Lip service
PUCKER UP FOR PERFECT LIPS, SAYS HANNAH BRITT
PARCHED? Your lips that is… If you’re nodding your head, you’re not alone.
Dry and chapped lips are super common, especially in colder months, and this is due to a host of things, from increased central heating usage drying out the atmosphere indoors and cold weather outside, to licking them too much and general dehydration.
When lips begin to dry, they feel tight and uncomfortable, look red and flaky, and any lines around them can look more prominent.
This can make people feel self conscious, and we have enough on our plates juggling busy lives to be worrying about our lips too.
Thankfully it’s a problem that is easily solved.
Here’s how ....
Hydration Hydration
The old adage ‘beauty starts from within’ is not a myth, and one of the most important things you can do to keep your lips smooth, soft and comfortable is to stay hydrated. Aim for around two litres of water a day, but tea, coffee, juice and water-rich foods like cucumber and watermelon all count too.
sCruB a duB duB
Weekly exfoliation will help to slough off any unsightly dead skin, which will gradually improve the look and feel of your lips. Having a smooth skin surface might also stop you picking at them too. Try the Lanolips Lip Scrub, £8.99 (lanolips.co.uk), which comes in Coconut and Strawberry and is a balm-based scrub with exfoliating fruit pieces.
BaLm uP Consider sPF
We know the importance of wearing SPF every day, even when raining, to protect our skin from damaging UVA/UVB rays. But we tend to forget our lips. And even when we don’t, we can quickly lick off any product, or wash it off when eating and drinking. The answer? A protective lip balm with SPF. Keep it in your bag and top it up with a simple sweep every two hours.
Try Carmex SPF30 Tropical Lip Balm, £3.99 (Superdrug), which can be worn alone or over lipstick.
Leave weLL aLone
Repeat after me: don’t touch, lick, pick at, rub or mindlessly fiddle with your lips. The more you do, the more irritation you can cause – and the worse any chapping and redness will become. Take up knitting, buy a fidget spinner, stroke a cat – just don’t touch your lips.
Regular lip balm application soaks the delicate skin of your lips in muchneeded moisture and also creates a barrier between it and the elements hellbent on chapping them. There are plenty of balms to choose from, so you can have fun finding your favourite. And best of all, many cost just a couple of pounds.