is your critical treatment step for your lips."

Consider it your secret weapon for days you want to sport perfectly soft, flush lips (uh, Monday through Sunday). “I will definitely use it when I have an event or photo shoot coming up,” Klotsman says. Viva la overnight pout.