We're at the point in the season where your skin can start to feel the effects of and possibly suffer from the cold weather. Most of us are persistent about keeping our skin moisturized. We have routines that include lotions, butters, and all sorts of things that we live by. But how often do we think about moisturizing our lips? Even I, as a self-proclaimed obsessed lip balm hoarder will sometimes neglect my lips. Life gets busy!
Additionally, few of us actually cleanse our lips. We usually wipe off the previously used lip product and add a fresh application of some sort. We repeat this routine day after day until our delicate skin cries out for our attention.
Chapped lips are one sign of damage. Cracking and peeling usually evoke an action to grab a tube of lip balm. The feeling of dry lips drives us insane and we reach for a lip balm that will coat, one that soothes, or something to give us a tingly feeling. We all have "a type" when it comes to lip balms. For a few minutes, we feel relived. But what we forget is, lip balms consist of oil and butter. Balms normally contain no from of actual moisture. So how do we externally moisturize our lips?
Lets conquer these problems. First, clean your lips! The act of cleansing the lips will also add the much-needed element of water, which is moisture. I often do this with my favorite natural facial cleanser. Be sure to closely read the label you choose as cleanser to ensure it doesn’t contain ingredients that will damage the delicate skin of your lips. I recommend keeping the product out of your mouth; do not swallow the cleanser.
Secondly, remove build up and soften lips with this easy DIY lip scrub recipe.
- 2 tbsp sugar
- 1 tsp coconut oil
- 1 tsp honey
- 1 drop of peppermint or lavender essential oil
Do not allow any water or salvia to come into contact with the unused portion of the scrub. We want to keep this mixture bacteria free because it does not contain a preservative. Use a dry finger to apply the lip scrub in small circular motion. After a quick rinse, you’ll be left with a light protective coat of coconut oil on your refreshed lips. The coconut oil will help seal moisture into your lips which should feel very smooth.
For added protection throughout the day, apply a natural lip balm. Clean! exfoliate! hydrate! seal! Follow this routine one to times per week for the best results. Cover and store any portion of the used lip balm in the refrigerator for up to 14 days. Have you tried this type of routine or a similar one? Please do share your findings with us.