With winter hard on our heels, lip skin tends to start cracking and chapping. Yes, even when you classify yourself to be of the oily sort on the skin type chart. The dry and cold winter air outdoors can lead to peeling lips. Any time extreme wind or heat is present, lip dryness appears alongside.

Harsh weather aside, lips get parched because the thin skin on the lips does not have a self-moisturising system. Lips don’t have sebaceous glands, the microscopic glands that are responsible for creating moisture to soften skin and protect it from environmental skin dryness and damage.

The skin on our lips is the thinnest layer compared to other areas of the body. Lip care should then be more than just smacking on a lip balm once in a while. Extra attention and pampering for the lips are needed in creating and maintaining soft, moisturised lips.

To keep your pout the prettiest, softest and healthiest, here are easy steps to add to your skincare routine:

Step 1: Gently remove clingy dead skin

Dead skin clinging onto your lips make it impossible to reap the benefits of applying lip balms and lip serums that are meant to penetrate and heal layers underneath. It’s like having Saran Wrap covering the parched skin cells.

Rough, uneven, peeling lips make applying lip color a nightmare. Cracks and crevices trap extra pigments. Some dry patches make it difficult for pigments to latch on, resulting in an uneven color application that does the opposite of enhancing the lips. This is, even more, a problem with a matte textured lip products because they exaggerate the dry bits of dead skin.

Gentle exfoliation is the answer to solving the problems above. And ‘gentle’ is the keyword needed to make lip skin exfoliation beneficial. Harsh abrasives and chemicals will likely cause more cracking. Continuous practice of weekly/bi-weekly lip exfoliation not only smooths the lips and improves texture, it also encourages better blood flow and allows better lip-treatments absorption.

Go for lip exfoliants that have natural ingredients. They are the nourishing food your lips crave. Sugar-based lip scrubs are best for gentle and natural exfoliating. The softer edges and the solubility of sugar crystals make it ideal for tenderly bluffing off dead skin and smoothening rough, uneven skin of the lips.

For extra gentle exfoliating, try BodyBlendz Lip Scrub. All-natural and no harmful ingredients, our lip scrub softens as it removes flaky bits so lip balms and serums can better penetrate deeper layers. With sugar crystal suitable for the lips’ thin and sensitive skin, it smoothens rough, uneven lips so that lip color glides on smoothly. 

 

 Lip Exfoliation Tips

• Avoid heavy pressure.

• Remove dry skin bits using small circular motions.

• Rinse with warm water or warmed washcloth.

• Exfoliate once to twice a week, preferably at night, avoiding sun exposure on freshly scrubbed lips.

• Immediately follow with a lip moisture product.

Step 2 – Hydrate and condition lips, night and day

Prolonged sun exposure, cold season, dry weather, and constant lip-licking are the most common reasons why your lips are dry and chapping. Soft, supple lips year-round are desired by everyone, hence the frequent slapping of lip balms.

However, not all lip balms and lip serums are beneficial to your lips. Some lip conditioning products contain ingredients that dry out your lips even more, after the initial effect. Some contain ingredients that might irritate your lips.

Some Ingredients in lip products to steer clear of while your lips are heavily chapped are those that contain any of the ones listed below.

• Eucalyptus

• Camphor

• Lanolin

• Menthol

• Lip product flavors like citrus and mint can be irritating to already parched, chapped lips

• Strong and synthetic fragrance

• Phenol (or phenyl)

• Salicylic acid

• Propyl gallate

Below is a list of skin healing ingredients that helps to nourish your lips and maintain their softness. Testing for sensitivities is always recommended.

• Rice bran wax

• Beeswax

• Castor seed oil

• Hemp seed oil

• Ceramides

• Shea butter

• Sun-protective ingredients, such as titanium oxide or zinc oxide

If possible, choose hypoallergenic products that are fragrance-free or naturally scented lip balms.

For natural lip moisture and nourishment, apply Bodyblendz Lip Balm. It glides on smoothly and protects your tender lips from humidity and environmental stressors. Irritant-free, our lip balm contains no petroleum, chemicals, or additives whatsoever. It boosts hydration for your lips any time with rich antioxidants, long-lasting nourishment and hydration.

The skin around and on the mouth can have blisters that may not be caused by dryness alone. You may need to visit your dermatologist to make sure whether you should use medicated lip products for fever blisters or cold sores.

Daytime Lip Protection

Double lip moisture application is especially beneficial during extreme weather conditions. First, apply an adequate coat of lip moisture, be it in serum, balm, or cream form. Next, apply your lip color. Finally, on top of the lip color, if your lipstick or lip moisturiser does not already contain sunscreen, use an SPF 30+ lip balm as ultimate protection from environmental damage and pollution to your lips. Reapply as necessary during the day.

Nighttime Lip Hydration

You use overnight, extra hydrating night creams for your face to rejuvenate and keep your skin hydrated while you sleep. Why not extend these benefits to your lips?

Seven to eight hours of sleep without your lips being able to produce moisture, lips will need your help to keep them from drying out during the night. Lips become even dryer while sleeping and breathing through our mouths partially open.

Softening and hydrating leave-on lip sleeping masks make a world of difference the morning after. Your lips are not only kept hydrated throughout the night, you’ll also wake up with lips that are smooth and elastic.

Coco Luxe Coffee Scrub	Sugar Coco Cream Shimmer Scrub