Many of us want soft and smoochable lips. Apart from the confidence-boosting wow factor, properly cared-for lips are soft and supple. However, there are everyday habits that could impact the look and feel of your lips. Below, we’ll talk more about these habits, how to reduce them and how to make your lips soft and keep them that way.
3 Habits That May Cause Dry Lips
Soft lips feel comfortable year-round. Parched, dry lips can feel tight and tender. If you’re fed up with dry, cracked lips, try to avoid these habits.
1. Lip Biting
People bite their lips for various reasons, from coping with stress to trying to remove pesky skin flakes. Regardless of the reason, try to kick the habit right away. Picking at excess skin consistently throughout the day can cause your lips to become red, sore, irritated and drier.
To help stop the biting habit, apply a layer of moisturizing lip oil. Wearing lip oil can help you become conscious of biting, since you likely won’t want to peck away at the formula.
2. Eating Certain Foods
Consider the condition of your lips when you make a grocery list. Some of your favorite foods, such as juicy lemons, fiery salsa, crunchy chips and the meaty samplings on a charcuterie board, might contribute to dryness and irritation.
When we eat spicy and salty foods, we often lick our lips to satiate the thirst. When the saliva evaporates, the lips can dry out, too². Eating acidic foods can also irritate lips. Eat foods that can affect your lips in moderation to help reduce dryness.
3. Not Drinking Enough Water
Dehydration affects the body both inside and outside. When the body doesn’t have enough moisture on the inside, it manifests as dry, cracked skin on the outside. Regardless of the time of year, it’s really important to stay hydrated to avoid parched skin and lips. It’s recommended to drink eight 8-ounce glasses of water daily for the perfect touch of hydration.
How to Achieve Soft Lips
Taking the above steps will get you closer to achieving soft lips, but a well-rounded lip care routine will get you over the finish line.
Exfoliate
Your lips don’t develop an oily coating because your pout doesn’t have sebaceous glands³, which produce sebum—our body’s natural moisturizer. It doesn’t take much for thin lip skin to feel and look dry and textured. Since exfoliating reduces texture and excess skin cells, it’s recommended to exfoliate the lips twice a week, or as needed.
You can create several options of vegan lip exfoliants at home. For vanilla lovers, mix 2 teaspoons of agave nectar, 2 teaspoons of pure coconut oil, 1 tablespoon of brown sugar and a dash (or two!) of vanilla extract for taste. For those who love a burst of coffee, simply mix ¼ tablespoons of coconut oil with 2 tablespoons of coffee grounds for the perfect grit. Chocolate lovers are in luck — mix 3 tablespoons of sugar, 1 tablespoon of cocoa powder, 2 ½ teaspoons of coconut oil, 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract, and ¾ teaspoons of agave for the perfect chocolate lip scrub.
After creating your lip masterpiece, gently rub the paste on your lips to buff away built-up skin cells.
Know the Difference Between Lip Balms & Lip Oils
Think of lip oil like a bottle of water that keeps skin hydrated and lip balms as the cap. A thick lip oil helps deliver instant hydration, while a lip balm helps coat the surface to maintain moisture³. When reaching for a lippie before a night out, grab a lip oil for both hydration and shine.
Use a Hyaluronic Acid Lippie
Hyaluronic acid is a humectant, which means that it can retain moisture. Incorporating products containing hyaluronic acid into your self-care routine is an effective way to help pull water to the lips.
Our new Hyaluronic Lip Booster contains hyaluronic acid to deliver instant plumping hydration. The nutrient-packed lip oil contains sea fern seaweed, which helps promote the appearance of plumper lips, while castor seed oil provides additional nourishment and shine. This lip oil seals in moisture for visibly fuller lips. Use it alone or layer it over your favorite lip color for added shine.
Sources
1. Picincu, A. (January 23, 2023). Sneaky Foods That Are Drying Out Your Lips. The List. Retrieved August 12, 2024, from Sneaky Foods That Are Drying Out Your Lips (thelist.com)
2. Kubala, J. (July 31, 2023). How to Tell If You’re Dehydrated: Signs and Symptoms. Healthline. Retrieved August 12, 2024, from, How to Tell If You’re Dehydrated: Signs and Symptoms (healthline.com)
3. Weiner, Z. (January 5, 2019). What the Heck Should You Be Using on Your Lips This Winter? We’ve Got Your Foolproof Guide. Well+Good. Retrieved August 12, 2024, from, When to use lip balm vs lip oils or masks | Well+Good (wellandgood.com)
