Give your pout a
THE festive season is well and truly under way. So if you’re hoping for a kiss under the mistletoe this Christmas, now’s the time to give you lips some TLC. The delicate skin on the lips is easily irritated, especially by winter weather which can leave them dry and cracked.
So we have put together some troubleshooting tips so you can kiss goodbye to common pout problems.
PROBLEM: DRY LIPS
The skin on the lips doesn’t contain oil glands and is much thinner than on the rest of the body. This means lips can dry out quickly, especially when temperatures drop.
Lip balm acts as a barrier, locking in moisture and protecting lips from the elements. Choose a formula that contains ingredients such as beeswax, shea butter and petroleum. Coconut, jojoba and almond oils are also good moisturisers. Avoid fragrance and anything that stings or tingles after application.
Try Vaseline Lip Therapy, £1.95 (boots.com) which helps protect against moisture loss and repairs the skin’s natural barrier.
Research shows people who are deficient in essential fatty acids often have dry lips. Boost your intake by adding foods such as walnuts, seeds, avocados and oily fish to your diet. Cracked skin at the corners of the mouth can be a sign of vitamin B, iron or zinc deficiency, so eat more beans, eggs and fortified breakfast cereals.
Exfoliate lips once or twice a week to boost circulation, buff away flaky skin and encourage cell renewal. If lips are very sensitive, apply a layer of lip balm and, using an old dry toothbrush, gently brush back and forward.
Matte lipsticks can be extremely drying so avoid them if your lips are chapped.
PROBLEM: VERTICAL LINES
Vertical lip lines are one of the first signs of ageing and can appear as early as your late 20s. Often made worse by smoking, talking, eating and drinking regularly through a straw also contribute.
Don’t waste money on line-filling creams. The only way to banish lines around the lips is to resurface the skin using laser treatment.
You should expect up to five days’ recovery time and you must wear SPF afterwards to protect the new skin. From £450.
For a speedy fix with no downtime, a skilled cosmetic doctor can inject Botox along the edges of the upper and lower lip line to temporarily relax the muscles that cause wrinkling. The procedure takes 10 minutes and results last three to six months. From £200.
A lip primer will prevent lipstick bleeding and feathering. Try B Lip Primer, £7.99 (superdrug.com) which will prep and smooth your lips for lipstick.
PROBLEM: DEFLATION
Lips lose some of their natural plumpness with age and the skin can develop lines and creases.
We have just launched a new treatment in our clinic called Smoothie Lip Booster. It uses injectable hyaluronic acid to fill lines and plump lips without making them bigger. From £200.
Use an eye cream on your lips to boost collagen production, firm skin and reduce lines. No7 Protect & Perfect Intense Advanced Eye Cream, £18 (boots.com), contains the anti-ageing peptide matrixyl.
Make your own lip mask. Smooth honey over clean lips, cover with a square of cling film and leave for 15 minutes before rinsing off.