Milani Keep It Full Glossy Plumping Balm Review & Swatches

Milani Keep It Full Glossy Plumping Balm ($15.99) is new, permanent 3-in-1 plumping lip balm available in 12 shades that adds shine, color, moisture, and volume to lips that launched with the Milani Spring 2025 Collection. I picked up a shade at ulta.com and I’m in love with this formula and will be going back for more shortly! Use code 393244 for $5 off at Ulta because honestly, near $16, is pretty expensive for this formula!

Let’s take a look at my review and swatches below.

Milani Keep It Full Glossy Plumping Balm does indeed look like Tarte’s Maracuja Juicy Lip but it isn’t a dupe by any means. The packaging is the same click to up pen as Tarte’s but again, the formula is a lot different. Available in 12 shades this is a 3-in-1 lip balm formula versus the Tarte’s formula which is marketed more as a lipgloss. A single shade is $15.99 and the size is 0.074 oz. Formula-wise it’s a lot balmier than products like ColourPop So Juicy Plumping Gloss Balm, E.L.F. Pout Clout Lip Plumping Pen, and NYX Fat Oil Slick Click. But the prices do vary on each! For comparison NYX’s are $11 and 0.07 oz, Colourpop are $10 each and 0.07 oz each, the E.L.F. are $8 at the same size, and Tarte are $24 and 0.095 oz in size. Milani’s are 0.074 oz which is actually the closest to Tarte’s size and $16 each. However, in the world of drugstore makeup they are by far the most expensive. I love the formula but as I said in my recent Milani Conceal + Perfect Blur Out Skin Tint the prices are pretty high on drugstore makeup lately. The good thing is there are always deals on drugstore makeup which makes things a lot more easier to digest but I know I’m not alone seeing prices like this and thinking wow, things have really gone up!

Milani did an outstanding job with the Spring launches this year. I love this formula. It is a good deal different compared to some of the formulas we’ve seen. Mainly, I think it’s more balmy and thicker. It is indeed a 3-in-1 formula that gets you the shiny of a gloss, moisture of a lip balm, and the pigment of a sheerer lipstick. I only purchased the shade Honey so far which is a lovely tan nude but I’ll be purchasing more soon. This has a melty balm consistency. It isn’t super lightweight but does have a super moisturizing feel on lips and hugs them in a nice hydrating hug. It isn’t tacky or sticky but it is a product you know you have on your lips so don’t expect something lightweight. It creates a juicy, glossy layer on lips. I have drier lips so this formula is perfect as it keeps my lips nice and moist through the wear. The shade I got wasn’t incredibly pigmented but it is a very nice my lips but better nude. It wears for around four hours and the shine stays strong during that time. The color doesn’t migrate nor does it feather and it looks smooth, super glossy, and beautiful on my lips. It’s supposed to have a plumping effect and I’d say you do get a certain fullness due to the balm, thicker formula but it doesn’t have a flavor or fragrance like peppermint or cinnamon so no tingling or plumping action from ingredients like that. It does have a blend of nourishing oils and butters like mango seed butter, apricot oil, pomegranate oil, and Kalahari melon oil.

As with all pens like this you have to be careful how much you swivel up as they don’t swivel down. You only need a little bit for your entire mouth. Too much will result in the product breaking off when you apply it and when you go to put the cap back on. Just swivel up a little and if you need more just go in and swivel more up.

Milani did a fab job with this formula. Yeah, the price is a bit high but as I said when was the last time any of us have paid full-price for drugstore makeup? I’ll be watching out for a sale to haul more of these soon!

Where to buy

Ulta