Say no to dry, unattractive smackers
Image: Wiki Commons/ CC BY-SA 3.0
So the cold weather isn’t just bringing the cold and flu. There is in fact one other sign that winter is still keeping a firm hold on everyone: chapped lips. You may have noticed you’re bundling up. But how often do the covers extend to your puckers? Your lips are still suffering from sun, wind and cold, and dry air exposure.
While I usually write about fitness, exercising and health in general, with all the kissing February comes with (hey, Valentine’s Day!) I thought to devote a piece or two about your smackers. After all, you can’t really claim to be in the pink of health if your lips are cracked and bleeding, can you? Okay, then.
Here’s what you should know about the lips. It only has a thin layer of skin. That means it also dries much faster compared to other parts of the face. Lips lose moisture as much as ten times faster than any other body or face part. What factors affect it?
- dry winter air
- cold wind blasts
- low humidity
The above are just some of the things that can give you cracked and chapped lips. And what can you do to avoid that?
- Keep Your Tongue In!
In other words, stop licking your lips!
Put it this way, every lick leaves saliva on the lips. Saliva then evaporates and leaves the skin more dehydrated than it previously was. Acid on human spittle also work to strip the lips’ natural moisture and irritate skin that’s already compromised.
So how can you keep your lips smooth and hydrated? Don’t –
- lick
- scrub
- peel
- bite
Really, stop it before you find yourself suffering from infections and cold sores, too.
- Get balmy!
You need to shield your lips from the weather. Buy an emollient balm and lather it up. It’s important to keep lip skin moist. And the emollient balm works to seal the moisture in.
Whenever you need to go out, make sure that you use a lip balm that has SPF protection.
Whenever you need to go out, make sure that you use a lip balm that has SPF protection. If you’re not a big fan of emollient balms that contain petrolatum, you may also consider using castor seed oil, shea butter, squalane or sunflower seed oil. Any of those can nourish damaged lips. If you want to go all-natural with it, here are some natural dry lip remedies you can use:
- Coconut Oil
Coconut oil is made up of medium-chain fatty acids (MCFA). MCFA is good because it doesn’t increase the cholesterol in the bloodstream but does the exact opposite. It’s also easier to absorb in the skin. The healing properties in coconut oil are beneficial in boosting skin health. Yes, that includes improving the appearance of dry lips.
- Cucumber
Yes, cucumber is more popular as a puffy eye remedy. But also effective for dry lips. After all, cucumber is almost entirely made up of water. So it’s a good way to rehydrate dry lips. It’s also rich in vitamin C that helps with collagen production.
What to avoid: lip balms with eucalyptus, menthol or camphor that can cause or worsen dryness and irritation.
- Zip it Shut
I mean your lips, of course.
If you’re one of those people who sleep with your mouth open, you should know that sleeping that way will dry your lips out. If you can’t avoid it, then apply a thick layer of lip balm before bedtime to at least minimize the risk of waking up with flaky and dry lips.
- Hydrate
Again, you will need to ensure your lips are always moisturized so they don’t dry out. Drink lots of water to stay hydrated. Or use a humidifier at the house so moisture levels are always maintained.
The above won’t take a lot of effort. But they can easily keep your lips from drying out and getting all chapped. Don’t let the cold weather keep you from getting and keeping your luscious lips.