Dry lips can be a sign that you are not drinking enough water or that you’ve spent too much time outdoors without proper protection. Whatever the cause, dry, cracking, peeling, inflamed or chapped lips and can be annoying and even painful. Lip balm can sooth already irritated lips and wearing an SPF is definitely a good preventative measure but if you’re serious about maintaining a soft, luscious pout, you’re going to have to do more than that. 

5 Tips to Treat/Prevent Chapped Lips

Drink lots of water – Hydrating your body from the inside out is an absolute must if you want chap-free, soft lips. This is especially important in the Winter when the cold and wind do the most damage. 

Protect lips from the sun – Use a sunscreen on your lips every time you go outside to prevent them from overexposure and burning. 

Apply lip balm often – Lip balms can sooth chapped lips, promote healing and put much needed moisture back into the lips. Ingredients like menthol and camphor can dry out the lips even more so look for balms that have coconut oil, aloe vera or Shea butter in them and apply the balm every few hours.

Stop licking your lips – Licking your lips doesn’t provide them with any extra moisture… doing so is actually quite drying since our saliva removes any natural oils that we have on our lips. 

Exfoliate – Resist the urge to pull or pick away at dry flakes. Gently buff your lips once a week to remove any dead skin cells. You can use a soft toothbrush, a moist washcloth or invest in a battery-powered device like the Bliss Pout-o-matic (see below). Lip Scrubs are easy to make with common ingredients found in your own home. (recipe below) 

Photo credit: Google Images (original source unknown)

To exfoliate my lips, I’ve been using the “spa-powered lip-perfecting system” by Bliss 1-2 times per week. The handheld gadget revitalizes and smooths lips by using a gentle rotation and has a custom designed head that softly massages the lips to stimulate and exfoliate them. I like it much better than rubbing a scrub onto my lips using my fingers, since it rotates over 450 times a minute, and does a much better job! The kit includes a battery-powered device that has a rubber polishing head and the Fabulips Lip Scrub ($18 USD/$22 CAD). The scrub contains finely granulated sugar, conditioning oils and almond & walnut shells that gently exfoliate the lips. Because of my nut allergy, I make my own lip scrubs at home and pair them with the Pout-o-Matic. 

Fabulips Sugar Lip Scrub & ‘Pout’-o-Matic Spa-Powered Lip-Perfecting System

Product Details:

> Kit includes: lip polishing tool, replacement polishing head, AAA battery & the Fabulips Sugar Lip Scrub
> The rubber head has little knobs on it and spins to gently scrub your lips and buff away any flakiness & dryness
> Available at The Bay, Sephora or online.

Fabulips ‘Pout’-o-Matic Spa-Powered Lip-Perfecting System – $58 CAD

Fabulips ‘Pout’-o-Matic Spa-Powered Lip-Perfecting System (Close Up of Polishing Head)

Fabulips Sugar Lip Scrub – $22 CAD (when sold separately)

How-to Instructions:

 

> Apply a thick layer of lip scrub (included or homemade) over both lips 

> Gently press the tool onto the lips one at a time

> Move the polishing tool across your lips in a circular motion for approximately 30 seconds

> Turn off the device and wipe lips with a damp cloth

> Apply a generous amount of lip balm after exfoliating

 

Results:

 

After three weeks of use, my lips have become noticeably softer and less flaky but they still have some visible dryness to them. While I haven’t noticed any change in colour, my lips do feel & look better overall. This tool has really helped to buff away any chapped, dead skin on my lips while keeping my lip surface smooth. I think with continued use, even more improvements will surface. I’m hoping that in time, my lips will feel even more nourished. I do not recommend this product as a quick fix as it does require some maintenance but I really like how gentle it is on such a delicate area. It is a bit of a novelty but if you suffer from significant dryness and chronically chapped lips, I would check it out.

 

DIY Lip Scrub Recipe

Everything you will need to make a great lip scrub at home!

 

1 1/2 tbsp Coconut Oil

1-2 tbsp White Sugar (substitutions: cane or brown sugar)

Flavoured lip balm (other options: maple syrup, cinnamon, vanilla)

Small container with a lid

 

What do you do to keep your lips soft & healthy looking all-year long?