Plump It Up: The Perfect Pout :

Everyone has a weakness, an obsession, something you can't get enough of. For me, it's lip gloss. I have at least 20 tubes in my makeup collection at all times. I carry three different ones in my purse, leave one in my desk drawer "just in case" and another in my car, for the same reason. God forbid I ever run out and don't have a spare handy.

Shiny, shimmery, glittery, matte, sticky, tinted, sheer, roll-on, twist top, sponge wand… You name it, I own it. I consider myself a lip gloss connoisseur. A guru, if you will. My budget suffers. My friends make fun of me. Despite this, there is one final gloss I'd yet to cross off my glossy Get 'er Done List -- a lip plumper. Why? I don't know. Maybe I was afraid of looking like I'd just kissed a hive full of angry bees, or maybe I was too skeptical to even give it a chance. Either way, I gave in.

I decided to go with the one I'd heard the most about: DuWop's Lip Venom . The name alone both scared and intrigued me, but I'd heard it was a favorite among Hollywood celebrities and fashion divas (Cindy Crawford, Lindsay Lohan, Teri Hatcher and Jessica Alba are all big fans), so I puckered up and went for it.

The tube is rather small for the price -- only 0.12 oz. for $16 -- but I'm telling you what, this baby packs a punch. Spicy. Tingly. Maybe a mild burning. But not necessarily in a bad way. Think the addictive sensation of Carmex, times 10. Hints of cinnamon, ginger, wintergreen and jojoba oil work together to increase circulation, accentuate your lips' natural color to a deeper pink and, yes, plump your pout.

I won't be mistaken for Angelina Jolie anytime soon, but I will say Lip Venom did give my smooch a little boost. It's not a major difference, but it's the best we can do without getting a plastic surgeon involved.

You will, however, have to reapply often. The fullness only last as long as the gloss is on your lips, so when it wears off, your lips are back to normal. I don’t mind that part so much (it tastes like Red Hots candy!), but the small size of the tube concerns me. I might have to look at buying stock in the company if I keep using it as much as I have these past few days!

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