Pucker up with confidence

THERE are a few things worse than dry, chapped lips, and with National Kissing Day fast approaching you’re going to want to ensure your pucker is smooth and ready for action. This year, the day dedicated to canoodling takes place on June 23 for its 11th consecutive year – it looks like romance isn’t dead after all.

But there’s absolutely nothing appealing, or comfortable for that matter, about a pair of parched lips. Luckily, though, with a bit of love and attention your smackers can feel soft and nourished once more.

First, it’s important to understand why our lips need a little extra TLC. With skin that’s extra thin and sensitive, lips don’t have any hair or sebaceous glands, which assist in keeping the skin lubricated. Their only source of moisture is your saliva, but this can lead to them becoming easily dry and chapped.

What’s more, they also don’t have any melanin, which protects the skin from harmful UV rays. That’s why our lips are at higher risk of sunburn and you should always use an SPF. Unfortunately, swiping on the occasional pat of petroleum jelly just isn’t going to cut it. What should you be doing to keep your lips in tip-top shape?

Lips, like all other skin, need to be exfoliated, but try and keep it limited to once a week using a dedicated lip scrub, or you could damage them. Similarly, like your favourite hydrating face mask, lip masks offer a quick dose of moisture.