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If you tuned into Love Island this summer, you may have found yourself distracted—not by the drama, but by the unhinged amount of filler injected into the young cast, especially their lips. Inflated, distorted and shiny to the point of distraction, the filler (and botox) was…a lot. Think less hot girl summer and more what’s happened here?
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“It was honestly shocking,” says Dr. Julia Carroll, a dermatologist and co-founder of Compass Dermatology in Toronto, who watched the first few episodes of the reality dating show with her daughter. Carroll suspects a few of the male bombshells had also paid a visit to their injector before entering the villa. And she’s not alone—social media was flooded with memes and commentary about the contestants’ lip transformations, with many viewers wondering: Is this what we’re calling aspirational beauty now? “If someone walked out of my office and their friends say, ‘Did you do something to your face?’ then I’ve failed,” says Carroll, who’s seen the evolution of lip filler trends firsthand.
That exaggerated, overfilled look? It’s no longer the goal. More people are embracing natural lip filler, a.k.a the “baby filler” approach. It’s a subtle, strategic enhancement that adds just enough volume and definition. “Most people want an improvement, but they don’t want it to be obvious. They want to look refreshed, a bit more polished and a bit more youthful,” she says.
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Part of the problem, Carroll explains, is that many people misunderstand what filler is supposed to do—and what it can do when done right. “I actually hate the word ‘filler’ because it sounds like we’re stuffing the face with volume,” she says. “What we’re really doing is sculpting, contouring and balancing.”
Carroll frequently uses Juvederm Volbella for lips—specifically because it gives a “glossed” look and smooths fine lines without blowing out the lip’s natural shape. “It has structure, but it’s soft. It gives projection if needed, but it doesn’t make you look like you’ve overdone it.”
The overfilled lips that have become common on TikTok (and in the villa) are often the result of poor technique. “A lot of what people think is it’s migration, but what is usually is are the wrong product used, wrong placement, wrong amount—and the wrong injector,” she says. “You can’t just add a big lips to someone’s face like Mr. Potato Head. It has to fit with the chin, the nose, the cheeks. It’s all about facial balancing.”
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And while last year saw a wave of celebrities claiming to dissolve all their fillers (like Courteney Cox, Kylie Jenner and Ariana Grande), Carroll says that narrative was oversimplified. “They didn’t remove all of it,” she says. “Most were just paring it back—refining areas where too much had been done. Dissolving isn’t super precise; you can’t just deflate a little here and there with total control.” She goes on to explain that you can’t control how much filler is going to be dissolved with hyaluronidase (the injectable used to dissolve hyaluronic acid fillers), so she always prepares patients to expect that all of the filler might go away.
What to Know Before You Book Your Baby Filler Appointment
Find the right injector: If you’re thinking about filler but feeling nervous, Carroll’s advice is to choose your injector wisely. “Look at the team. If everyone at the clinic looks overdone, that’s probably not the right fit for you,” she says. “You want someone who asks questions and listens—someone who’s not just going to use a one-size-fits-all approach.”
Don’t bother bringing in celebrity inspo pics: “I don’t want to see someone else’s lips. I want to see your face. Everyone has different features and what looks amazing on one person could look totally off on another.” Instead, you can show your injector photos of yourself from when you were younger, and perhaps had a little more volume.
Go in with a game plan: Another thing to be aware of is what kind of results you’re looking for. Carroll often asks her patients whether they want more projection, improved symmetry or just a soft, hydrated effect (sometimes described as a “glossed” look). Knowing what you want to improve helps your injector select the right product and technique. For subtle enhancements, she often uses Juvederm Volbella, which offers structure and softness without stiffness. Trust your injector when they say “you’re good.”: It’s easy to become filler-blind—fixating on tiny perceived imperfections. “Patients will sometimes come in asking for more, and I’ll say, ‘You don’t need anything,’” Carroll says. “Sometimes we’re just too hard on ourselves, and a good injector will stop you before it goes too far.” Continue Reading
