Get Soft Lips

We all want soft, lustrous lips, but sometimes Mother Nature isn't as keen on handing us moisturized kissing machines on a silver platter. If cold, harsh weather or bad habits are taking a toll on your lips, try implementing some of the suggestions below to improve the overall look and feel of your lips.

Steps

Applying Balms

  1. Apply petroleum jelly at night. You can use Vaseline or Aquaphor when your lips need intense moisturizing and are especially chapped. Apply as often as you like, though it's generally good to use petroleum jelly at night while sleeping and apply a thinner product in the daytime.
  2. Wear a moisturizing lip balm everyday. Use a balm with shea or cocoa butter for the best results. Make sure to reapply frequently throughout the day when your lips begin to feel dry (usually about every two hours).
    • Apply Chap Stick every morning underneath any other lip products that you use, including lipstick, lip gloss, and lip stain.
    • Choose the product that sounds most appealing to your condition. Some lip balms are medicated and others contain strong mint extracts that might be irritating to some. Read the label of a lip balm before buying it to ensure that you are not allergic to any of the ingredients.
    • Common lip balm brands include: Burt's Bees, Blistex, Carmex, Chapstick, C.O. Bigelow, Nivea, Softlips, and EOS.
    • You can easily find lip balm at Walmart, Target, or at your local pharmacy.
  3. Avoid lip balms with fragrances, flavors, or dyes. These can be drying or potentially trigger irritation in some sensitive users. Choose lip balms with all-natural ingredients (no chemicals) that are free from unwanted additives.
  4. Wear moisturizing lipstick. Most makeup brands carry a line of moisturizing lip balms, including Clinique, Jouer, Dior, Benefit, Revlon, Bobbi Brown, and Laura Mercier.
    • If your style is more drugstore than department store, simply look for lipstick labels that claim to be moisturizing.[1]
    • Check the ingredient list for shea or cocoa butter extracts and any type of moisturizing oil such as coconut and/or olive oil.
  5. Use products that contain at least SPF 15 to avoid damage caused by the sun. Your lips are very susceptible to sunburn and sun damage. Be sure to wear lip protection when going outdoors.

Exfoliating and Conditioning Your Lips

  1. Rub sugar on your lips. You can really use any coarse food product, but avoid irritants like salt that will actually dry out your lips.
  2. Make a honey, sugar, and olive oil scrub. Combine a tablespoon of honey with two teaspoons sugar and one teaspoon olive oil. Rub the mixture on your lips and allow it to sit for several minutes.[2]
  3. Make a coconut-citrus conditioner. Mix 2 teaspoons coconut oil, 3 drops lemon juice, and 1 teaspoon beeswax into a saucepan and melt it over low heat stirring constantly. You can also use lime juice if you don't have any lemon juice on hand. Pour the mixture into a glass container and allow it to cool and harden. Apply it to your lips as you would a regular lip balm.[3]
  4. Rub butter, neem oil, ghee, or milk cream on your lips before going to bed. These substances are very deep moisturizers that especially help calm chapped lips. Rinse the product off in the morning.
  5. Make a paste with baking soda and water and rub it on your lips. Let it harden and then rinse thoroughly with water.
  6. Apply aloe vera gel to red, cracked, and/or sunburned lips. Aloe vera is extremely soothing and helps you get rid of harsh damage from the sun.
  7. Rub cucumber slices on your lips. The phytochemicals found in cucumbers tighten the collagen in your lips, making them appear plump and hydrated. Massage your lips for several minutes with freshly cut cucumber slices.
  8. Use a toothbrush to apply any of the scrubs above for a more vigorous exfoliation. Only use a soft or medium bristled toothbrush to avoid making your lips raw. You can simply use warm water or use the toothbrush to spread an external exfoliant on your lips.

Developing Good Habits

  1. Drink at least 8 glasses of water per day. One of the best things you can do for your lips, in fact for your skin in general, is to make sure to drink a lot of water. Water not only hydrates your body, it nourishes your skin and promotes new cell growth. In fact, dry lips can be a sign that your body is not getting the amount of water it needs.
  2. Refrain from licking your lips. Although it might be counterintuitive, wetting your lips by licking them with saliva actually causes drying.
  3. Try not to bite your lips. If you tend to bite your lips when nervous or without realizing it, try using chewing gum to satisfy an oral fixation. Biting your lips causes cracking and can create open sores that may need to be treated with antibiotics.
  4. Eat a diet heavy in fruits and vegetables. Foods that contain vitamins B and C are especially good for your skin. Consider taking a supplement if your diet lacks these vitamins. Omega-3 fatty acids are also extremely good for your skin and can be found in foods like fish, avocado, and almonds. You can also take a daily Omega-3 supplement.
  5. Finished.

Warnings

  • Don't use cheap balms with flavors, because they will make your lips dry and you might be tempted to lick it off.
  • Try not to lick your lips as the saliva will make them dry.
  • Throw out lip balms that you've had for one year or longer. They can store bacteria.
  • Don't layer on several lip products all at once. Make sure to allow your lips time to breathe.
  • Don't share your lip balm, as it can spread germs.
  • Do not brush your lips too hard, or they will become raw and sore.

Related Articles

Sources and Citations

  1. ↑ http://www.totalbeauty.com/content/gallery/editors-top-lipsticks/p78502/page13
  2. ↑ http://wholenewmom.com/whole-new-budget/natural-lip-scrub-cure-for-chapped-lips/
  3. ↑ http://www.ourbestbites.com/2013/05/coconut-lime-sugar-scrub-plus-printable/
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