Winter is here and it’s cold. Because the skin on our lips is thinner it is more sensitive and our lips have smaller protection then our body. That is why our lips get dry faster, which can also lead to chapped and painfull lips. I prepared for you a few advices on how to take care of your lips.
1.HYDRATION
Rule number one – DRINK ENOUGH WATER. Our bodies depend on water. Water content decreases with age and each day we have to ensure a sufficient intake of water. For adults that is somewhere between 2-3 liters per day. You do get some of that through food, tho.
2. WEATHER PROTECTION
It is cold in winter, a fact every kid knows. Cold, wind and unpleasant weather conditions have a great affect on our lips, since the cold air doesn’t have the same amount of moisture as the warm one. Our lips don’t have hair on them and there is nothing to protect them from cold, so it is only right that we protect them. How? Everytime you go outside, you cover them with a scarf. This way our lips will be at least a bit protected.
3. DRY AIR INSIDE
When it’s cold, we heat our appartements. And with that we get dry air that doesn’t do good to our lips. Luckily this problem is solved rather easily. You just put a bowl of water on your radiator that’ll heat up and vaporise and moisturize the air. You can also buy any of the evaporators that you can also use to scent your home. The easiest, even though not the cheapest solution (that I also use myself) is an electronic air humidifier.
4. SELF-CONTROL
Let’s have our tongue, teeth and fingers under control! The first impuls with dry lips is to lick them. But does this really help? Let’s ask this way: Since your lips are basically skin, do you think licking your dry skin on another part of the body, would actually help moisturize it? I don’t think so. So, no licking, biting and touching your lips! Your fingers are dirty and with touching you transfer a huge amount of bacterias on your lips. And especially, don’t pluck the dry skin from your lips!
5. EXFOLIATING
When your lips are already dry and flaking, the best thing to attack them with is a scrub. Every evening, before bed, when your lips are clean, use the toothbrush and gently massage your lips. No toothpaste, of course. You exfoliate this way. Every once in a while you can also use a bit rougher scrub, I suggest this home made one:
-a spoon of honey
-a spoon of sugar
-a few drops of olive oil
You combine all three ingredients, apply to your lips and massage. Then you rinse it off with luke warm watter and go to the next step – protection.
6. PROTECTION
Xoxo, A.
