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Looking after your lips are often something many people take for granted. You might assume that drinking water regularly and having the odd lick of the lips is enough to ensure your kissers stay moist. While this method might work for a handful of people, many of you likely have to take extra care to ensure your lips stay hydrated. That’s why today we’re rounding up our top tips to treat chapped lips so you can make sure yours stay hydrated all year long.
What are chapped lips?
Dry lips happen due to limited moisture. Sometimes people with sensitive lips experience chapped lips more easily. There are many causes to chapped lips like sun exposure, excess licking, lack of hydration, dry air and even medications.
If you have chapped lips, don’t worry! They can easily be repaired with a little TLC and the tips to treat chapped lips that we are sharing below.
Tips to Treat Chapped Lips
1) Hydration
We’re taught from a very young age that hydrating by drinking water regularly is one of the best ways to look after our bodies, especially our skin. This applies to lip care as well.
With that said, drinking enough water on it’s own, might not solve your chapped lips issue. However, it does assist in many ways. One of which is that hydration helps to prevent moisture loss.
Additionally, drinking water provides the hydration needed to leave your lips soft.
Pro tip: During the dry seasons, invest in a humidifier. It adds some extra moisture to the air of your living space.
2) Use the correct lip products
Some people carry a range of lip care products, from petroleum jelly to lip balm and even moisturized lipsticks. However, selecting the right lip product is crucial to ensure you treat your chapped lips. For example, multiple products cater to this problem, and it is always advised to buy a product that offers effective treatment.
When selecting the right products for your lips you should look at the ingredients. If you see shea butter, beeswax, and even lanolin as the elements of a lip balm, you are set since these ingredients act as natural moisturizers.
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3) Avoid licking your lips
Despite what you may think, licking your lips only provides temporary relief. Lip licking has the opposite effect of healing. Once the saliva evaporates, it leaves your lips even dryer. In essence, it gives you the opposite effect of hydration. Therefore when you have chapped lips do not lick them, this will cause more damage.
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Exfoliation
In today’s world, you will find multiple exfoliating products for every inch of your body. Including your lips. A recommendation you should follow is to exfoliate your lips gently once or twice a week. You can buy a lip exfoliator or use a homemade solution such as a sugar scrub. Use a soft-bristled brush and gently massage your homemade solution onto your lips in a circular motion.
Remember, you have to be gentle. Regardless of skin type, your lips are thin and can damage easily. And remember not to over-exfoliate. More than twice a week can have damaging effects.
After exfoliation, it’s recommended to apply a lip hydration treatment. This can help lock in moisture and repair the damage after exfoliation.
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Sun protection
An easy win here is to buy a lip balm that contains some form of sun protection factor. You should do this regardless of the sun exposure you might experience. This is something you may not have considered in the past – the fact that your lips are affected by the sun and can become sunburned is a huge contributor to chapped lips. When outdoors, just like you would protect the rest of your body from sun rays, protect your lips.
In extreme cases, use a humectant
What is a humectant? It is a substance usually found in skin creams or lotions or even a food additive that aids in reducing the loss of moisture. Not only does it helps provide moisture but with the overall healing process as well. It is advised to use a humectant every evening before bedtime. Usually, humectants contain ingredients such as petroleum jelly, coconut oil, and aloe vera, which are great at protecting the skin.
Apply a thin layer before bed; once you wake, your lips will be softer.
Temperature control
It’s quite difficult to control the temperature around you, and nature can throw a curveball at any second. Living in Canada, I can confirm that dry air can come on extremely fast which leads to dry chapped lips.
Whether you experience extreme cold or hot temperatures where you live, both can lead to lip damage. Take preventative measures and and start treating your lips before a change in season. Also invest in a humidifier if you live in cooler climates, it can help provide additional moisture when the air gets extremely dry.
Start a lip care ritual
A consistent ritual is vital to treat chapped lips. Create a routine that includes exfoliation and a lip treatment. Get used to applying lip balm before bed and before you’re exposed to any sort of extreme temperature.
Sticking to a routine is the best way to both treat and avoid future chapped lips. Skipping a week or even a few days, depending on the season, cause damage. Even once you have treated your lips, continue with your ritual!
In the end, it is not hard to treat chapped lips. But it does take commitment. Ensure you are using the correct lip products. Avoid the sun when and where you can. Have a specific lip care ritual. Avoid lip licking, and exfoliate once or twice a week. Follow these tips to teat chapped lips and they will be softer than ever.
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