How To Treat And Prevent Dry, Chapped Lips Properly?
During the cold winter months dry, chapped lips are quite common in both men and women. Chapped lips can not only “crack your smile“ but they can also the very painful.
The skin of the lips is probably the most delicate area of your whole body and that’s why its highly vulnerable to the drying effect of the climate, as the moisture evaporates from the lips, causing the lips to dry out easily. Dry, chapped lips may be caused by different factors – dehydration, excessive sun or wind exposure, licking your lips. In most of the cases chapped lips are caused by dryness of the lips (loss of moisture from the skin in and around the lips), that’s why the best way to prevent and treat chapped lips is to keep the lips well-moisturized all the time.
Symptoms of chapped lips:
- dry and sore lips
- lips feel painful and appear red
- lips become too sensitive
- feel rough and tender
- peeling and cracking
- bleeding
What causes chapped lips?
- smoking
- licking the lips
- exposure to wind and cold
- dehydration
- some medications
- vitamin deficiency
- use of harsh skin care products
- excessive exposure to the sun without a protection
- dry air
- obstructed breathing
- some cosmetics and lip products
- fungal infection
- riboflavin (vitamin B deficiency)
- dermatitis
The most common cause of dry, chapped lips is excessive exposure to wind and cold which usually leads to moisture loss. Another common cause of chapped lips is licking the lips – when you lick your lips in order to make them wet and soft, they may become dry and chapped as the wetness evaporates. The saliva strips away the natural protective oils of the lips leaving them dry, chapped and sore. Excessive exposure to the sun can also cause chapping of the lips, especially during the summer months. Smoking is also among the reasons that lead to rough, chapped lips as smoking strips the lips of its natural protective oils and dry the lips out.
How to treat and prevent dry, chapped lips properly:
- Exfoliate your lips
You should exfoliate your lips at least once a week no matter whether they are chapped or not. When you exfoliate the delicate skin of the lips you remove the dead skin cells that can make your lips looking rough and dry.
How to exfoliate your lips properly:
All you need to exfoliate your lips is an old toothbrush and a mild exfoliating product. Run your lips gently with the toothbrush and the exfoliator for a few minutes with light circular motions.
- Use moisturizing lip balm
Applying a moisturizing lip balm every time you want is probably the best and the easiest way to treat and prevent dry, chapped lips. Look for a lip balm that contains more moisturizing ingredients and natural oils. Today most of the lip balms offer sun protection (with SPF 15 or higher) in order to protect the delicate skin of your lips from the harmful UBA and UVB rays. There is a wide range of lip balms that work great to treat and prevent chapped, sore lips. Most of them contain many natural ingredients, emollients and nourishing ingredients that moisturize, soothe and nourish rough, chapped lips.
Common ingredients in the lip balms are: Aloe Vera, Honey, Chamomile, Almond Oil, Rose Oil, Lanolin, Waxes, Vaseline, Shea Butter, Olive Oil, Vitamin C, Vitamin E, Cocoa Butter, Beeswax, Lime, Lemon.
There are lip balms designed specially for treating chapped lips, lip balms that moisturize the lips making them soft, lip balms that add volume to the lips, tinted lip balms.
- Use petroleum jelly and Vaseline
Petroleum jelly works great for soothing dry, chapped lips. Massage Vaseline or petroleum jelly gently on your lips once or twice a day. They will make your lips soft and will moisturize them deeply. Both petroleum jelly and Vaseline work great for soothing dry, chapped lips as they lock the moisture in the lips.
- The best way to prevent dry, chapped lips is to stop licking your lips.
- Apply lip balm every time you want – it cannot damage or irritate your lips.
- Look for lip products (lip balms, lipsticks, lip glosses) that contain more emollients (moisturizing ingredients) in order to prevent chapping of the lips.
- Look for moisturizing, creamy lipstick with SPF and avoid applying matte lipstick.
Useful Beauty Tips:
- Choose a lip balm, lip gloss, lipstick with SPF at least 15 to protect your lips from the harmful sun’s rays.
- Remember: smoking can lead to dry, chapped lips so maybe now is the perfect time to quit smoking.
- Always make sure your lip products are hypoallergenic and don’t contain any harsh chemicals (such as salicylic acid).
- Apply petroleum jelly or Vaseline once or twice a day to prevent chapped lips and to moisturize your lips.
- Exfoliate your lips once or twice a week to remove the dead skin cells.
- Never exfoliate your lips is bleeding or infection is present.
- Drink plenty of water – at least 1.5 liter a day to keep your body and skin hydrated.
- Stop licking your lips.
- Keep the air in your home humid.
- Look for a moisturizing lip gloss or lipstick and apply it every time you go out.
- Remember: of your lips are too painful and chapped consult a physician – it may indicate some serious health problems.
- Look for lip balm that contains more natural ingredients.
- During the colder winter months wear a scarf to protect your lips from the wind and cold.
