Very rarely do we hesitate to cleanse, moisturize, or exfoliate the week’s stresses away. However, when it comes to our daily routine, lip care is usually at the bottom of the ‘priorities’ list. Although most lip regimens consist of merely applying some color, paying special attention to our lips and making sure they are hydrated and protected is just as important as taking care of other parts of the body and skin. Our lips and the skin around them are extremely delicate, making them more vulnerable to external aggressors including wind, UV rays, cold weather, etc. In this blog, we will discuss how to build a proper lip care regimen - and why it’s absolutely necessary to do so!
Why Lip Care is Necessary
As previously mentioned, the delicate skin on the lips makes them vulnerable to damage and premature aging. Additionally, the lips don’t produce much melanin or have any sebaceous (sweat) glands - responsible for keeping the skin hydrated and protected. This is why they tend to experience dryness more quickly, and are more sensitive to harmful UV rays. With increased unprotected exposure, UV rays can cause an acceleration of the thinning of lips. Most of the plumpness we have in our lips is due to the collagen it contains. In addition to the damage our skin faces, our body also begins to lose and produce less of this protein as we age, causing the volume of our lips to simultaneously decease.
Now that we’ve established that not taking care of our lips can result in premature lip wrinkles, dryness, cracking and loss of volume, let’s discuss easy ways to begin a simple lip care regimen!
Products
One of the best ways to protect lips and ensure they stay healthy, is to look for products with effective ingredients! Keep an eye out for lip products with natural exfoliants like sugar, and natural oils like coconut and jojoba - as they will deliver healthy fats and various nutrients to your lips.
Balms & Masks
Because lips are naturally at more of a disadvantage than the rest of our skin to age quicker, the best way to keep the visible signs of aging at bay (on ANY part of your body) is to moisturize!
Having a daily lip balm is the #1 precautionary step you can take against premature lip wrinkles + damage. In addition to necessary moisture, lip balms also help shield lips from external aggressors, combat lip thinning, and even help lip colors last longer!
Lip masks are another way to deliver necessary moisture to dehydrated lips. Essentially, lip masks work the same way sheet masks do - they’re meant to hydrate and soften the skin. Similarly to face masks, there’s a lip mask out there for every possible lip concern, making targeted lip care achievable!
Scrubs
Another way to lip-care is exfoliation! Properly exfoliating lips helps them to better absorb balms and protectants. Avoiding a lip scrub can lead to flaky lips, clumpy lipstick application, cold sores, and lip discoloration! Keep lips smooth, supple, and healthy by regularly sloughing away the buildup of dead skin cells.
Routine
In addition to staying well hydrated and eating foods rich in vitamin B2 such as mushrooms, almonds, and green leafy vegetables, choosing the right lip products is essential to maintaining happy lips! Creating and following a natural lip care routine requires minimal effort, yet yields lovely results. Follow these tips and incorporate them into your daily regimen to give your lips the TLC they’ve been needing.
Daily
- Apply lip balm at least twice a day. Use one with SPF for added protection!
- Remove all lip makeup before sleeping. Removing makeup from your lips is just as important as the rest of your face. Makeup products are responsible for sucking the moisture out of our lips.
- Give your lips a 5 minute massage with nourishing oils like jojoba seed oil
Weekly
- Exfoliate lips once or twice a week with a good lip scrub to remove dead cells and prep lips for a nourishing lip balm.
- Use a lip mask to rejuvenate lips after a few days of color application or lip neglect
