Lip Care Routine 101

Have you ever wondered why your lips get chapped and cracked, even if your skin is oily? When it's cold and dry outside, your lips are likely to become chapped and cracked. Chapping can be caused by extremes of heat or wind. Fortunately, a few easy methods can assist you in keeping your lips soft and smooth. No matter what time of year it is, this lip care routine will ensure your lips stay healthy. Beauty is personal, whether it's a tried-and-true skin care regimen, how often you wash your hair, or the cosmetics you're interested in.

How to take care of your lips 

The skin on your lips is different from the rest of your body because it doesn't have sebaceous glands. The microscopic glands connect to hair follicles. They help produce the oil that keeps our skin soft and moisturized. It may feel natural to lick your lips when they're dry, but in reality, licking them will only make the problem worse. Excessive licking can lead to yeast overgrowth on the lips. This might result in angular cheilitis, a painful inflammation around the corners of the lips.

The key to healthy lips is using a moisturizing product every day. You may exfoliate your lips 1–2 times each week if they are excessively dry.

Step-by-step daily lip care routine 

There are two essential steps to keeping your lips healthy: hydration and exfoliation. Only exfoliate if your lips are prone to chapping and cracking.

HYDRATE

Any time your lips become dry, use a lip balm. Here's how to do it:

1. Apply a thick layer of the balm to your lips using an applicator or your fingers, making sure to get it into all the nooks and crannies.

2. If you're spending time outside and your lip moisturizer lacks sun protection, use an SPF 30+ lip balm afterward.

3. Reapply every few hours to ensure maximum protection. Try using a hydrating lip product 2–4 times each day. If you have extremely chapped or cracked lips or eczema, you may need to use a more intensive lip balm.

EXFOLIATE

Exfoliating your lips can help to remove dead skin cells, restore softness, and achieve smoothness.

Try exfoliating 1–2 times per week as a part of your bedtime routine:

1. Apply a tiny amount of exfoliating scrub to your fingertips.

2. For best results, use small circular motions to rub the product over your lips for no more than 30 seconds.

3. Allow the mixture to sit on your lips for 10 minutes so that the oils can soak in and nourish your skin.

4. Rinse the area with warm water.

5. Gently pat dry your skin with a clean towel.

6. Apply a protective balm to lips to keep moisture locked in and soothe them.

Drink lots of water and don't pick or bite your lips to ensure optimum lip health. Whenever you spend time outdoors, be sure to put on sunscreen with an SPF rating of at least 30. Just because the temperature may not be as warm, the sun can still do damage to your skin and lips.  It can be in your lip product or in addition to it. Lips are frequently involved in preneoplastic (please define preneoplastic) changes, and they must be safeguarded from the sun.

Licking your lips will only make them drier, so it's important to find a lip balm or Vaseline that you can rely on to keep your lips moist throughout the day. You may also want to try exfoliating your lips 1-2 times a week and using a lip scrub or lip balm that you make at home with natural ingredients. Don't forget to apply sunscreen to your lips when you're spending time outdoors, and drink lots of water to keep them hydrated from the inside out!