Lip Care 101

During the harsh winter winds and endless summer sun taking care of your lips can be a chore! Taking care of your lips is vital for a perfect application of lip products. Here are my step by step rules for have plush kissable lips!

Exfoliate, Moisturizing Balm (at night), Protective Balm (to keep in moisture), Sunscreen (if out in the sun), repeat!
Obviously if you are suffering from extreme dry lips I would recommend using a moisturizing balm more often then just at night. One thing to keep in mind is that if your lips are in bad shape don’t use lipsticks, lip glosses etc… Take a time out and care for your lips. They will heal faster.

Exfoliate: 

Exfoliating the dead skin cells off your lips will help with flakey patches. Do this as needed. I like to use Carmex (contains salicylic acid) 1x a week over night to exfoliate lightly in between exfoliating with a sugar based exfoliant.
EX: Sara Happ the Lip Scrub, Lush Lip Scrub, Bite Whipped Cherry Lip Scrub, e.l.f. Studio Lip Exfoliator, Tarte Maracuja Lip Exfoliant, Sugar Lip Polish, Charlotte Tilbury Lip Love, and DIY scrubs (use honey, sugar, and an oil)

Another way to exfoliate is to use a baby toothbrush lightly on your lips.
Lastly lip clay masks are a new way to exfoliate your lips. Just like you face a mask can help pick up flakes. 
Ex: Kaplan MD Lip 20 Mask, Mary Kat Satin Lip Mask

Moisturize:

When looking for a good moisturizing lip balm look for one that contains many oils vs waxes. Oils will penetrate the skin helping hydrate and moisturize while waxes sit on the skin as a barrier. Look for ingredients like Shea butter, Hyluronic Acid, and vitamin E as well.
Ex: Fresh Sugar Lip Balm, First Aid Beauty Ultra Repair Lip Therapy, Kaplan MD Lip 20 Balm Ultra Hydrating Treatment, Fresh Sugar Advanced Therapy Lip Treatment, Korres Lip Butter, Charlotte Tilbury Lip Love, Image Skincare Ormedic Balancing Lip Enhancement Complex, Yes to Coconut Naturally Smooth Lip Balm, Aquaphor Lip Repair, MAC Lip Conditioner, Nivea Lip Butter, NUXE Reve de Miel, Bite Agave Lip Mask, Kat Burki Glossy Lip Treatment, Eraclea Ever-moist Lip Balm.

Protect:

If you want to protect your lips from the elements and keep lips from getting chapped look for lip products with beeswax and petroleum jelly. Petroleum jelly helps keep hydration in and is a thick gel that doesn’t allow things to irritate the lips. 
Ex: Vaseline Lip Therapy, Rosebud Perfume Co products, Burts Bee, Glossier Balm Dotcom, Aquaphor Lip Repair, MAC Lip Conditioner, ChapStick, Nivea.

When you go outside it’s important to wear a lip balm with sunscreen as well. Ex: Shiseido Sun Protection Lip Treatment SPF 36 PA++, Jack Black Intense Therapy Lip Balm SPF 25, Supergoop! Acai Fusion Lip Balm Broad Spectrum SPF 30, Coola lip Lux SPF 30, Alba Natural Very Emollient Sunscreen Natural Protection Lip Care SPF 25.

I find protective lip products always have a waxy feel while moisturizing ones have a sliky balm feel. 

Medicated Balm:

When you have a coldsore the best bet if to use a medicated balm. If your lips are extremely cracked and dry a medicated balm can help soothe the lips as well. 
Ex: Blistex Medicated Lip Balm, Abreva, Blistex Medicated Ointment, Chapstick Medicated.

Avoid: 

Biting lips, picking lips, licking your lips, heat/cold directly in your face, spicy foods, salty foods, citric foods, matte lip products (until your lips are in better shape), breathe through your nose, etc… if you suffer from chronic dry lips.

Do:

Stay hydrated and invest in a good lip balm!