Dry lips can be a perennial issue, but winter has the special something in the air that brings out the worst results. Between being indoors where the heat blasts which may include a space heater and the cold, dry state of affairs outside, our skin tends to feel a bit rougher during this time of year. The collection of causes we face at this time of year leaves most of us with the troublesome, and sometimes painful chapped lips we all dread.
As some sort of way to fight off the flakes and chaps, you may have your go-to balm perpetually on hand. Whether your lip aid comes in a tube, stick or pot I can just imagine a stash right now hidden away in bags, pockets and junk drawers ready to be grabbed whenever that Oh My, my lips are dry feeling.
Sound familiar? Do you have this type of collection in the hopes that if you just use them diligently, you’ll be able to manage your dry lips? Well, hate to break it to you, but unless you are using your lip products correctly—and they are formulated with the right blend of ingredients with effective hydrating properties to help soften and smooth delicate skin —no amount of reapplying is going to help.
Welcome to the art of lip layering.
Yes, you should layer your lip products. Much like your skin care, or body care, you can layer your lip care, too. Following the same order of application, a good water-based hydrator first, topped with a protective softening salve or balm will treat your lips kindly.
You need a product that hydrates your lips which contains water. If your go-to lip product is only wax or oil, you’re not delivering any moisture. Instead you’re just covering your lips with a layer of product meant to keep the moisture in, before providing the much needed hydration. Balms and salves form a protective seal over the skin to lock in hydration and the products applied under them. This is the reason layering works in the battle against dried or chapped lips.
When the weather is humid out, like we see in the summer this is less of an issue. Your skin may already be fairly well hydrated. But once the weather changes, those little lip balms have nothing to lock in. We need to provide the much needed hydration to protect our lips properly.
How to help/prevent dry cracked peeling lips in the winter.
Here’s your fix: a lip smoother to remove the rough little chapped bits of skin. I’m partial to Botaniques Lip Therapy Set. A thin layer of smoother gets rubbed into my lips then rinsed or wiped off taking away all the dry skin and leaving behind a first layer of moisture that has already been absorbed into your lips. I top it off with the Vanilla Bean moisturizing lip salve formulated with shea butter coconut oil and water adding and sealing in an additional layer of hydration. This combination of products are plant based, vegan, cruelty free and made with a combo of antioxidants, ceramides, plant waxes, and fair-trade organic shea butter. They treat and hug your lips softly with a balmy finish, making your natural lip shade look its best.
If this all seems too much for your daily routine, rest assured, you need to do this only when your lips are in real need of hydration. If your lips are staying moisturized, skip the extra step and apply lip salve or balm. But, if your lips feel like the Sahara Desert, this treatment tip is for you, dear friend.
The takeaway
Listen, when the weather changes, our skin and hair changes too. But if you make slight tweaks to your routine, like in this case adding a lip treatment, you can help keep them healthy no matter the elements.
