With summer around the corner we are all focused on protecting our skin and hair form the harmful summer rays and pool chemicals but we shouldn’t forget to pamper our lips.
Unlike the skin on your body, lip skin is thinner and more delicate. The skin on your face can be up to 16 cell layers thick while the skin on your lips is only 3 to 5 layers thick. The thinner layers of skin means that your blood vessels are more apparent, giving your lips their pink or red color. Lip skin is fragile and can burn so summer is the perfect time to refine your lip beauty regime. You can keep your lips soft and plump by following these three steps:
Exfoliate
The truth is to have soft and smooth lips, you should exfoliate lips about twice a month. You can do this with a natural mixture of salt or sugar mixed with coconut oil or honey. Just apply the mixture and gently removing the dead skin flakes with a wet soft toothbrush or washcloth. We always opt for an organic option but if you don’t have the time or feel like making your own lip scrub then check this list from cosmopolitan.com.
Now that your lips are clean and prepared its time to hydrate them.
Hydrate
For ultra hydration you want to hydrate lips with an ointment that helps to seal in water. Many lip products have waxes and oils and they are helpful but do not last as long as an ointment. Once you find a non-irritating lip balm you should apply it several times throughout the day. Many of the lip balms now come with tints so you don’t need to layer lipstick over your lip balm. If you’re not sure what to purchase we like this list from nymag.com. It’s important to keep in mind that lips balms and ointments typically do not contain any SPF. If your out in the sun then we recommend lip protection.
Protect & Moisturize
First, let’s talk about protecting lips from the sun and wind. When wearing a lip balm out in the sun be sure to look for a minimum of SPF 30. I personally like Sun Bum and Aquaphor Lip Protectant but for a more detailed list of options we like this list from brydie.com. If you’ve ever had severely chapped lips you know that it can be painful and bothersome. Lip skin can heal itself and regenerate in 2-3 weeks but the goal is to protect them from damage.
Lastly, you need should moisturize your lips at night just like you moisturize your face. You should apply a lip balm because during the night your skin rises in temperature to flush out toxins and product new skin cells. A lip balm or ointment will help keep these new skin cells smooth. You could spend hundreds of dollars on fancy lip masks or simply apply petroleum jelly. We like this product list from glamour.com because they cover the drugstore options all the way up to the fancy nigh lip masks.
In summary, your lips deserve some TLC. You can have soft, smooth, plump lips by following a beauty regime that includes exfoliation, hydration and protection.
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