Cold weather is no excuse for dry chapped lips; find out how to replenish and lock in skin's moisture for a luscious, kissable mouth all year long.
Dry, cracked or sore lips are more than just a beauty blunder. In addition to detracting from an otherwise healthy complexion, chapped lips can also interfere with talking, smiling, eating and kissing comfortably.
According to a MotherNature.com article "Chapped Lips," lip skin is unlike skin anywhere else on the body: it's is exceptionally thin (revealing the capillaries below, creating red lips) and has no oil glands (skin's natural barrier), making the lips especially delicate and prone to dryness and chapping.
Although anyone can find themselves with dry lips from time to time, there are specific things you can do to avoid the irritating condition.
Protect Lips
Exposure to wind, sun and cold dry air contributes to chapped, cracked lips by sucking out moisture and damaging skin. Prevent exposure by protecting your lips with a lip cream, balm, or moisturizing lipstick before going outside, and reapply regularly while outside. Since the thin skin on your lips lacks melanin – the pigment that protects skin from damaging UV rays – they're especially vulnerable to the sun, so make sure the product also contains sunscreen of at least SPF 15.
MayoClinic.com recommends using fragrance-free, preservative-free, non-irritating Aquaphor Healing Ointment, or lip balm containing natural beeswax. Also try products containing hydrating shea butter, vitamin E and almond, jojoba, olive or coconut oils.
For intense moisture try: N.V. Perricone MD Alpha Lipoic Acid Lip Plumper, Vichy Intensive Care For Dried Out Lips. For emollient protection try: L'Occitane Shea Butter Lip Balm Stick, Avon Beyond Color Lip Recovery Cream with SPF 15.
Avoid drying matte lipsticks or first add a layer of moisturizing balm as a protective primer.
Avoid Irritating Skin-Care Products
Contact dermatitis from irritants or allergens in cosmetics and skin-care products can also cause chapped lips. Avoid products with fragrances, preservatives or other chemicals that commonly cause allergic reactions. AllergyEscape.com says common lip allergens include carnauba wax, and lanolin (in lipstick) and cinnamic aldehyde, fluoride, glycerine (in toothpaste, candy, chewing gum and mouthwash), and parabens.
Peeling lips can also be a sign of a food or drug allergy.
Quit Licking Your Lips
Although you may think you're moisturizing your lips by licking them, saliva actually contains digestive enzymes which break down your lips' natural protective coating. In a March 2002 Shape article, "7 Tips for Beautiful Lips", dermatologist Robert Brodell, M.D. explained that saliva evaporates very quickly and actually leaves your lips drier than before you licked them.
Stay Hydrated
Chapped lips are a tell-tale sign of dehydration. In the same March 2002 Shape article, dermatologist Bruce Bart, M.D. described lips as sponges, saying that when they're exposed to moisture, lips absorb water and plump up; when dehydrated, they dry out and shrink.
Stay hydrated by drinking plenty of water (at least eight glasses daily) and minimize your consumption of dehydrating caffeinated beverages (tea, coffee, colas and energy drinks), alcohol, and high-sodium foods.
Indoor heating sources can cause arid air, so you may wish to use an humidifier at home to balance the humidity.
Exfoliate Lips
Polish away dead cells to remove dry, flaky skin and reveal newer, softer skin by gently exfoliating lips with a toothbrush or mild face scrub.
Beef Up on Vitamin B
Nelson Lee Novick, M.D., associate clinical professor of dermatology at Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York City says in the article "Chapped Lips" on MotherNature.com that deficiencies in B-complex vitamins and iron can cause flaking lips and cracking at the corners of the mouth. To prevent this, he suggests taking a multivitamin and/or mineral supplement.