- It’s essential to take a proper care of your lips in order to prevent dry, sore lips.
- Remember: cracks at the corners of your mouth may indicate riboflavin (vitamin B deficiency).
- Some skin care products and makeup products may lead to chapped lips, so make sure your beauty products don’t contain harsh ingredients.
- Beeswax ointments work great for treating and preventing dry, chapped lips.
- Never go out in dry, cold weather without applying lip balm or lipstick.
To learn more see also the articles:
How To Apply Lipstick To Stay Put On For Longer
Recommended Products Treating Dry, Chapped Lips:
Burt’s Bees Beeswax Lip Balm ($3) – Burt’s most popular product, chock full of pain-relieving, protective ingredients to help soothe cracked, chapped, or burning lips.
Neutrogena Lip Moisturizer SPF 15 ($3.20) – a lip balm that conditions and protects dry, chapped lips. Contains SPF 15 sunblocks to guard against the sun’s UVA and UVB rays.
Kiss My Face Organics Lip Balm, SPF 15, Vanilla Honey ($3.50) – lip balm that moisturize and nourish the lips all day long. With SPF to prevent dry, chapped lips.
Aveeno Lip Conditioner, Essential Moisture SPF 15 ($3.50) – lip moisturizer that provides a long-lasting feeling of moisturization to condition and protect dry, chapped lips. Contains natural skin conditioners, including jojoba oil and shea butter that help leave lips feeling moisturized long after applying.
Bourjois Baume de Nuit Night Lip Balm ($10.10) – The formula moisturizes and restores lips all night long; filled with emollient oils and repairing agents.
Shiseido Sun Protection Lip Treatment SPF 36 PA++ ($18) – A highly nourishing lip balm that defends against powerful UVA/UVB rays while ensuring optimal moisture balance. Glides on smoothly to give lips softness and luminosity without any filmy residue or sensation of heaviness.
NARS Lip Treatment ($23) – a vitamin-enriched lipstick to help soften and smooth dry lips. Perfect alone or under lip color to enhance the texture and appearance of the lips, as well as extend the life of your lip color.
Murad Soothing Lip Therapy ($13) – Delivers immediate relief by rejuvenating and conditioning dry, cracked, chapped lips, sealing in long lasting moisture and gently smoothing and exfoliating.
Clinique Repairwear Intensive Lip Treatment ($25) – Provides immediate and sustained antioxidant protection against the environment. Replenishes the natural moisture barrier so lips stay soft, hydrated.
Philosophy Kiss me Lip Balm ($10) – a super emollient lip balm for soft, supple, world-class lips. Protects and soothes with vitamin E, kiwi, and sweet almond oil.
Lorac Vitamin E Stick ($16) – Ultra-enriched with natural emollients to moisturize and rejuvenate, LORAC’s Vitamin E Stick quickly soothes and helps to heal chapped lips.
Clarins Moisture Replenishing Lip Balm ($23) – This rich, replenishing balm provides all the hydration and protection required for soft, supple, more youthful-looking lips every day. Enhances lipstick wear and luminosity.
LancГґme Revitalizing Lip Treatment SPF 10 Sunscreen ($25) – An intensely and continuously moisturizing lip treatment with SPF 10 sunscreen in lipstick form that can be used anytime to combat the signs of aging. Colorless and finely pearly, use this soft and comfortable balm day or night, alone or under your favorite lipstick.
Philosophy Kiss Me Exfoliating Lip Scrub ($15) – ormulated to help keep your lips in impeccable kissing condition. Ideal for renewing dry, flaky lips this easy to use treatment exfoliates dull, dry, flaky skin for super soft, super smooth lips in seconds.
Smashbox Emulsion Lip Exfoliant ($18) – Experience a cooling sensation as poppy seeds and sugar granules gently remove dry, flaky skin, while shea butter, jojoba, and antioxidants condition and revitalize lips.
Clinique Superbalm Moisturizing Gloss ($13.50) – Lip balm with a colourful twist. Gorgeous colours treat your most undermoisturized skin to helpings of soothing shine. Instantly relieve dryness, protect with antioxidants and more.
Dior Rouge Dior Replenishing Lipcolor ($26 )- strikes the perfect balance of stay-on power, coverage, and shine. Dior’s “lip-perfecting” complex that offers incomparable moisturizing and re-contouring benefits combined with long-wearing, lip-pampering color that lasts for hours.
Guerlain KissKiss Maxi Shine Lipstick ($27) – The ultra sensual plump-up effect is thanks to the active ingredient, Lip Booster. Instantly more voluptuous lips are smooth, moisturized, and soft, and shine with an irresistible gloss finish.
Givenchy Lip Lip Shine ($23) – creates a sparkly effect with ultra-fine gold, sapphire, and silver mother-of-pearl particles as a hydrating blend of apple seed extract gives lips moisture and suppleness, and vitamin E protects and soothes.
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