Chapped Lips: 6 Mistakes to Avoid at All Costs

Chapped lips can be a painful inconvenience, not merely an aesthetic issue. They are prone to cracking due to intense dehydration, particularly in the lip mucosa, which is especially thin and fragile. Lips lack protective elements like the hydrolipidic film and melanin, making them vulnerable to external aggressions. But did you know that some of our daily habits could be exacerbating this condition ? In this article, we will explore why your lips might get chapped, what ingredients to avoid in lip balms, everyday actions that harm your lips, and the best practices for maintaining soft and healthy lips.

Why are your lips chapped ? Unravelling the causes

Exposure to environmental factors

Pollutants, harsh winds, dry air, and extreme temperatures can strip moisture from your lips leading to chapping and peeling. Shielding your lips with a scarf or using a humidifier indoors can help alleviate this problem.

Diet Choices

Consuming acidic or spicy foods can irritate the delicate lip skin causing it to become dry and flaky. Ensuring a balanced diet with adequate vitamins can significantly improve lip health.

Breathing habits and medications

Mouth breathing, hormonal changes during pregnancy, and certain medications may also contribute to chapped lips. If these factors cannot be avoided, extra care needs to be taken in terms of hydration and protection.

Speaking of protection, let’s dive into one crucial element – lip balms.

Selecting your lip balm: ingredients to avoid

The unwanted ingredients list

Lip balms provide much-needed moisture to your lips but not all are created equal. Beware of camphor, eucalyptus, and menthol in your lip balms as they can cause irritation leading to increased dryness.

The ideal ingredients list

On the flip side, search for products containing hydrating substances like ceramides, hemp seed oil, shea butter or petrolatum. These ingredients work wonders in maintaining the moisture levels of your lips.

Now that we’ve addressed the choice of lip balm, let’s move on to daily habits that might be damaging your lips.

Daily actions that harm your lips

Licking and biting

Licking and biting your lips is a common habit for many. However, this only provides temporary relief from dryness while causing more damage in the long run.

Applying makeup excessively

Lipsticks and lip glosses, especially matte ones, can strip away natural oils leading to chapped lips. Make sure you apply a layer of moisturizing lip balm before using any lip makeup.

Next up are some common skincare mistakes you should avoid if you have dry lips.

Mistakes to avoid when caring for dry lips

Over-exfoliating

While it might seem counterintuitive, over-exfoliating can remove the protective layer from your lips making them more susceptible to external elements. A gentle exfoliation once a week is sufficient.

Neglecting hydration and protection

Just like the rest of your skin, your lips need regular hydration and protection too. Not providing these essentials could lead to perpetual dryness.

Which brings us nicely onto our final point: hydration and protection.

Hydration and protection: best practices for soft lips

The importance of drinking water

Maintaining optimal hydration levels by drinking sufficient water is an effective way to keep your lips moisturized from within.

Adopting a suitable lip care routine

A consistent lip care routine involving gentle exfoliation, regular application of a nourishing lip balm, and protecting lips from extreme weather conditions can help prevent dryness and chapping.

In essence, ensuring soft, hydrated, and healthy lips involves understanding the causes of chapping, making wise choices in lip care products, avoiding harmful habits and practices, and most importantly, adhering to a helpful daily lip care routine. A little awareness can go a long way in maintaining that beautiful smile !