Let's be honest. No matter how hard you work on your skincare regimen, chapped lips can break the entire image.
Taking good care of your most striking facial feature (yes, that's what lips are!) is an integral part of your beauty routine. Your pout perfecting procedure simply isn't complete without proper moisturizing.
The skin on your lips is thinner, softer, and much more vulnerable than on the rest of your body. That's why it's vital to pay special attention to lip care. Thankfully, you have access to a variety of tools to make sure your lips are as moist, healthy, and beautiful as possible.
Lack of Hydration: Why Chapped Lips are a Common Issue
The reason is simple. They don't have a good source of moisture. Unlike the majority of your body, lips don't have sebaceous glands that produce grease and moisture for the skin. The only source of moisture for your lips is saliva.
However, licking your lips is hardly the answer. Saliva evaporates quickly, leaving lips dryer than before. Meanwhile, it contains digestive enzymes, the excess of which wears the skin down, drying the lips even further.
The Problem behind Chapped Lips
Even though lips don't get too much natural hydration, they shouldn't feel dry all the time. If you constantly face this issue, take a closer look at your lifestyle and beauty routine.
- Excessive lip licking — licking your lips can become a bad habit. You can prevent chapping and cracking simply by kicking it.
- Common cold or flu — a stuffy nose leads to mouth breathing, which in turn causes lips to dry out. To battle the problem, intensify your lip moisturizing routine.
- Sun damage — lips need sun protection just as much as the rest of your skin does. Make sure to use a lip balm with a sun protection factor.
- Allergies — an allergic reaction caused by direct contact could lead to cracking, flaking, and scaling. Try to avoid allergens.
- Spicy foods — eating spicy foods irritates the skin on your lips, leading to excessive dryness.
- Medications — some medications like vitamin A, retinoids, lithium, topical acne meds, and chemotherapy drugs could lead to lip dehydration.
- Dehydration and malnutrition — extreme diets don't just damage your health, they can hinder your appearance by drying out your skin and chapping lips.
- Smoking — tobacco smoke can irritate the skin, leading to cracking and flaking.
The biggest enemy of your soft and moist lips is the weather. Cold, dry, and windy weather causes excessive chapping unless you take the right pout protection steps.
How to Heal Chapped Lips
Chapped lips are a mood-killer. While you can mask the majority of beauty issues like puffy eyes, fine lines, and pimples, cracked and flaking lips are tough to improve on the spot. That's why it's imperative to start the healing process as soon as you see the first signs.
1. Explore Lip Masks
One of the most effective ways to heal chapped lips quickly is a lip mask. It delivers all the necessary vitamins you may have lost due to dehydration, allergies, or sun damage during the day.
All you have to do is apply a lip mask before going to sleep and wake up to beautiful and moisturized lips. Some lip masks can achieve the desired effect in half an hour or less.
Our Pour Perfecting Lip Mask comes with a bonus. Besides healing your chapped lips in under 20 minutes, it improves the contours of your mouth, creating a beautiful pouty shape that lasts. You can use this mask two to three times a week or as needed so a 12-pack can come in handy.
2. Keep the Lip Balm Handy
Lip balm should become your best friend. You should keep it:
- In the purse
- In the car
- In the bathroom
- On the bedside table
Apply the balm several times a day and before going to sleep. If you wear lipstick, look at the ingredients' list to make sure it has a moisturizing effect on your lips. Common moisturizing ingredients to look for are:
- Hemp seed, castor seed, mineral oils
- Shea butter
- White petroleum jelly
- Ceramides
- Dimethicone
- Sun protective ingredients (titanium oxide, zinc oxide)
- Lanolin
Beware of such lip-drying ingredients as:
- Phenol
- Menthol
- Camphor
- Glycerin
Make sure your lip balm and lipstick have an SPF. When outdoors, reapply them every two hours. Remember, UV radiation penetrates clouds. So cloudy weather isn't a reason to ignore SPF products.
3. Drink Plenty of Water
Hydration is the pillar of beauty. If your body isn't getting enough water, your skin shows it immediately, and lips are the first to suffer.
According to the Institute of Medicine, women should drink at least 9 cups (about 2 liters or 2.5 gallons) a day. You may need more if you are pregnant or breastfeeding.
Try to avoid drinks that contain sugar. They don't quench your thirst and lead to a variety of skin problems.
4. Exfoliate
One of the worst things you can do is pick off the dry and flaky skin. This can lead to further lip damage, cracking, and bleeding.
Gentle lip exfoliation can help prevent flaking by removing old and damaged skin cells. Doing it once or twice a week can improve the appearance and softness of your lips.
5. See a Dermatologist
Yes, it's the last resort, but ignoring professional assistance is out of the question.
If you've been battling chapped lips for weeks, but the problem isn't going away, visit a dermatologist.
Chapped lips could be an indication of such conditions as vitamin deficiency, allergies, or even a yeast infection. Get the problem under control, and your lips will say "thank you."
The Takeaway
Your lips need as much attention as any other part of your body. To look healthy, beautiful, and moisturized, they require gentle care.
To heal chapped lips, consider checking out lip masks and high-quality balms while adjusting your diet and drinking plenty of water.
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