I know I speak for many here when I say that many of us girls (me included!) tend to skip this essential lip care step as part of our daily skincare routine. We can’t have that flawless glass skin, and then be let down by chapped lips. Also, putting on your Dior lipstick with dry, cracked lips is SUCH a waste of money. To combat this, you gotta do regular lip exfoliation, which helps to make way for new cells to replace the dry skin and improve the appearance of your lips.
A mouth framed by smooth, healthy lips speaks visually of ample hydration and self care. Try kissing someone with dry, bleeding lips…it aint gonna go well, believe me.
There are several potential causes for flaky, dry lips:
- Dehydration – Lack of fluids can lead to dryness in the body, including on the lips. Not drinking enough water is a common cause of chapped lips.
- Vitamin Deficiency – Deficiencies in certain vitamins, like vitamin B2 (riboflavin) and B6 (pyridoxine), can contribute to lip dryness and cracking. Vitamins help maintain healthy skin.
- Cold Weather – Environmental factors such as cold air and dry wind can easily siphon the moisture from our lips, leaving them cracked and peeled. Similarly, living in arid climates with low humidity tends to evaporate moisture from skin and lips.
- Sun Exposure – Lips have very little melanin, making them vulnerable to sun damage. UV radiation breaks down collagen and dries out skin.
- Certain Medications – Some prescription and over-the-counter drugs, like antihistamines, diuretics, acne medications, can cause dry mouth and dried out lips.
- Lip Licking – While it may seem counterintuitive, constantly licking your lips can worsen dryness. Saliva evaporates quickly leaving lips lacking in moisture again.
- Skin Conditions – Disorders like eczema, psoriasis, allergies can trigger inflammation, scaling and cracking of the lips. Fungal infections may also contribute to lip flakiness.
According to the American Academy of Dermatology, stay away from these harsh ingredients in your lip products:
- Camphor – This has a cooling sensation, but it can be quite drying and damaging to already flaky lips. Camphor thins the outer layer of skin, causing further water loss.
- Eucalyptus – Similarly to camphor, eucalyptus provides a cooling, tingling feeling but it too is very drying and can cause redness and inflammation.
- Flavoring – Cinnamon, citrus, mint, and peppermint flavors can be especially irritating to dry, chapped lips. These contain volatile plant oils and compounds that can be irritants. They are lipophilic, meaning they dissolve skin oils that help hydrate lips.
- Fragrance – Artificial scents, even natural ones like essential oils, contain allergenic chemicals that can trigger contact dermatitis reactions in sensitive individuals. Red, scaly patches may develop.
- Lanolin – This wool wax moisturizes but some people are allergic or intolerant, getting a rash, swelling and discomfort from lanolin-containing products.
- Menthol – Another drying, cooling agent that triggers inflammation by activating nerve endings under the skin. Prolonged use of menthol can damage lips.
- Octinoxate or oxybenzone – They absorb rather than reflect UV rays. But they are absorbed into the bloodstream and can cause irritation too.
Instead, the most healing ingredients for dry, cracked lips are gentle emollients and humectants like hydrating ceramides, plant butters, beeswax and oils rich in skin-strengthening fatty acids. These nourish lips without stinging or causing further irritation.
Key Benefits of Lip Exfoliants & Scrubs:
- Exfoliation – Lip exfoliants help remove dead skin cells, dry patches, and flakiness from the lips, leaving them smoother and softer. Exfoliated lips provide a smoother canvas for the application of lip balms, lipsticks, and other lip products, ensuring better penetration of moisture and longevity.
- Improved Lip Texture – Regular use of lip scrubs can contribute to a more refined and even lip texture, preventing roughness and chapping.
- Stimulation of Blood Circulation -Gently massaging a lip scrub onto the lips can stimulate blood flow, promoting a natural, rosy tint and overall lip health.
- Prevention of Dryness and Cracking – Lip scrubs can be particularly beneficial in dry or cold climates by preventing dryness and reducing the likelihood of lips cracking or peeling.
- Hydration – Many lip scrubs contain moisturizing ingredients that hydrate and nourish the lips, helping to maintain their natural moisture balance.
- Removal of Lip Stains – Lip scrubs can assist in removing stubborn lip stains or residues from pigmented lip products, revealing a clean and refreshed lip appearance.
- Aromatherapy and Sensory Experience – Some lip scrubs include pleasant scents and flavors, providing a sensory and aromatherapy experience during use.
