Chapped lips: tips and home remedies to intervene immediately
Cold wind on the outside, hot and dry air on the inside, especially now, in winter, our lips suffer a lot: the result is dry, chapped or tight lips. It is not just a cosmetic problem, because the corners of the mouth can be literally torn or inflamed. Read on and discover the best tips for turning chapped lips into a soft kissable mouth!
- What are the causes of dry and chapped lips?
- Chapped lips: 4 tips to heal them quickly
- · 1. Use a lip balm stick to smooth dry, chapped lips again
- · 2. Choose homemade products for chapped lips
- · 3. Drink, drink and drink again
- · 4. Apply lipstick correctly when lips are dry
What are the causes of dry and chapped lips?
But why do we have dry and chapped lips? The reason is simple: unlike the rest of our skin, the mucous membrane of the lips does not contain sebaceous glands; in fact, these are a natural protection against dehydration. They lubricate the skin keeping it elastic even on cold days.
See also
Since our lips lack this layer of fat, they dry faster. Cool temperatures, freezing wind or warm air in winter mean that the skin and therefore also our lips quickly lose moisture and become dry and chapped.
A second cause of chapped and dry lips can be a vitamin deficiency. Especially the lack of vitamin B2 leads to cracks in the corners of the mouth and rough lips. Foods such as milk and cheese, avocados, broccoli, meat and fish can cover the daily requirement of vitamin B2.
Another reason that leads to chapped lips is moistening through the tongue and saliva. Although this habit relieves the feeling of tension for a short period of time, it worsens the condition of the skin in the long run. evaporates, the delicate skin of the lips is further dehydrated and drier than before.
Chapped lips: 4 tips to heal them quickly
Dry, chapped and brittle lips not only make us look sickly and make us feel uncomfortable when we kiss - they also hurt a lot. So here are four care tips and home remedies that make dry lips appear and feel smooth again.
1. Use a lip balm stick to make dry, chapped lips smooth again
With healing sticks you can keep brittle lips at bay. Pay attention to the ingredients before the purchase: the silicones will give a superficial hydration and after a short time the lips will be drier than before. Conversely, natural ingredients such as calendula will promote wound healing and make the lips feel soft and smooth again. Remember, beware of products that contain fragrance or dyes - at least as long as the skin is irritated and cracked.
Another tip for extremely dry lips in winter is to take care of them overnight. The night care is particularly rich and moisturizes fragile skin thanks to high quality oils.
Can lip balms be addictive? The doubt probably arises from the fact that the lips crack again as soon as the treatment is abandoned. But this has nothing to do with addiction. True, healing stick lip balms contain important ingredients and should be used regularly, as long as the lips are chapped.
Beeswax and honey, aloe vera and jojoba, olive oil and vitamin C - the new lip care products contain numerous active ingredients that are intended to prevent and protect our chapped lips from dehydration. But how well do they really work? We have tested the new lip balm products for you.
2. Choose homemade products for chapped lips
- Honey is a proven home remedy for dry lips. Just apply a layer directly to your lips, leave it on overnight, and wash (or lick) it in the morning. Manuka honey is particularly effective against chapped lips. Manuka Honey is an intensive skin care and anti-inflammatory product
- Olive oil is a natural alternative to traditional lip care sticks. The oil is said to have a degreasing effect and is therefore the ideal care for rough lips.
Tip: You can use a soft toothbrush to gently remove the cuticles, but be careful not to scrub too hard!
An oil and sugar peel is a delicious way to remove dead skin and make the skin of the lips soft and velvety again.
3. Drink, drink and drink again
Hydration also comes from within! Drinking water regularly is one of the most effective methods for chapped lips. If you drink enough, dry lips can be prevented. Do you want to alternate other types of drinks? You can try unsweetened tea, smoothie or herbal tea. Drinking a lot is not only good for the lips, but also for the skin and body: it is no coincidence that experts recommend drinking at least 2.5 liters a day.
4. Apply lipstick correctly when lips are dry
As a general rule, if the lips are chapped and dry, lipstick or lip gloss should be avoided. However, important dates or events often force us to put some color on our lips. But beware: if the color is not applied correctly, chapped lips quickly appear scruffy. We show you how to avoid it.
Step 1:
Before applying any product or color, perform a gentle peeling with a soft toothbrush.
Step 2:
Apply a generous dose of lip balm and let it penetrate.
Step 3:
Choose a moisturizing lipstick, avoiding matte lipsticks if you have very dry lips
Step 4:
Spread the color with the help of a lip brush to ensure that the application is uniform and the lips are plumped.
