Do you have dry or chapped lips?
Dealing with cracked, peeling lips isn’t just annoying. It can also be painful, especially when it comes to the point where they start to bleed.
Excessive lip dryness can also develop into a severe condition known as cheilitis. Certain types of cheilitis, or lip inflammation, can lead to a secondary infection with yeast or bacteria.
The thing is, the lips are especially vulnerable to drying and chapping if you don’t have a good lip care routine. Unlike the skin, lips don’t have sebaceous glands. These glands produce oil that keeps the skin moisturized and soft.
Since the lips can’t protect themselves, preventive measures are essential, especially during the cold and dry seasons. Here are some lip care tips for healthy lips all year-round.
Stay Hydrated
When your insides are dehydrated, so is the rest of your body. The lips are even more prone to dryness due to their fast skin cell turnover.
Drinking plenty of water provides natural moisture to the lips. You may also want to avoid drinking coffee, alcohol, and other dehydrating liquids.
Exfoliate at Least Once or Twice a Week
Exfoliating helps to remove the dead and dry skin that builds up on top of your lips. Scrubbing off the flaking skin will reveal the fresh skin layer underneath.
Exfoliating can make your lips smooth, soft, and kissable!
As part of your lip care routine, you can use an exfoliating scrub, a soft toothbrush, or a washcloth to scrub off the dry skin flakes gently. It can make your lips a bit sensitive, though, so take care not to exfoliate too often. You should also avoid exfoliating if your lips are already irritated.
How to Care for Your Lips by Breaking Bad Habits
People often lick their lips when they feel dry. It seems a natural solution to give your lips a brief moment of reprieve. But lip licking can actually worsen the problem.
As the saliva evaporates, it can leave the lips even drier. Also, saliva contains enzymes that make it easier to digest food. Unfortunately, these enzymes can also break down the organic compounds that make up our lips.
Another habit to avoid is touching metallic objects to your lips. Pens, jewelry, and other items made of metal can irritate sensitive lips.
Finally, if you smoke cigarettes or tobacco, it’s best to discontinue this habit. Not only can smoking lead to dry lips, but it’s also linked to lower lip cancer. Stop smoking, not just for the sake of your lips but also for your general well-being.
Make Applying Lip Balm Part of Your Lip Care Routine
Your lips lack the protection sebaceous oil glands provide. Therefore, they must rely on other means to prevent moisture from escaping.
Lip balms lock in moisture to prevent the lips from drying out. Look for products with nourishing ingredients such as castor seed oil to help heal dry, chapped lips. But try to avoid lip products that contain camphor, eucalyptus, or menthol that can irritate the lips.
When going out during the day, use lip balms with an SPF of 15 or higher and reapply every two hours. At night, you can use an ointment-based product to keep lips hydrated overnight.
Lips Like Cherry
A good lip care routine can help your lips stay moist, soft, shiny, and, most importantly, healthy. Follow these lip care tips for adorable, kissable lips!
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