Most people are aware of the need to look after their skin - taking precautions during excessive sunlight, or keeping it moisturised – but we are less inclined to pay attention to our lips. But there are very good reasons why you should actually be taking more care with your lips. Why? Three main reasons.
For a start, the skin on your lips is much thinner than the skin covering the rest of your body. Not only that, it is subjected to a far greater degree of wear and tear. From conversation to eating to many other functions, your lips are pretty much in constant demand from the moment you wake up.
Secondly, women love decorating these sensitive areas of skin with lipstick. This is being applied, wiped away and then re-applied, sometimes many times a day. All this activity adds to the potential damage to the skin.
Lastly, melanin is the pigment in your skin that protects skins cells from radiation. This is what helps you to develop a tan. But there is far less of this substance in your lips, meaning they can be prone to sunburn and dryness.
So what are the top tips for looking after those lips?
Don't lick your lips. When saliva dries on skin it eventually evaporates, taking valuable moisture away. Worse than that, there are enzymes in saliva that will eat away at the skin surface. So next time you want to show your appreciation of a tasty meal, complement the chef rather than licking your lips!
Our lips need to be exfoliated just like any other part of our skin. By doing this regularly you'll remove dead skin cells in order to reveal the vibrant young skin beneath. On a weekly basis, use a toothbrush to brush away dead skin from your lips.
Because a common and unseemly aspect of unhealthy lips is chaffed skin, it makes sense to use moisturiser. This will prevent the skin from cracking, and will nourish and protect new skin cells that have been exposed by exfoliation.
The healthy properties of good old H20 can't be overstated. If you hydrate regularly you'll stop your lips from drying out and developing cracks. Most medical experts concur that aiming for 2 litres a day is a quota that will promote good health – and excellent lips!
If the damage has been done, don't fret. Chemists provide over-the-counter remedies for chapped or dried lips. Available in cream or gel format, these can be easily rubbed into your lips to repair the affected areas.