What we want in our Lip Exfoliants & Scrubs:
- Sugar: Often used as the primary natural exfoliant, sugar is a natural and gentle abrasive that helps remove dead skin cells.
- Shea Butter: Contains fatty acids like oleic and stearic acids to reinforce the moisture barrier of the lips.
- Coconut Oil: Otherwise known scientifically as cocos nucifera, this superfood ingredient adds moisture and acts as a natural emollient, leaving smoother lips.
- Castor Seed Oil: Contains anti-inflammatory ricinoleic acid to soothe irritation, and moisturizing fatty acids to soften skin and prevent water loss.
- Ceramides: Help strengthen and reinforce the skin barrier to lock in moisture and keep lips hydrated over time.
- Hemp Seed Oil: Rich in linoleic acid which has emollient and anti-inflammatory properties to calm irritation while deeply conditioning.
- Vitamin E: An antioxidant that helps nourish and protect the lips from environmental damage.
- Petroleum Jelly: Can’t have a list without good ol’ Vaseline. An occlusive agent that forms a water-repelling film to hydrate, lubricate and promote healing of cracks.
- Aloe Vera: Contains mucopolysaccharides that help retain moisture and inner leaf gel has a high water content (99.5%) which helps normalize moisture levels through its humectant properties.
- Titanium oxide or Zinc oxide: Reflect and scatter UV rays to shield vulnerable lip skin from further sun damage.
- Hyaluronic Acid: It’s a humectant that can attract and retain up to 1,000 times its weight in water, and supports skin barrier function by supplementing skin with hydrating lipids it may be lacking. It can also form a film to occlude water loss, while still allowing lips to breathe so they don’t suffocate.
Here are some best lip scrubs that have been proven to get smoother, supple lips:
- Fresh Sugar Lip Polish: Contains natural ingredients such as brown sugar crystals, shea butter, and jojoba oil to soften and remove dead cells.
- Lush Mint Julips Lip Scrub: One of my personal favourites, this one features sugar, peppermint oil, and vanilla extract. It reminds me of Christmas!
- Burt’s Bees Conditioning Lip Scrub:
- e.l.f. Cosmetics Lip Exfoliator: A convenient stick format with sugar, shea butter, and jojoba oil.
- Sara Happ The Lip Scrub: Known for its luxurious formula with sugar, jojoba oil, and essential oils.
- Laneige Lip Sleeping Mask: This best-seller is an intensive-care mask for lips. With nourishing Berry Fruit Complex™, Murumuru seed and Shea butter, this hydrating lip mask delivers intense moisture and antioxidants while you sleep for visibly smoother, baby-soft lips in the AM.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What is the purpose of using a lip scrub?
A: Lip scrubs exfoliate dead skin cells and smooth the texture of lips to prime them for moisturizing balms. Getting rid of flaky skin allows products to be better absorbed.
Q: How often should you use a lip scrub?
A: Using a lip scrub 1-2 times per week is sufficient for most people to keep lips looking healthy. People with excessively dry lips may scrub slightly more often. But scrubs should not be used more than 3 times per week. Apply a hydrating lip balm or lip gloss afterward to seal in the moisture and maximize the effects.
Q: Should you use a lip scrub before or after brushing your teeth?
A: Apply and rinse off lip scrubs and exfoliants before you brush your teeth. This allows the fluoride and other beneficial ingredients in toothpaste to better penetrate your lips afterward.
Q: Can you use a lip scrub if your lips are cracked or sore?
A: Severely cracked or split lips should be allowed to heal before scrubbing. But people with general irritation, flakiness or mild soreness can still use a very gentle lip scrub containing rounded jojoba beads for some renewal.
Q: Is it necessary to apply lip balm after using a lip scrub?
A: Yes, it’s highly recommended to follow a lip scrub with a nourishing, moisturizing balm or mask. Exfoliation reveals new skin that needs hydration and protection from elements to stay smooth.
Q: Can you create a DIY sugar lip scrub at home using basic ingredients?
A: Definitely – simple homemade scrubs can be whipped up with ingredients like white or brown sugar, honey, olive/coconut oil and essential oils. Mix to form a paste, then gently scrub lips for a minute before rinsing.
Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always consult with a dermatologist and/or healthcare provider before making significant changes to your diet or lifestyle.
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