By now, we know how vital it is to have a skincare routine that works for your skin type and the many benefits we get from it, including looking radiant and rested.
But what about lip care?
We don’t invest nearly as much time taking care of our lips, aside from using standard lip balm now and then.
The thing is, you don’t have to spend too much time or money to make your lips look good. If you incorporate it into your skincare routine in the morning and evening, you’ll be set.
It will add about 5 more minutes to the whole process, and your lips will thank you for it.
Why is lip care important?
The skin on your face is sensitive to external factors such as weather, makeup, and dirt, and your lips are even more so.
That’s why it’s so easy for them to get irritated or chapped, and it could take time to get them back to their full, healthy state.
The skin of your lips is very thin, it doesn’t have glands that produce sweat and oils, so they can get very dry very quickly, even if the rest of your skin is not.
Your lips directly reflect how hydrated you are, and if you don’t drink enough water throughout the day, they’ll be the first to show signs of dehydration.
Then there’s the fact that the lips are extremely exposed to the sun and its damaging UVA and UVB rays, which can cause skin cancer.
Because the skin on the lips is so thin and has no means to protect itself, it’s our job to do it.
Thankfully, great lip care doesn’t have to cost a fortune, you can even make it yourself in the comfort of your home. Let’s see what practices you should consider as you develop your lip care rituals.
The Key Is in Moisturizing
This is where your lip care begins and ends. You want to keep your lips moisturized as much as possible, and using a quality lip balm or glossy lip oil is the way to do it.
Using the product of your choice in the morning and during the day will make sure your lips are getting everything they need to stay healthy and soft.
A lot of lip balms and oils have additional benefits that can help make your lips fuller and double as a lipstick or a lip gloss, all the while protecting them. Some of the best lip products on the market include beeswax, shea butter, coconut or jojoba oil, and petrolatum.
You can also use these ingredients to make your lip balm at home if you prefer using homemade cosmetics.
SPF Is a Must
Remember how we talked about the damaging effects of the sun on your lips? That’s why only moisturizing them isn’t enough, especially in the summer.
The good news is that you can buy a lip balm with SPF and get moisturization and protection in one.
Most of the balms have SPF 30 though you can find some that have a higher protection factor (35 or 50). Choose the one that works for you and wear it in spring and summer, though some recommendations suggest doing it year-round.
Don’t forget to re-apply generously every couple of hours, especially when you’re on vacation and the SPF balm can get washed away easily. For optimal protection, you’ll want to re-apply it every time you re-apply your SPF cream.
Exfoliate Every so Often
You might have noticed that the steps of your lip care routine coincide with the ones in the skincare routine. Just like with the skin of your face, your lips need to get rid of all the accumulated dirt and dead skin cells, and this is where exfoliation comes in.
First things first, the product you use to exfoliate your face should not be used to exfoliate your lips!
As we mentioned before, the skin of your lips is very delicate, so chemical serums will cause more harm than good. It’s recommended to exfoliate your lips once or twice a week.
You can make your own exfoliation scrub by combining common household ingredients.
Use a coarse ingredient (toothbrush, sugar, cinnamon) and mix it with a natural moisturizer such as avocado oil, shea butter, or petroleum jelly. Of course, you can always buy a lip scrub, if that’s more convenient.
Conclusion
When you’re doing your skincare routine, remember to nourish and protect your lips as well.
Not only are your own lip care rituals a wonderful addition to your self-care evenings, but they will also keep you healthy and looking good!