Lips have been a universal symbol of beauty throughout history. They are central to cosmetics, as formulators focus on accentuating their shape and visual appeal. Yet their skincare needs are often overlooked, receiving much less attention. Consumers reach for lip balms when things get bad, and brands have largely followed suit. But this is changing fast. 

Neglected lip health leads to visible consequences, such as dryness, uneven texture, and pale or dull colour. These concerns also impact how make-up performs and sits on the lips. So now, as consumer preferences are shifting away from surgical or high-impact interventions towards a more preventative approach, skincare for the lips is moving into focus. Brands are looking to create less invasive solutions that maintain and gradually improve lip health over time. 

 

The Rise of “Tweakments”

More and more, consumers want the results associated with aesthetic medicine (fuller lips, reduced fine lines, a more youthful appearance) without the needles or the downtime. Younger consumers in particular are embracing this as a form of “prejuvenation”, adopting treatment-led routines earlier to prevent signs of ageing before they appear. The global lip care market reflects this shift, expected to grow from $4.1 billion in 2025 to $6.1 billion by 2033 (source Sinerga).

Sinerga, one of our principal suppliers, has developed three active ingredients that address this opportunity, offering healthy, aesthetic-inspired, and functional properties for the lip area.

 

HydroxyPro-Lift: For a Healthy Plump

HydroxyPro-Lift is a lipophilic hydroxyproline derivative designed to boost collagen, preserve dermal structure, and enhance the appearance of the lips. Hydration is one of the most fundamental needs for lip health, directly affecting surface texture, light reflection, and lip colour. HydroxyPro-Lift addresses this at a skin-deep level, leaving lips soft, moisturised, and visibly improved. In efficacy testing, 0.5% HydroxyPro-Lift improved lip hydration by +3% after 30 days, against a placebo that showed a 9.5% decrease over the same period.

Key features and benefits:

• Lipophilic hydroxyproline derivative with enhanced skin penetration and bioavailability
• Boosts collagen and helps preserve dermal structure
• Improves hydration, leaving lips softer and more moisturised
• Contributes to a smoother, more even lip tone
• Preservative-free, COSMOS approved, natural origin index of 1

Applications: Lip balms, glosses, serums and masks, active make-up with skincare benefits

 

X-Solve: For Filler-Like Volume

X-Solve is an encapsulated active ingredient that delivers one of the most sought-after results in aesthetic-inspired lip care: a natural plumping effect without invasive procedures. It works by enhancing microcirculation, increasing blood flow to the lip area to produce a volumising effect while also improving the lips’ natural colour. Its encapsulation technology protects the active from degradation and increases bioavailability. In efficacy testing at 0.5%, X-Solve improved lip volume by +10% and lip redness by +9% in just two weeks.

Key features and benefits:

• Encapsulated Ethyl Ximenynate for enhanced stability and delivery across the skin barrier
• Enhances microcirculation for a volumising, filler-like plumping effect
• Improves the physiological red colour of lips for a healthier appearance
• Proven efficacy at low use levels (0.5%)
• Preservative-free, natural origin index of 1

Applications: Lip balms, gels, glosses, serums and masks, hybrid skincare/make-up with a filler-like optical effect

 

Dolcévia: For a Sweet Taste

Dolcévia is a pure powder extracted from Stevia leaves, bringing a genuinely multi-functional profile to lip care formulations. It has a proven botox-like effect on involuntary muscle tension, reducing fine lines and wrinkles in as little as seven days. It also delivers meaningful hydration: in testing, 0.5% Dolcévia improved hydration by 12% after seven days and 19% after 14 days. And because it retains the natural sweet taste of the Stevia plant, it adds a sensory dimension that makes it particularly appealing for lip and perilabial products.

Key features and benefits:

• Pure Stevia extract with a natural origin index of 1
• Botox-like activity reducing involuntary muscle contractions to prevent fine lines and wrinkles
• Clinically shown to reduce roughness (-24%), wrinkle height (-14%) and wrinkle depth (-17%) in seven days
• Significant hydration improvement: +12% at day 7, +19% at day 14
• Natural sweet taste adds a functional sensory benefit
• Preservative-free, palm oil-free, COSMOS approved, Halal certified

Applications: Lip balms, glosses, serums and masks as both an active and functional flavour, active make-up with skincare benefits and a sweet taste

 

Other Lip Care Ingredients

HARKE UK & Ireland supply a wide range of ingredients for lip care formulations alongside these actives, including:

• Appealing Flavours by Carrubba, both natural and artificial, with a huge profile ranging from sweet and fruity to spicy and minty
• Innovative Oilrich® lightweight oils from W. Ulrich, improving functionality and sensory experience
• The Oleogy™ range of natural oil rheology modifiers by Syensqo, ideal for everything from glosses to sticks and oils
• Dermalcare® VELVET MB, a natural alternative to lanolin with advanced film-forming technology that provides long-lasting hydration and protection

You can see some of these flavours and oils in action in our example ‘Cherry Cola Kiss’ lip balm formulation from SCS Formulate 2025, free to download. 

 

Next Steps

To discuss HydroxyPro-Lift, X Solve or Dolcévia in more detail, to request samples, or to find out more about the flavours, oils and other ingredients we have available for your next lip care formulation, please get in touch with the HARKE UK & Ireland team.