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In addition to moving to a year-round warm climate or choosing one of the few chapsticks that actually work, there are a few things you can do to help soothe and prevent chapped lips. Chapped lips can happen to anyone, anywhere, and at any time. They are annoying and can sometimes become unsightly if left alone without care- and who wants to be known as “the girl with chapped lips?” Exactly. Here are a few ways to help fight off chapped lips.
Stay hydrated. Staying hydrated is not only good for your health, body and skin- it’s good for your lips, too. I’ve noticed my lips tend to get more chapped when I’m not drinking enough water.
Scrub-a-dub-dub. Whether you purchase a lip scrub at the store (try this vanilla scented one or this one that comes in a lipstick tube ) or make one yourself (I love this one), exfoliating the dead skin from your lips is a must. Think about it- if you’re just applying chapstick over dead skin, the nutrients and chemicals aren’t even penetrating the right layer of your lips- its just hydrating the already-dead skin. Remove the dead skin with a soft toothbrush or a wet washcloth using warm water or a lip scrub. Afterwords, apply a thick chapstick or ointment (such as good ol’ Vaseline or Blistex medicated ointment).
Prep overnight. So maybe you’re so busy during the day you forget to apply chapstick (or you don’t have time to re-apply every few hours). Try putting on a medicated ointment or good old Vaseline at night (my boyfriend swears by this- and I’ve never seen him with chapped lips in the 4 years I’ve known him) before you go to bed. The product will penetrate your lips overnight and they’ll feel nice and soft in the morning. Keep it next to your bedside or in your medicine cabinet next to your facewash so you’ll remember to include it in your routine.
Protect your face from the cold, wind and sun. Wear a high-SPF product (like this Supergoop balm with 30 SPF) when outdoors in the sun (this includes skiing and snowboarding) and try to always cover your face with a scarf on a particularly cold or windy day. Your lips and skin will thank you.
What are your tricks to keeping your lips from getting chapped in the winter?
