Winter skin problems are real, ladies, and one of them pesky problems is dry and chapped lips. As the temperatures drop, the dry winter wind strips the moisture away from your lips leaving them chapped, flaky, slit, sore and what not. But thankfully, proper winter lip care and the use of moisturizing lip products can save your lips from the wrath of cold weather. Be sure to give them the love they need this winter. Read on to see 4 ways to care for your lips during the winter to keep them soft and hydrated.
1.Eliminate Dead Skin
Cold wind can take a toll on our lips. Gently exfoliating with a lip scrub once or twice a day can make all the difference. There are many lip scrubs available to purchase in stores and online, but if you have some extra time, you can make your own too. Applying the lip scrub in the morning before putting on makeup will have your lips ready for the day. Using a scrub at night after brushing your teeth can rid your lips of any dead skin they accumulate over time. You may apply a scrub with a clean toothbrush, which may be harsh on sensitive lips. Partner your lip scrub with Intrinsics 12-ply gauze for gentle, but effective, abrasion.
2. Don’t lick your lips
Chapped lips are common in winter, says Daniel Glass, a consultant dermatologist at the Dermatology Clinic, because of exposure to cold air outside and dry, centrally heated air inside. “Keratin, which forms the top layer of your skin, loses its flexibility and the lips become sore, cracked and scaly,” he says. “Many patients who have chapped lips are lip-lickers. Repeated licking can remove the oily surface film that protects the lips from losing moisture, leading to lips cracking. The digestive enzymes in saliva can also irritate the lips.”
3. Use a lip balm regularly
The number one rule of winter lip care is to always keep your lips hydrated. How, you ask? By applying a moisturizing lip balm on your lips regularly. Dry winter air zaps the natural moisture from your lips, leaving them dry and chapped. Treating them with the proper nourishment and a boost of hydration every once in a while is the key to keeping them healthy and happy even in the chilliest of the months.
Before going out, apply a generous amount of lip balm on your lips and top it with lipstick. That’s right! A layer of lipstick can actually protect your lips from the dry air, pollution and dirt. Also, keep your lip balm in your bag and reapply every time you feel your lips get dry and parched.
4. Heal your lips with petroleum jelly
Cracked lips, flaky skin, slits, and cold sores are some of the skin issues that come with the colder weather. It is important to treat your cracked and chapped lips the right way so it heals properly and the skin woes don’t get worse. Avoid scrubbing or brushing your lips harshly when they are peeling or cracked. It can lead to infection and even worse, lip sores.
Apply petroleum jelly like Vaseline Original Pure Skin Jelly to heal chapped lips and moisturize them. Invest in a lip balm that is infused with an ointment or natural ingredients that help heal winter lip woes. Vaseline Aloe Soothe Lip Care is a nourishing lip balm formulated with pure aloe vera extracts that soothe and heal your lips while also providing deep moisture to your lips.
5. Drink. More. Water.
If you feel like you read this advice everywhere, it’s because it’s true. Despite the fact that it may not be a sweltering, summer day, your body still needs water. Consuming your daily dose of H20 is beneficial for skin and lip hydration, and for your overall health. Get a glass/aluminum water bottle and stay hydrated throughout the day; your lips, skin, and body will thank you.
