It’s wintertime in Utah, aka your lips’ worst nightmare. The dry climate and strong winds will cause your lips to be chapped and sore. A definite no-go with Valentine’s Day coming up this month. So how do you fight dry lips? Turns out there are plenty of tips, tricks, and solutions to keeping your lips soft and smooth all-year round…winter included.
The first step to softer lips is to update your daily routine. Thinking about how you treat your lips will help remind you more often that they need attention. Here are some simple ideas on how to fight the dry.
Daily Tasks:
- Drink More Water: The age-old answer. The more water you drink during the day, the more hydrated your body will be. Keep a water bottle with you at your desk and take a sip every 10 minutes. You’ll be amazed at how much water you’ll finish throughout the day.
- Don’t Lick Your Lips: Even though it seems like this might help, licking your lips actually dries them even more. The digestive qualities of your saliva is detrimental to the skin on your lips.
- Know Your Moisturizers: Read the ingredients to the Chapsticks and Lip Balms you buy. The cheaper ones won’t do much if they don’t have the right ingredients and you’ll have wasted time and money. Look for the replenishing power of shea butter, olive oil, argan oil, honey, and coconut oil.
- Take Off Makeup At Night: Simple enough to remember. Even if you’re feeling too tired to wipe down your face before bed, just remember that if you make time to clean your lips they’ll be less dry when you wake up. Give them a break from your lipstick.
- Suns Out, Balms Out: Even in wintertime, the sun can damage your lips. Keep them safe by getting a high SPF lip balm.
Treating your dry lips at home is a smart and easy step to improving their smoothness.
Home Remedies:
- Lip Balm and Wash Cloth: Before you go to bed, apply lip balm. When you wake up in the morning, remove the excess balm by gently rubbing it off with either a washcloth or your toothbrush to exfoliate your lips.
- Rose Petals and Milk: Soak some rose petals in milk overnight. When you wake up, strain the petals and mash them up. Add some milk to make a paste and then apply to your lips. Let it sit for 15 minutes before removing.
- Aloe Vera and Coconut Oil: Create your own lip balm by mixing together aloe vera and coconut oil. It’ll work just as well as a store-bought brand.
- Sugar and Olive Oil: This is another great way to exfoliate. Mix a tablespoon of brown sugar and a tablespoon of white sugar with a tablespoon of olive oil. Scrub your lips, and then wipe off the excess skin.