It’s that time of year again, beauties; the days are getting shorter, the temperature is getting colder, the wind is getting stronger, and before you know it, you’ll by cosying up to the heater at any opportunity. And the first place this will all take its toll is on your lips. It’s because the skin on your lips is pretty delicate, you see. So every time you lick them, bite them, rub them, expose them to the elements (basically, all the time) you’re robbing your lips of moisture, which can lead to cracking, flaking and chapping.
Luckily though, despite being delicate, your lips are also pretty resilient so it only takes a few small measures to keep them smooth, luscious-looking and totally kiss-worthy.
DRY LIP FIX #1: Scrub away dry skin
A gentle exfoliation is the best way to get rid of – and prevent – dry, flaky skin on your lips. If your lips are already chapped they will be quite sensitive, so you need to choose a very gentle lip scrub that will slough away dead skin, without causing further irritation. I find that a warm, damp washcloth or a soft-bristled toothbrush works best in this instance. If your lips aren’t dry or chapped it’s still a good idea to incorporate a quick lip scrub into your weekly beauty routine as a preventative measure. We like: Lush Lip Scrubs
DRY LIP FIX #2: Nourish – and not just once a day
It might sound like a no-brainer, but how many of you actually apply a nourishing balm before slicking on your fave lippy? Just like you’d nourish and prep your skin with a moisturiser and primer before you applied your make-up, so too should you hydrate your lips under your lipstick or coloured gloss. Not only will it give them an extra hit of hydration to protect your lips from the drying effects of the elements, but it will also ensure that your coloured lipstick doesn’t dry out and ‘crack’ during the day. And if you’re not sporting a colour, keep your lip balm handy and reapply every few hours. We like: Bonne Bell Moisture Lip Balm with UV Filters
Dry lip fix #3: Avoid over-drying with longwearing lipsticks
Not all long-wear lipsticks are created equal and some do tend to dry out your lips more than others. But since we love a long-lasting lip colour as much as the next girl, we’re not about to give them up entirely – we’re just going to choose more wisely. So rather than simply picking on colour, look for something that is designed to last and that contains a lip conditioner or nourishing vitamins in the formulation. This will help to keep your lips comfortable and minimise the chance of chapping. We like:MaxFactor Colour Elixir Lipstick
Do you suffer from dry, chapped lips? What do you find helps your lips when they’re dry?
