Everybody finds full-looking, soft lips nice, but keeping them healthy and hydrated is crucial. Most people do not pay much attention to the health of their lips. Your lips will not look plump, pink, and soft if you do not pay extra attention to them. Therefore, keeping them healthy should be as important to you as your other body parts.
To make them healthy, you can use protective products and treat them gently. Keeping your lips healthy requires effort and time, so be consistent.
If you are tired of having cracked, chapped, dry, or peeling lips, there are a few things that can help.
Tips to Keep Lips Healthy
Pink and healthy lips can add a warm touch to your smile and brighten up your face. Unlike other parts of our face, lips are the most delicate ones that do not have oil glands. So, for keeping them soft, an external moisturizer is essential.
1. Exfoliation
Always apply a good quality lip balm before you head to your bed at nighttime. After waking up, exfoliate your lips to rub off any dry or dead skin. It will also improve the circulation in your lips. Do it once or twice a week. And yes, remember not to over-exfoliate your lips.
2. Stay Hydrated
Not drinking enough water is one of the most common causes of dry skin and lips. Drink at least eight glasses of water daily, and you will notice your body getting benefits from it in several ways. Fuller-looking lips are an additional benefit of staying hydrated. Also, avoid licking your lips as it saps moisture.
3. Try a Homemade Lip Scrub
If you do not want to invest in expensive lip scrubs or have a thing for homemade remedies, we have come up with a homemade lip scrub for you. You can make this homemade lip scrub for yourself at home using raw sugar. Exfoliate your lips with a mixture of sugar, honey, and almond oil. The honey and almond oil is to lock in moisture.
4. Moisturize with Aloe Vera
For this remedy, crack a leaf from an aloe vera plant and gently apply it to your lips. You can also purchase pure aloe vera from any local shop. It has healing and soothing properties, making your lips look healthier and in the best form.
5. Use Vitamin E
If you have vitamin E capsules at home, you can use them to keep your lips healthy. Just cut one open and apply it to your lips. Vitamin E not only boosts circulation in your lips but also makes them softer and generates new skin cells.
6. Protect and Moisturize
Just like your skin, your lips are subject to damaging sun exposure. It means that your lips are a usual spot for skin cancer. A 2005 study found that out of 299 participants, only 37 applied sun protection to their lips. The rest of them only applied sunscreen to their bodies. It is crucial to include lip protection (SPF 15 or higher) into your daytime skincare routine.
Use a lip balm on cold or cloudy days as well. It will slow down the aging signs. To get the best results, reapply the lip balm with an SPF after every hour. Despite wearing a face mask, you still need to protect your skin and lips, and to combat nighttime dryness, switch to a moisturizing product.
You may also check our list of the Best Ointments and Creams for Cold Sores that can help protect and moisturize your lips.
7. Use Appropriate Product
Some of the products you put on your lips can make them swollen or tender. Keep track of your present symptoms and stop using those products immediately. Use lips care products that are free from harsh chemicals.
8. Check Your Medicine Cabinet
If you think they create all the beauty products equally, you are wrong. Lip balms that contain coconut oil, cocoa butter, and shea butter act as a natural barrier of protection for your lips from pollution and heat. But other ingredients can make your lips all dry.
Make sure to check the expiry date before applying any product to your lips or skin. Shop for lip balms with cocoa butter, shea butter, and coconut oil to get all the benefits.
9. Wake Up Lips with Citrus
You can slough off the dead skin of your lips and make them appear brighter by using a few drops of lemon juice. Just rub the lemon juice on your skin and wait for it to do magic. Before using this remedy, make sure your lips are not super dry or cracked, as it may make things worse.
10. Use a Berry-Based Lip Scrub
Strawberries are rich in vitamin C and antioxidants. They help nourish the skin of your lips. To prepare this remedy, crush up a strawberry and add the mixture of olive oil and honey. You can also experiment with blueberry variations as they are also rich in antioxidants.
11. Remove Your Makeup Before Bed
Sleeping in your makeup is terrible for both your skin and lips. Even when you cannot see any visible product or lipstick on your lips, wiping them gently with a makeup-removing wipe will be a good idea. Do it before you hit the bed.
12. Limit Exposure to Toxins
Chemicals, smoke, and polluted air can prematurely age skin, making them appear wrinkled and dark. Moreover, smoking can also aggravate this effect and fade your lip color. Avoiding secondhand smoke and cigarettes can enhance the appearance of your lips. You can protect your lips from these toxins by covering them using a scarf.
13. Use Natural Plant Dyes
Natural plant dyes are a great option if you want to go for a slightly more reddish lip color than your skin tone. Unlike heavy lipsticks, these dyes will not dry out your lips or irritate them. Apply pomegranate or raspberry juice directly to your lips to give them a temporary pinkish stain.
14. Always Prep Before Using Lipstick
It is an excellent idea to coat your lips with a lip primer, even if you are going for lip color products that intend to lower skin damage. Lip primer will save your lips from drying out before you put on your lip color. Use a lip brush or cotton swab to prime them with almond oil or coconut oil.
Wait until it completely soaks into your lips, and then go for your favorite lip color, and you will get perfect pouty lips.
15. Try Peppermint Oil to Boost Circulation
You can boost the blood circulation in your lips by using peppermint oil. Moreover, peppermint oil also provides a cooling sensation, which is good for soothing dry lips. You can even make a DIY lip balm by mixing peppermint oil with a carrier oil like coconut or almond oil.
You can reapply this self-made lip balm throughout the day.
Conclusion
Just like your skin, hands, and feet care routine, you should also add lip products into your morning and night skincare. Aiming for lips that are smooth, hydrated, and healthy should be your goal. Follow the tips mentioned above to keep your lips healthy and happy.