How to Make Lips Plumper (Cinnamon Method)

Co-authored by Lorena Barcal and Amber Crain

Last Updated: September 30, 2022 References

Most people would love to have soft, plump lips. Everyone loves a gorgeous, youthful pout! Unfortunately, most assume that the only way to achieve this look is artificially, with plastic surgery or injections. However, these procedures are expensive and risky, and the end result is not always what we expected. Cinnamon is an inexpensive natural alternative. It can be used to create home lip care products that moisturize, exfoliate, and plump, all at the same time!

Method 1

Method 1 of 2:

Plumping Lips with Ground Cinnamon

1
Start clean. Wash your entire face and scrub your hands well, since you’ll be using your fingers during this process. If you’re wearing any lipstick or lip gloss, remove it before proceeding. You want to begin with completely clean lips. Take a damp washcloth and rub it gently over your lips, going back and forth over them several times. This will remove any dead skin cells.^{[1]
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Expert Source

Lorena Barcal
Clinical Herbalist & Clean Beauty Specialist
Expert Interview. 28 June 2020.}
2
Apply a lubricant. You can use Vaseline, Aquaphor, or even your favorite lip balm for this. Apply a thin layer on your lips, making sure to get full coverage. Stay within the lines of your lip during application. Doing this will protect your lips from over exfoliation and give your lips a dose of moisture before applying the ground cinnamon.

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3
Create your mixture. Take a clean bowl and mix half a teaspoon of ground cinnamon with a pea sized dollop of Vaseline until you have a paste. Load some of the paste onto your clean finger. You can also use a soft-bristled toothbrush, if you’d prefer.
- You can use cinnamon sticks, if that’s all you happen to have in your kitchen - just make sure to crush them first. You don’t have to pulverize the sticks into a powder – the consistency of sea salt or table salt will do the trick.
- A modification to this method that will provide additional exfoliation is adding salt to the mixture. Take a clean bowl and mix half a teaspoon of ground cinnamon with a half a teaspoon of salt. Then add a tablespoon of Vaseline and mix well.^{[2]
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  Research source} Proceed with the remaining steps of this method (there are no other changes to the process).
4
Apply your mixture. Using your finger (or soft-bristled toothbrush), coat the entirety of your lips with the mixture. Once your lips are fully coated, press your finger (or soft-bristled toothbrush) softly to your lips and rub gently with small circular motions all over both the top and bottom lips for 30 to 40 seconds.
- You’ll feel a slight tingling sensation, which is normal. Cinnamon mildly irritates the skin on your lips, causing them to redden and swell slightly.^{[3]
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  Expert Source
  
  Lorena Barcal
  Clinical Herbalist & Clean Beauty Specialist
  Expert Interview. 28 June 2020.}^{[4]
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  Research source}
- Take care not to swallow any of the cinnamon because it can irritate your throat.
5
Let the mixture sit. You’ll want to leave the mixture on your lips for approximately 3 to 5 minutes. After the time is up, use a damp washcloth to gently wipe the mixture completely off your lips. You’ll notice that your lips now appear rosy, fresh and plump.
- Do not leave the ground cinnamon mixture on your lips longer than a few minutes. The plumping effect happens within this time frame. Leaving the mixture on longer than a few minutes or overnight does not increase the plumping effect and increases the likelihood of swallowing and over-irritation.
6
Apply lip balm.^{[5]
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Research source} You can use a plain lip balm or even a tinted lip balm, if you’d prefer that. Vaseline or Aquaphor will also work for this. Make sure you don’t skip this step – your freshly plumped lips need the moisture after going through this process, and moisturized lips look even lusher!

Method 2

Method 2 of 2:

Plumping Lips with Cinnamon Leaf Oil

1
Start clean. Wash your entire face and scrub your hands well, since you’ll be using your fingers during this process. If you’re wearing any lipstick or lip gloss, remove it before proceeding. You want to begin with completely clean lips. Take a damp washcloth and rub it gently over your lips, going back and forth over them several times. This will remove any dead skin cells.
2
Create your mixture. Scoop one tablespoon of Vaseline into a small container. Mix in two drops of cinnamon leaf essential oil (if you aren’t familiar with essential oils, you can buy them in most grocery stores on the health and wellness aisle). Make sure you are using cinnamon leaf oil, not cinnamon bark oil. Mixing with a toothpick is a handy trick.
- Cinnamon oil is a natural product and doesn’t generally cause any side effects to the skin. However, if your skin is very sensitive, or you are pregnant or nursing, it is suggested that you consult a physician before trying this method.
- Cinnamon oil, when applied to the lips, can also reduce anxiety associated with motion sickness while traveling. Another bonus – it freshens your breath
3
Apply your mixture. Rub it gently on your lips for 2 to 3 minutes, and then allow it to sit on your lips. You’ll feel a slight tingling sensation, which is completely normal. The cinnamon mildly irritates the skin on your lips, causing them to redden and swell slightly, producing that tingly feeling.^{[6]
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Research source}
- If you feel a burning, uncomfortable sensation rather than a tingling one, remove the mixture completely from your lips and start over, creating the mixture with 1 drop of cinnamon leaf oil rather than 2.^{[7]
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4
Wear the mixture as a lip gloss. After a few more minutes pass with the mixture on your lips, you’ll notice your lips slowly start to plump and redden slightly, creating a very natural looking pout. This effect will last several hours. Once the effect wears off, you can reapply your mixture as needed, using it just like a lip gloss.

Expert Q&A

Question

How does cinnamon make your lips plump?

Lorena Barcal
Clinical Herbalist & Clean Beauty Specialist
Lorena Barcal is a Clinical Herbalist, Clean Beauty Specialist, and Writer for IslandBeauty.co, a blog dedicated to sharing the benefits of using all-natural beauty products and recipes created by herbalists. Lorena specializes in studying and developing natural alternatives for beauty products. After finishing her herbal studies, Lorena managed an herbal lab in Barcelona developing natural beauty products. As a writer for IslandBeauty.co, she shares knowledge and insights to promote the natural beauty industry.

Lorena Barcal

Clinical Herbalist & Clean Beauty Specialist

Expert Answer

Cinnamon irritates your mucus membrane and increases blood circulation, which makes your lips look fuller. Because of this, it would be a great ingredient in a natural lip scrub.
Question

How long do the effects of Method 1 last?

Community Answer

If you mean plumping, it lasts a few hours. It's not permanent.
Question

What if I use this method daily?

Community Answer

You may have an adverse reaction.