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Whether you’re a full glam girl or prefer a no-makeup makeup look, there is one item that is common in everyone’s vanity – lipstick. But what good is lipstick if you have dry, cracked, or chapped lips? Even the best lipstick can’t hide your underlying issues. For optimal lip health, follow a comprehensive lip care routine for a fuller, healthier pout.
But before we treat our dark and pigmented lips, let’s look at some of the causes of this concern. Sun exposure, unhealthy food intake, and even dehydration can all contribute to dull lips. Once the causes are understood, the importance of lip care will soon sound obvious. So without further ado let’s get into the nitty gritty of lip care and what products you need to indulge in to reverse the damage done to your lips.
What Causes Dark Lips
Here are a few reasons why your lips tend to get dull, dark, and pigmented.
- Licking & Picking
When our lips get dry we tend the lick them in order to hydrate them, but this is the worst thing you can do to moisturise them because our saliva contains acidic components and the liquidy texture may feel hydrating for a few seconds it soak up any existing water content and become more dry. The same goes with picking our lips, when it starts to crack. The best way is to keep it moisturised because the more we pick our lips the more prone they become to breakage and damage.
- Smoking, Caffeine, & Tobacco
The consumption of nicotine and tobacco both cause harm to the lips. Both of those not only harm the body but also increase the melanin production on your lips causing them to darken. The same goes for caffeine, when you consume too much tea or coffee, the caffeine reacts with your skin, which leads to dullness.
- Sensitivity & Dehydration
When you don’t consume enough water, a lot of issues arise, dark lips being one of them. Especially if you have sensitive lips and skin, you need to take care of your body and hydrate regularly.
- Sun Exposure
This is something not a lot of people know, but the sun not only your skin but also your lips. We don’t apply sunscreen on our lips (and we can’t) and lips are neglected when it comes to sun protection. Apply lip balms or oils that contain SPF to protect your lips from the effects of sun damage.
Why Is Lip Care Important?
According to research, unlike the skin on other parts of the body, the skin on your lips is thinner and doesn’t have hair, oil, or sweat glands. This suggests that lips have a weak barrier and poor moisture-retaining capacity, making them more prone to dryness as compared to other parts of the body. This also means our lips are directly exposed to environmental stressors without possessing the ability to rejuvenate themselves. Your pout needs a routine of its own to sustain a soft, smooth canvas for lip makeup.
Benefits Of Lip Care
Just like we prep our skin before applying makeup, our lips also need some pampering before we daub on our favourite shades – even if you are a non-makeup makeup girlie, lipstick is something you can’t skip! So, how are we okay skipping lip care?
The benefits of lip care extend beyond prepping them for lip makeup. A comprehensive lip care routine helps protect your lips from chapping and cracking, and if not taken care of in time, it can lead to bleeding and cause irreparable damage.
A Step-By-Step Routine For Lip Care
Follow this lip care routine for dark lips – with our affordable recommendations – for a luscious, supple pout. lip care routine for dark lips
Cleanse
Just like you cleanse your face and neck before nourishing and prepping for a day of full-face makeup, or before hitting the hay, you need to start by cleansing your lips. Opt for a water-based cleanser, oil-based cleanser, or a cleansing balm to remove makeup or any residue on your pucker.
Water-based Cleanser
Nykaa Recommends:
For just INR 150, this water-based cleanser from Maybelline is the best of both worlds, it is offered by one of the pioneers of the makeup industry, yet is very accessible.
Net Volume: 40ml
Rating: 4.4 / 5
Cleansing Balm
Nykaa Recommends:
Made with kokum butter, sunflower seed oil, and shea butter this cleansing balm from Plum deeply hydrates and removes all impurities from the skin.
Net Volume: 90g
Rating: 4.4 / 5
Exfoliate
Instead of picking or biting your lips to remove dead skin cells, use a lip scrub. It won’t tear your lips and will exfoliate them from within to bring out a firm yet soft feel. If you have very dry lips, you can scrub once a week, whereas, if your lips are generally softer, exfoliating them once or twice a month will be sufficient.
Nykaa Recommends:
This natural, vegan, and beeswax-free formula is made with ingredients that our grannies use to whip up a good homemade scrub – coffee, natural cane sugar, and coconut oil. It exfoliates, reduces pigmentation, and cures chapped lips after every use.
