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Here’s a quick fact: The skin on your lips is just about five layers thick, unlike the skin on the rest of your body, which can be up to 16 layers thick. This explains why your lips are prone to flaking; let’s not forget the way they crack and bleed – and even the priciest lipstick in your stash can’t seem to keep up its promise of a smooth, soft pout.
The good news is that all of this unsightly drama can be avoided by actually listening to what your lips have to say. Before diving into the homemade treatment for dry lips, let’s decode the many reasons for dry lips.
Causes Of Chapped Lips
Cracked or chapped lips are usually the result of dehydration. A dehydrated pout could also be triggered by weather, allergies, nutrient deficiencies and certain habits, such as lip licking (using saliva to hydrate your lip’s skin). Here are a few reasons for dry lips to help identify what’s responsible for your dry pucker.
- Most of us tend to bite and lick our lips when anxious which only makes them dryer. If you are one of them, try resisting this habit. (We know, easier said than done). Here’s a tip: The next time you feel the urge to bite or lick your lips, choose to sip a glass of water instead and keep yourself hydrated. Surely serves as a win-win!
- The culprit for your dehydrated pout could be a drying ingredient in one of your lip products. Check the ingredients list for Eucalyptus, Menthol, Camphor, Cinnamon and Peppermint flavours and added synthetic fragrances. Try avoiding lip products that contain any of these.
- Is your face scrub doubling up as a lip scrub? The formulation of your face scrub could end up breaking down the barrier needed to lock in moisture in your lips. This means a loss of moisture leading to dry lips. A wise move would be to invest in a mild scrub specifically formulated for exfoliating lips.
- Certain medications can have dehydration as a side effect. These include certain antibiotics and even topical acne medications that contain Salicylic Acid or Benzoyl Peroxide as the main ingredients. So, ensure you supplement these medications with a better lip care routine to avoid flaky lips.
How To Prevent Dry Lips
According to a study, a highly occlusive formulation is effective in improving the roughness of the lips. But don’t we all agree prevention is better than cure? Below, we’ve listed a few ways to keep your lips from drying out.
- Don’t Lick Your Lips: If you already possess dry, chapped lips, licking them will only exacerbate the condition. While you may think your saliva is hydrating your lips, it’s doing just the opposite.
- Protect Your Lips: During harsh winter months, load up on lip balm or oil to protect the skin on your lips. You could also swipe on an SPF-infused lip balm for optimal sun protection.
- Stay Hydrated: Dry lips are a telltale sign of dehydration, so drink up! Besides, you could also install a humidifier in your home to amplify moisture in the air.
- Avoid Products With Irritants: For all you know, the lipstick sitting on your shelf has been irritating the skin on your lips. To steer clear of allergies or any other adverse reaction, avoid investing in products that contain fragrances, dyes, and harmful additives.
Home Remedies For Dry Lips
Here is a list of home remedies for chapped lips to make your dry pout a thing of the past.
1. Rose Petals
Step 1: Soak a handful of Rose Petals in a bowl of Milk for 2 hours.
Step 2: Gently mash the petals till they form a paste.
Step 3: Apply this paste to your lips and leave it on for 20 minutes.
Step 4: Wash off with cold water.
2. Aloe Vera
Step 1: Using a spoon, scoop out the gel from an Aloe Vera leaf into a bowl.
Step 2: Refrigerate the gel for at least 2 hours.
Step 3: Apply the cool gel on your lips and leave it on for 10 minutes.
Step 4: Wash off with water.
3. Cocoa Butter
Step 1: In a bowl take a pea-sized amount of Cocoa Butter. Peanut Butter would also work just fine.
Step 2: Add 1 drop of Coconut Oil and mix well.
Step 3: Apply this paste to your lips and leave it overnight.
Step 4: In the morning, wash off with water.
4. Brown Sugar
Step 1: In a bowl, take 2 tablespoons of Brown Sugar.
Step 2: Add 2 drops of Olive Oil and 1 tablespoon of Honey to the bowl. Mix well to form a paste.
Step 3: Gently massage this paste on your lips in circular motions.
Step 4: Wash off with lukewarm water.
5. Vanilla Extract
Step 1: In a bowl put 1 tablespoon of Vanilla Extract and 2 tablespoons of Jojoba Oil.
Step 2: Add 2 tablespoons of Sugar that will work as an exfoliator. Mix it well.
Step 3: Massage this paste on your lips and leave it on for 10 minutes.
Step 4: Wash it off with water.
6. Petroleum Jelly and Honey
Step 1: Dip a cotton ball in a bowl of Honey and apply a layer of it on your lips.
Step 2: Follow it up with a layer of Petroleum Jelly.
Step 3: Allow it to stay on your lips for 15 minutes.
Step 4: Wipe it off with a damp tissue.
7. Coconut Oil
Step 1: In a bowl, add 2 drops of Coconut Oil.
Step 2: Now add 2 drops of Tea Tree Oil and stir well.
Step 3: Apply this blend of oils on your lips and leave it on for 15 minutes.
Step 4: Wash off any residual oil with water.
8. Lemon Juice
Step 1: Squeeze half a Lemon into a bowl.
Step 2: Add 2 drops of Honey to the bowl and mix well.
Step 3: Spread this mixture all over your lips and leave it on for 10 minutes.
Step 4: Wash off with water and finish with a moisturising lip balm.
9. Avocado Butter
Step 1: Scoop out some Avocado into a bowl.
Step 2: Now add a few drops of Coconut Oil and mix well.
Step 3: Spread this mixture on your lips and let it sit for a few minutes.
Step 4: Rinse it off and slather a hydrating lip balm.
10. Ghee
Step 1: Take a dollop of Ghee and warm it up in a microwave.
Step 2: Apply the Ghee on your lips and let it sit overnight.
