A couple of years ago, I didn’t perceive lip masks as anything more than unnecessarily fancy lip balm. However, fast forward to the present day, and I consider it an essential part of my nightly skincare routine. Waking up with plump lips gives me a significant boost of confidence. “They’re designed to provide your lips with an extra dose of moisture to combat dry and cracked lips, resulting in plump, hydrated lips,” explained dermatologist Kavita Mariwalla, M.D. previously to Shape.
Like any skincare category, lip masks can include a wide range of ingredients… and some are more effective than others. Below we compare the incredibly popular $24 Laneige Lip Sleeping Mask with an affordable favorite on Amazon, the $7 W7 Sweet Dreams Overnight Lip Mask, to help you decide whether to save or splurge.
Save: W7 Sweet Dreams Overnight Lip Mask
Purchase It: $7, amazon.com
Key Features:
Primary Ingredient: Aloe vera accomplishes much more than soothing sunburns; it also delicately exfoliates and moisturizes the skin, leaving lips plumper and softer.
Other Ingredients: Grapeseed oil counteracts free radicals with potent antioxidants while hydrating the skin. Meanwhile, vitamin E seals in moisture and repairs dry lips’ cracks.
Ideal for: Using both at night and during the day to maintain healthy and moisturized lips.
What We Admire:
This smooth mixture feels lightweight on lips, and according to Amazon customers, provides the softening and moisturizing effect it guarantees. “I apply it before going to sleep and it maintains my lips hydrated all day,” wrote one reviewer, adding that it “smells fantastic as well.” Another supporter agreed that it mended their cracked lips and left them feeling “extremely smooth.” The components are minimal but remarkably efficient, and the price point truly cannot be surpassed.
Remember:
This mask is fragrant, which might be bothersome for sensitive skin types.
Invest in: Laneige Lip Sleeping Mask
Buy It: $24, amazon.com
Key Characteristics:
Main Ingredient: Shea butter moisturizes, plumps, and calms dry lips while minimizing damage caused by free radicals.
Other Ingredients: Murumuru butter captures moisture and reduces inflammation, and vitamin C eradicates sun damage while increasing collagen production.
Best for: Overnight application on dry, chapped, and maturing lips.
What We Admire
This deeply hydrating formula gained immense popularity a few years ago, and with nearly 24,000 outstanding Amazon ratings and endorsements from celebrities like Drew Barrymore and Kendall Jenner, it continues to be a beauty essential. Similar to other high-quality masks on the market, it contains moisturizing, soothing emollients that lock in moisture on your lips overnight. However, the inclusion of vitamin C provides additional anti-aging advantages that have transformed customers into fervent followers.
It ‘plumps my lips up’ and ‘makes them look younger,’ wrote a 61-year-old reviewer. ‘I awaken with fuller smoother lips’ and the impact endures ‘for hours,’ exclaimed another enthusiast.
Bear in Mind:
Every container is merely 0.7 ounces, which may not be financially practical for many budgets.
In Summary:
The Laneige Lip Sleeping Mask lives up to all the hype. Not only do I fervently use it, but my sibling and parent as well; besides its plumping impacts, it provides a luxurious sensation and fragrance. Nevertheless, the W7 Sweet Dreams Overnight Lip Mask ultimately offers the same service: The constituents supply deep, enduring moisturization, and the packaging, creamy consistency, and aroma create the illusion of a more extravagant product than the lip balm hidden at the base of your handbag.
Appreciate your input!