Net Volume: 12g
Rating: 4.4 / 5
Hydrate
Hydrating your lips is the most crucial step in your lip care routine. From lip balms and jellies to lip oils and serums, there are a plethora of options to add moisture to your lips – further locking it in to avoid dryness and cracks. Depending on your skin type, you can choose from our top picks.
Lip Balms
Nykaa Recommends:
This lip balm not only hydrates but also protects your lips from UV rays. Our lips are the most uncared for when it comes to protection from the sun, and this lip balm takes care of just that. Formulated with vitamins C and E, kojic acid, pomegranate oil, and avocado oil, this lip moisturising balm enhances softness by 90%.
Net Volume: 10g
Rating: 4.2 / 5
Lip Jelly
Nykaa Recommends:
When it comes to petroleum jelly, we know who the OG is – Vaseline has been in vanities for decades now, serving soft lips every time. This beloved brand also has flavoured lip tints to keep up with the lip-balm-obsessed Gen-Z army, and we are all for it!
Net Volume: 17g
Rating: 4.5 / 5
Lip Oil
Nykaa Recommends:
This lip oil is perfect for stepping out with a no-makeup-but-still-want-to-rock-a-puckered look. A transparent lip elixir that is bound to give you long-lasting hydration and an undeniable sheen.
Net Volume: 6.8ml
Rating: 4.4 / 5
Lip Serum
Nykaa Recommends:
Enriched with the goodness of squalane, pomegranate extract, and shea butter, this lip serum soothes and hydrates dry, and chapped lips, making your lips look visibly plump.
Net Volume: 6ml
Rating: 4.3 / 5
Mask
The best way to hydrate your lips overnight is through a lip mask. It works its magic while you enjoy your beauty sleep. You can also use a lip mask during the day, but ideally let the environmental stressors, food, drinks, and lip licking and biting put a damper on the efficacy of the product.
Nykaa Recommends:
97% of users experienced smooth and moisturised lips overnight with this lip-pumping mask made with lingonberry, hyaluronic acid, shea butter, and vitamins C and E. You can also use this during the day, on its own or with some lip balm for added benefits.
Net Volume: 15ml
Rating: 4.2 / 5
Repeat
Take care of your lips regularly to achieve a naturally plump pucker. If maintaining a weekly routine gets too hectic because of the sheer number of products, we have a solution for that.
Nykaa Recommends:
The convenient and easy-to-carry Earth Rhythm Lippie Stack Box of 4 contains a lip balm, lip mask, lip serum, and lip scrub that will keep your lips hydrated, soft, and supple.
Net Volume: 16g
Rating: 4.4 / 5
Lip Care Tips
Here are a few tips for you to be mindful of your lip health.
- Don’t lick your lips
When lips get dry, we tend to lick our lips for hydration. However, according to a study, chronic lip-licking damages the skin barrier, leading to consequent dryness, cracking, bleeding, and peeling of the lips.
- Use nourishing lip makeup
Your nourishing lip care routine needs caring lip makeup. Choose lipsticks, lip stains, lip tints, or a lip gloss that doesn’t dry out your lips and is long-lasting and transfer-proof.
Nykaa Recommends:
- Drink plenty of water
A hydrated body = healthy lips.
Parting Thoughts
In conclusion, dark lips are not something you need to worry about a lot because there are a lot of ways to restore health and brightness with a little patience and a lot of love. Hydrate your lips regularly and never lick, bite, or pick them. Reduce consumption of alcohol, caffeine, and tobacco to reduce melanin production and apply lip balms with SPF to protect them from harmful UV rays. Just follow these lip care tips and maintain a lip care routine to avoid dark and pigmented lips.
FAQs
1. Do my lips need SPF?
Yes, just like the skin on other parts of the body, your lips need SPF, too. The skin on the lips is thinner and more delicate than on other parts of the body, making it more prone to sun damage and pigmentation.
2. Why do lips become dark?
Lips can become dark due to various reasons, such as sun exposure, smoking, dehydration, overuse of lip makeup, sleeping without cleansing, etc.
3. How to lighten your lips?
Cleanse thoroughly, exfoliate occasionally, hydrate regularly, and protect frequently.
4. What is the difference between lip balm, lip oil, lip serum, and lip gel?
Lip balm, lip oil, lip serum, and lip gel all hydrate your lips despite being different in texture, moisture retention, and ingredients. If you have normal lips, opt for a balm or gel, and if you have dry lips, pick a nourishing oil or serum.