Step 3: Alternatively, you could rinse it off after 15–20 minutes.
Step 4: Top up with a hydrating lip balm or oil.
11. Yogurt & Kiwi
Step 1: Take a Kiwi and obtain its pulp.
Step 2: Mix the Kiwi with a teaspoon of Yoghurt.
Step 3: Apply the concoction to your lips and let it sit for a few minutes.
Step 4: Rinse it off and use a moisturising lip balm.
12. Green Tea
Step 1: Take a green tea bag and refrigerate it for a couple of hours.
Step 2: Now, apply the cold tea bag directly on your lips.
Step 3: Swap the sides to maximise the cooling effect.
Step 4: Dispose the tea bag and apply a hydrating lip balm.
Products For Dry Lips
Now that we have discussed home remedies for chapped lips, here’s a list of OTC products that work hard to treat your lips.
1. Lotus Herbals Cherry Lip Therapy
Products that work overnight while you snooze are truly miraculous. Butter up your lips with the Lotus Herbals Cherry Lip Therapy. Its creamy texture glides onto your lips and helps repair dry, pigmented lips by making them soft, supple, and pink again. This nourishing lip care can be used as a lip balm during the day and as an overnight lip mask, too. Its non-greasy formula stays put all night, and it has a yummy cherry scent!
2. Vaadi Herbals Complete Lip Care Combo
Bursting with the goodness of Vitamin E to keep your lips sun-protected, these three pocket-sized lip balms are a godsend for dry lips. With natural strawberry, orange or blueberry extracts, these lip balms are souped with rich essential butters like shea and almond oil to lock moisture. Oh and psst… trust Vaadi Herbals to keep their products 100% chemical-free for that luscious, au natural pout.
3. Juicy Chemistry Blood Orange & Rosehip Organic Lip Scrub
This restorative concentrate is loaded with Blood Orange and Rosehip. Better yet: It leaves the sweetest scent of citrus and rosehip that ensures your lips smell good while looking good. Simply scoop out a wee bit of product and gently scrub your lips to whisk away the dead cells and make way for the softest flake-free lips.
4. Aravi Organic Beetroot Lip Scrub
When you think of an in-house rejuvenating treatment for your lips, think of this nutrient-infused scrub. The mild scrub exfoliates and conditions your lips thanks to the goodness of Beetroot. It gently removes dry flakes so your lips feel smooth and nourished for hours. Think of it as a weekly treatment for times when you don’t wish to overtly depend on frequent coats of lip balm.
5. Biotique Bio Berry Plumping Lip Balm
Laced with Indian Berry, Lodhra, Badam and Kusumbhi, this hydrating lip balm provides deep moisture to your distressed pout. Besides, it can double up as the perfect hydrating base for your lips before you swipe the matte lipstick for a smooth finish. Bonus? It’s free of all the sketchy ingredients (Read: chemicals, fillers, parabens, or additives) which makes it a non-toxic remedy to heal parched lips.
6. Organic Harvest Pink Tinted Lip Balm
How about slathering your lips with a conditioning formula that bestows your pucker with the sweetness of Shea Butter? Enter the Organic Harvest Pink Tinted Lip Balm. Infused with Shea Butter, Jojoba Oil, and Lily Extract, it delivers a non-sticky super-moisturising treatment that soothes cracked lips while leaving behind a natural-looking sheen. Apart from being intensely moisturising, it imparts a light pink colour to your lips. Talk about a deliciously nourished pout!
7. Dot & Key Barrier Repair Ceramide + Peptide Lip Balm
If you are looking for a non-gloopy formula that can moisturise dry lips and make them supple, look no further than the Dot & Key Barrier Repair Ceramide + Peptide Lip Balm. Smooth on a layer of this delicious balm before you step out and let the Strawberry Extracts get to work on your pout; oh and did we tell you it leaves behind an irresistibly sweet scent? We’re already ‘berry’ much in love.
8. Himalaya Herbals Rich Cocoa Butter Lip Care
Your search for a lip balm that keeps your lips moisturized through your morning commute and the quick coffee at your desk finally ends here. This moisture-boosting balm is scented with a fusion of Cocoa Butter and Castor Oil that glides with a smooth finish. P.S. Its cute and compact packaging is motivating enough to carry it along with you and calm your lippies with the midday TLC they need.
Final Thoughts
Not many know that the skin on the lips is super sensitive. Prolonged sun exposure, dehydration, and over-exfoliation can severely dry out your pucker, resulting in flaking or even bleeding. To protect your pout, indulge in a weekly lip care routine with a suitable lip scrub, lip balm, and lip mask. However, steer clear of formulations that boast fragrances and other chemical additives. Alternatively, you can give home remedies for chapped lips a shot.
FAQs On Dry Lips Remedy
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Suggest the best lip balms for dry lips.
Here are the best lip balms for dry lips.
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How to cure chapped lips fast?
It’s essential to identify the root cause of your dry lips before you search for answers for how to cure dry lips. Although, following these three steps regularly can help achieve smoother lips faster. (If you’re looking for a homemade treatment for dry lips, read above.)
Step 1: Exfoliate your lips every three days to remove dead cells and reveal fresh skin underneath. You could invest in a mild lip scrub or prepare your own homemade scrub combining sugar and honey.
Step 2: Apply and reapply a toxic-free lip balm to protect your lips from drying out.
Step 3: Replenish your lips with a lip mask or lip patch for overnight conditioning treatment. This will ensure rehydrated and nourished lips in the morning.
Nykaa Recommends: Dot & Key Lip Polish Exfoliating Sugar Scrub, Nykaa Moisturising Macaron Lip Balm, TONYMOLY Kiss Kiss Lovely Lip Patch, Insight Cosmetics Lip Butter
