This $9 Plumping Balm Is ‘Just as Good as High-End Glosses’ & ‘Lasts for a Long Time on the Lips Without Fading'

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Plumping glosses often promise fuller lips without the burn, but too often the “gentle” upgrades from luxury brands come with their own sting — the one on your credit card statement. That’s why shoppers are raving about Milani Keep It Full Glossy Plumping Balm in Ribbon, a $10 plumping, tinted lip balm that skips both kinds of pain. As one fan put it, it’s “just as good as high-end glosses.”

The shade getting the most attention is Ribbon, a sheer rosy pink with just enough tint to wear solo. One reviewer called it “very moisturizing and the color was just the right amount,” noting it made her lips feel both shiny and full. Another said, “I like the sheer rosy color, and it definitely makes my lips look more plump and more hydrated than before. In fact, its plumping effect starts working right away.”

That instant payoff isn’t coming from nowhere. The pink tinted lip balm is formulated with Maxi-Lip, a peptide blend that helps lips look fuller, plus conditioning oils like apricot and pomegranate to keep dryness at bay. As one shopper summed it up: “It moisturises well and keeps the crusties away… I don’t have to constantly reapply it over and over again throughout the day.”

Even texture skeptics are impressed with the affordable plumping lip balm. Despite being a twist-up stick, reviewers say it applies smoothly without mess, leaving a glossy finish with the cushy feel of a balm. “Very glossy, but also has a thicker balm feeling that feels more nourishing,” one wrote. Another praised how it “lasts for a long time on the lips without fading.”

Comfort is another recurring theme. Instead of the usual lip-plumping sting, the Ribbon shade gives what shoppers describe as a “very pleasant tingling sensation” that makes lips feel soothed, not scorched. And unlike thinner glosses that disappear within an hour, this one’s blend of mango seed butter and Kalahari melon oil delivers all-day hydration.

Plenty of fans say they’ve been converted from luxury counters at department stores. “Beautiful long wearing gloss! I normally don’t buy drugstore cosmetics but I was very pleasantly surprised… definitely one I will buy again!”

Bottom line? If you’ve written off plumpers for being more painful than pretty, Milani’s Keep It Full Glossy Plumping Balm in Ribbon may just change your tune — and your lips.

Read more for iconic 90s lipstick shades you can buy today.