How To Easily Get Soft, Kissable Lips This Winter
Quick, name something about your appearance that consistently rears its ugly head to haunt you, no matter how hard you try to control it. Some of us have terribly frizzy hair. Still others have peeling nails. Mine? My lips are constantly dry and peeling. I hate it. It takes an extra effort on my part to keep them soft and smooth to my standards. Unlike skin and hair, lips have no oil glands and can’t self-moisturize, so to keep them soft, you’ll have to do it both from within and with a good product or two.
What are the causes for such unsightly puckers? There are several, ranging from possible allergic reactions to cosmetics or foods, or medical issues such as diabetes or Sjorgen’s Syndrome. However, the most common causes are listed below:
· Weather changes – Extreme cold or heat can dry out lips. Lips should ideally be in a nice, room temperature to stay reasonably soft with just a bit of lip balm.
· Dehydration – Not drinking enough water yourself can lead to dry lips. When you’re dehydrated, your lips are the first to show the signs. Drink more water, and soda does NOT count!
· Not enough vitamins and minerals – Not eating enough of the right vitamins and minerals can contribute to dry, chapped lips. Vitamins A, B, B1, B6, C, E, and riboflavin can all help with providing some moisture to your lips.
These should work for the majority of dry lip problems. They’re easy, cheap and can be done regularly. Don’t forget to eat right and drink lots of water as well. And unless you’re a mutant superhero, you probably can’t control the weather, so let’s move on to some realistic tactics.
Exfoliating the dry flakes off your lips is super important and should be the first step. There are tons of methods to dry, such as using a wet washcloth or toothbrush, a specially formulated lip scrub like The Natural Lip Scrub, or homemade remedies such as mixing olive oil and sugar. I guess I’m some sort of masochist, because I like to use a nylon wash cloth to exfoliate (feeling just a bit of pain tells me it’s getting done), but do what you’d like. They all work to some extent – it’s just a matter of preference. Admittedly, some techniques may work better than others depending on frequency and abrasiveness.
After you exfoliate, pat your lips dry. Your lips are likely glowing a bright pink or red right now, and might already feel super soft. You’re not done yet, though! Liberally apply lip balm, like Dr. Bronner’s and don’t forget the corners. (I always forget the corners.) Apply lip balm throughout the day and before bed as well.
You can use the potted kind as well, like Honey Bee Holistics Organic Coconut Lime Lip Balm. I personally shy away from it since the thought of placing my pinky in it each time I need it sort of icks me, even if I wash my hands prior to application. Coconut lime sounds delicious though.. which leads me to my next tip.
The golden rule to preventing chapped lips after you do all of this is to not lick them! Licking your lips will dry them out, guaranteed, and will also wipe off your lip balm. If you do catch yourself licking, re-apply asap. I like lip balms that smell great, but taste terribly. Most organic lip balms do taste pretty nice though, so be careful! I personally need nasty-taste deterrent to stop me from wasting.
Follow all of these tips and you should be ready for your next kiss, or at least be able to smile without bleeding. Ouch.
