Every part of the skin needs care, and that includes the lips. When your lips feel soft and supple, you feel good right? But when your lips feel chapped and cracky, it makes you feel uncomfortable and you lick your lips all day in an attempt to get it moisturized. Pretty sure you can relate to that.
You are probably wondering why you need to read an article on lip care. “What is this?”, You might ask. If all you ever do is dabble on some lip gloss or lip stick when you get a make over from a make up artist or kiss ten different people in hopes of getting pink colored lips, then yes! This article is for you.
Oh! Do you think the pink lips balm they sell at Ikeja Under bridge is the ultimate lip care routine? Sorry boo.
“I wonder how you survived with those sugary lips, maybe there is no ant in your territory”
People share a common belief about lips which is that “a pink colored lip is the perfect lip to have”. It is important to note that your natural lip color is based on some factors like your natural skin tone, sun exposure levels and your overall health. So, if your lip is not pink colored it does not mean your lip isn’t healthy or fine.
Why does my lips get chapped and cracky?
Environmental condition like Winter or Harmattan can affect the lips and get it dry and eventually, crack.
Simple tips to take care of your lips
Exfoliate
Just as it is important to exfoliate the skin, it is just as important to exfoliate the lips. Exfoliating the lips helps to eliminate dry, flaky skin that has build up on the skin. So, exfoliating helps to restore the soft and supple skin we want.
How to exfoliate the lips:
The first step is choosing an exfoliating ingredient like sugar. Then an emollient like honey, shea butter, or oil. An emollient is something that softens or lubricates the skin (like a moisturizer). The second step is mixing the exfoliating and emollient ingredient together. Apply mixture on the lips, gently rub in small circles, then wipe or wash it off. Slowly pat dry using a clean towel, then apply a lip moisturizer or lip balm.
Moisturize
While you might lick your lips instinctively to get it moisturized, it actually leads to more dryness. Also, licking can also cause yeast to build up on the lips. The key to healthy lips is using a good moisturizing product on the lips. Staying hydrated always helps in boosting your lip health.
How to Moisturize:
The first step is getting a moisturizer, then use an applicator or your fingers to apply the moisturizer or balm to your lips, including the corners.
Is a lip moisturizer the same as a lip balm?
Lip moisturizers have two functions, which are:
- Soothing and moisturizing the lip
- Restores moisture to dried lip tissue
A lip moisturizer contains more water and moisturizing ingredients that gets absorbed into the skin when applied. While a lip balm is mainly oil based, which means that it just gives the lip a shine. A shine that gets dried up easily, that is why you need to keep reapplying your lip balm.
Natural lip remedies for chapped lips
To soothe and moisturize the lips, the following should be applied directly to the lips:
- Aloe Vera: The AV gel found in the aloe plant contains vitamins and minerals that soothes and hydrate chapped skin
- Honey: Honey is highly moisturizing which makes it a key ingredient in healing chapped lips
- Coconut oil.
