The End of Dry Lips
At the first sign of even cool weather lips seem to lose all moisture and crack up! Then of course the temptation is to chew them, or lick them to stop them from drying out - both of which just make the situation worse. So in an effort to avoid dry lips for the entirety of Winter, I try this "lip-care routine" which sounds silly but can be very helpful:
1.Don't lick your lips if they are dry. Once the saliva evaporates, your lips dry out even more.
2.Exfoliate your lips - to help improve dry lips, gently rub over your lips with a face washer or face scrub as this will exfoliate any dry or dead skin from your lips. This allows moisture to soak into live skin cells where it is really needed.
3.Apply lip balm before bed - particularly if you mouth breathe apply a natural lip balm rich in beeswax. Unlike petroleum based products, natural beeswax will help to keep in moisture. Even organic oil based lip balms aren't ideal. They are great for a high gloss look but not for stopping immediate moisture loss.
4.Wear lipstick or a rich lip balm during the day and apply regularly - air-conditioning, cold, wind and low humidity will exacerbate or even cause dry lips so keep them glossed!
5.Consider a lip balm with SPF if you are playing sport or exposed to the sun for extended periods of time.
6.Drink plenty of water - dry skin and dry lips can result from dehydration - it's that simple sometimes!
7.Good oils - if your skin is dry in general as well as your lips, consider adding a few extra essential fatty acids into your diet as they help the skin cells hold onto moisture. Avocado, nuts & seed, fish and flax seed oil are all good sources.
8.Caffeine from coffee and cola drinks and alchohol will worsen lip dehydration!
9.If the body of your lips is smooth but you regularly get cracks or irritation in the corners (I get them from eating potato chips - now you know all my bad habits!) it may be related to a vitamin deficiency. Generally cracks in the corners of the mouth equate to low B group vitamin levels. If this is the case, you will see very rapid improvement by taking a B supplement. If you see no appreciable results, a visit to your Dr may help establish the cause. And all of this in an attempt to get a kiss no less! You may not need to do everything on the list but remember that all these tips apply to your skin in general. Keep in well moisturised and nourished and it won't get dry or dehydrated during winter.
1.Don't lick your lips if they are dry. Once the saliva evaporates, your lips dry out even more.
2.Exfoliate your lips - to help improve dry lips, gently rub over your lips with a face washer or face scrub as this will exfoliate any dry or dead skin from your lips. This allows moisture to soak into live skin cells where it is really needed.
3.Apply lip balm before bed - particularly if you mouth breathe apply a natural lip balm rich in beeswax. Unlike petroleum based products, natural beeswax will help to keep in moisture. Even organic oil based lip balms aren't ideal. They are great for a high gloss look but not for stopping immediate moisture loss.
4.Wear lipstick or a rich lip balm during the day and apply regularly - air-conditioning, cold, wind and low humidity will exacerbate or even cause dry lips so keep them glossed!
5.Consider a lip balm with SPF if you are playing sport or exposed to the sun for extended periods of time.
6.Drink plenty of water - dry skin and dry lips can result from dehydration - it's that simple sometimes!
7.Good oils - if your skin is dry in general as well as your lips, consider adding a few extra essential fatty acids into your diet as they help the skin cells hold onto moisture. Avocado, nuts & seed, fish and flax seed oil are all good sources.
8.Caffeine from coffee and cola drinks and alchohol will worsen lip dehydration!
9.If the body of your lips is smooth but you regularly get cracks or irritation in the corners (I get them from eating potato chips - now you know all my bad habits!) it may be related to a vitamin deficiency. Generally cracks in the corners of the mouth equate to low B group vitamin levels. If this is the case, you will see very rapid improvement by taking a B supplement. If you see no appreciable results, a visit to your Dr may help establish the cause. And all of this in an attempt to get a kiss no less! You may not need to do everything on the list but remember that all these tips apply to your skin in general. Keep in well moisturised and nourished and it won't get dry or dehydrated during winter.
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