SOS chapped lips: how to take care of them?

Dead skin covers your lips despite the fact that you moisturize them daily with a nourishing balm. These unsightly manifestations take place specifically in winter, but you can also suffer from chapped lips throughout the year. So what to do? In this article, discover our best tips for finding soft lips in all circumstances!

Why do we have chapped lips?

Skin dryness can affect any part of the body and mainly the face which is most exposed to bad weather. But even on the face, the parts in relief are the most likely to suffer aggressions such as wind, sun, cold and pollution. Like the nose, the mouth is the most exposed part. This is why we get chapped lips easily.

That's not all ! Just like the eye contour , the skin of the lips is thinner and more sensitive. As a result, they deserve our full attention regarding the beauty treatments to be applied on a daily basis. You should also know that the lips are not covered with a hydrolipidic film because they do not have sebaceous glands. Also, they do not produce melanin, this natural pigment that helps protect the skin from the sun's rays.

Thus, they cannot hydrate themselves. If you want to have soft lips, you must therefore apply a lip balm daily. Otherwise, the lips will be subject to irritation, redness and cracking (and even sunburn in the summer)!

When the lips are dry, you must at all costs avoid moistening or biting them as this will only accentuate the dehydration.

Even if the lips dry out naturally, certain factors can accelerate this phenomenon such as:

• Too great a temperature difference: which is the case when you go from a heated room inside to outside in winter;
• Certain medications, especially those based on cortisone;
• Some treatments for skin blemishes.

Fortunately, there are remedies that help prevent and alleviate chapped lips.

The importance of hydration

Since the lips don't have sebaceous glands, they need a little help to maintain a good level of hydration. To do this, it is recommended to drink an average of 1.5 liters of water per day. You can also include teas and herbal teas not only to hydrate yourself, but also to enjoy their benefits on the body.

Aside from moisturizing from within, you can apply many hydrating products like a balm, stick, or oil to your lips. You can apply your stick several times during the day. When you go out in the sun or go skiing, it is advisable to use a lip care product with an SPF to protect your lips from the sun's rays .

Finally, lifestyle has a considerable impact on the quality of the skin, including the lips. It is then necessary to adopt a healthy diet by eating seasonal fruits and vegetables. Then, it is necessary to respect a regular rhythm of sleep. You should know that lack of sleep can dry out your lips. You should also avoid tobacco, alcohol, and too frequent stressful situations .

Natural remedies for chapped lips

Chapped lips can happen to anyone and it is far from inevitable. Even when your lips are in really bad shape, with shredded skin and redness, there's always room to make up for it.

Remove dead skin with exfoliation

Just like skin care in general, it is very important to exfoliate at least once a week. For this, you can make a homemade scrub with sugar, honey and vegetable oil. Sugar provides mechanical exfoliation while honey provides moisturizing, softening and healing properties. You can add the vegetable oil of your choice such as coconut oil, olive oil or avocado oil. All of this helps to unclog dead skin and regenerate dry lips. Specific scrubs for this sensitive area are also available on the market.

Apply daily care

Lip balms are the easiest to apply. Moreover, they are very rich in active ingredients to hydrate and nourish the lips instantly. You can also use a stick which also brings vitality and shine to your dry lips. Nevertheless, it is possible to make a homemade treatment based on fresh cream, honey and lemon juice. When applying the treatment to the lips, make circular movements for better absorption. Leave the product on for a few minutes before rinsing off with lukewarm water.

In an emergency, you can also seek advice from a dermatologist to restore fully cracked or peeling lips.