Having chapped and dry lips is a common issue in people- it may be to men or women. Chapped lips can be very uncomfortable and can sometimes cause pain. There are several factors why people get chapped or dry lips. It may be caused by the weather (especially during the cold season), medications, or the frequent licking of your lips. Chapped lips may be a usual thing, but they can be severe to some people. So it is essential to take care and treat your lips very well.
To treat your dry and chapped lips, here are some tips you might want to remember.
Avoid Licking Your Lips
One main reason for having chapped lips is because of your constant lip licking. Licking makes your lips drier than before. It is because your saliva dries out and evaporates faster. So, after they dry out, you will notice that it made your lips drier than before you lick them. You might also want to stop biting and picking your dry lips. It only worsens the problem of your lips and makes healing take longer.
Use a Good Lip Balm
It is essential to pick a good lip balm with the right ingredients. There are some lip balms with ingredients that may dry your lips. So it is crucial to examine the product’s ingredients before buying them. Lip balms in mint flavor give a cooling sensation to the lips. However, this ingredient can be very drying and may cause your lips to be drier than before. Other drying ingredients found in lip balms are camphor, menthol, and phenol.
You might also want to avoid a flavored or scented lip balm since it can also be drying to the lips. Plus, when your lip balm is flavored and smells good, you become more tempted to lick your lips, which would make it even drier.
Lip balms containing moisturizing ingredients like petroleum, castor seed oil, beeswax, lanolin, shea butter, and ceramides are nourishing for the lips.
Use Sunscreen
Some of you may not know, but some lip balms also come with sunscreens. Using a lip balm with sunscreen can help avoid chapped lips. It will protect your lips from being burned by the harsh sunlight and the dryness it can cause to your lips afterward.
Try Using Some Natural Remedies
Do not worry if you are out of lip balms and cannot go out and buy from drugstores. There are natural home remedies that are effective in treating your chapped lips. Some of these are the following:
- Aloe Vera gel- the gel inside the plant is rich in vitamins and minerals that help soothe and rehydrate your lips.
- Cucumber- is a gentle moisturizer on the lips. It contains vitamins and minerals that are healthy for your lips’ appearance.
- Coconut oil- fights inflammation and can soften and soothe the lips.
- Green tea- contains minerals and antioxidants which help lessen the inflammation of your lips.
- Honey- honey is a very moisturizing ingredient which makes it an appropriate treatment for chapped lips.
Exfoliate Your Lips Regularly
It is essential to exfoliate your lips regularly to clear out all the dry skin that could hinder the moisturizing ingredients in your lip balms from reaching the chapped spot on your lips. The same as buying your lip balms, it is crucial to look for lip scrubs with a soothing and moisturizing ingredient.
Use a Humidifier at Home
Your skin can lack moisture when you spend so much time outside or in a dry area (especially during winter). Using a humidifier at home is one way to bring back or to add moisture in the air that your skin and your lips need. It helps avoid dryness and can help ease and soothe your dry lips.
Cover Your Mouth When Outs During Harsh Weather Conditions
Cold air and harsh weather conditions may cause your lips to be dry. Covering your lips and wrapping your mouth with a scarf or any thick clothing before going out can help protect your lips from the brutal temperature you may experience.
Always Remember To Hydrate and Drink Water
Dehydration is one main reason why people have dry lips. You may notice that people who usually do not drink water have chapped or dry lips. When a person is dehydrated, the body pulls out water from different areas to secure that cells are hydrated. It is why your skin, including that of your lips, gets dry. It is a good habit to drink water and hydrate throughout the day. Be sure to drink at least eight glasses of water every day to stay hydrated and have smooth and moisturized lips.