Does TikTok’s cinnamon oil as a natural lip plumper hack actually work?

Another day, another TikTok beauty hack worth having on your radar

Thanks to everyone from Bella Hadid to Angelina Jolie (not to mention everyone ever on our Instagram Explore page), plumper lips have stayed steadily en vogue over the past few years. But with lip filler being something of a riskier route to a fuller pout, many of us are seeking the perfect needle-free solution. Enter beauty TikTok's latest obsession: using cinnamon oil for fuller lips.

Never short of an ingenious beauty hack, TikTokers are touting the humble ingredients of your spice rack as the secret to getting that coveted bee-stung pout without having to reach for one of the best lip plumpers.

According to TikTok user @mireyarios – just one of the Gen-Z beauty influencers pedalling the virtues of cinnamon oil for lips – 'All you do is apply a little bit on your fingertip and [rub it] on.'

She added, ‘It’s gonna start tingling a little bit and then just apply lip gloss.’

(Note: tingling is putting it mildly. Slight burning might be a more accurate description.)

If you're put off by said intense tingling sensation, TikToker @brittanyhm advises adding cinnamon oil into your lip gloss, for a less extreme take on the hack.

‘You can already see the difference. This doesn’t burn, tingle, sting or anything. Honestly, this cinnamon oil works a treat,' she says.

And in all honesty, her lips do look pretty pillowy immediately after application. But as with all TikTok beauty hacks (see: TikTok's worst skincare advice) it's best to proceed with caution on this one if your skin's on the sensitive side.

As with the chilli and peppermint oil trends that preceded it, the cinnamon oil hack irritates lips into a mild form of swelling. And the more inflamed they become, the more they swell. So it's best to do a patch test before taking the plunge.

Because contrary to popular belief, beauty should not be pain.