Just like the rest of the skin, lips can suffer environmental, physical and UV damage each day. Gather a few skincare specialties to combat this damage and ensure the health and well-being of your lips.
The importance of a comprehensive skincare routine is well known, yet all too often, we forget to pay attention to those other areas of the face that also need individualized care, like the lips.
Soft and smooth. The skin of the lips is some of the thinnest and most sensitive skin on the entire body, and it can suffer the same environmental damage as the rest of the face including sunburn, aging and dryness. Unlike the skin on the rest of the body, however, the lips have no oil glands, and without a protective coating — lip balm or gloss — dryness will quickly take hold. Once lips lose moisture, other side effects will set in: flakiness, chapping or even splitting and cracking along the edges and corners.
Scrub a dub dub. One of the first lines of defense against lips appearing dry and chapped is exfoliation, which will improve texture, slough off dead skin and perk up circulation. But don’t think you have to aggressively attack lips with a scrub made for the face or body; instead, keep an exfoliator on hand designed to respect the lips, such as Philosophy Kiss Me Exfoliating Lip Scrub, a gentle buffing cream with hydrating olive oil and shea butter. Colorscience Lip Exfoliator uses fruit extracts to not only slough off dead skin, but remove all traces of lip color each night, leaving lips primed and ready for the next day.
A wrinkle in line. Once lips are smooth and exfoliated, a little TLC is next, especially if you smoke. Smokers often suffer from clusters of tiny wrinkles in the mouth area, the unfortunate side-effect of puckering the lips in an 'O-shape' on a repetitive basis. Target these fine lines and smooth the skin with an anti-oxidant treatment, just as you would on the face. Pevonia Power Repair Youthful Lip Cream features retinol, shea butter and collagen to smooth fine lines and keep lips supple and firm. Recognizing that women over the age of 50 have different skincare needs, Decleor now offers Decleor Excellence de L’age Eye and Lip Regenerating Cream, a lip treatment jam-packed with grapeseed extract and fruit acids to power away those annoying lines and wrinkles that form around the lips. And remember, lips can sunburn, so keep Elizabeth Arden Ceramide Plump Perfect Lip Moisture Cream SPF 30 in your handbag for protection and quick re-application throughout the day.
Moisture magnet. The final step in synergistic lip care is moisture. Neutral lip balms are a great option for those who prefer a natural look, or want to apply lipstick over their balm, as well. Babor B. Young Lip Balm offers crystal clear protection that won’t interfere with lipstick or lip gloss application. For more shine, slick on Yonka City Shimmer Lip Balm or TESS Shimmer Smile Peppermint Healing Lip Gloss.
Extra credit. Take your lip care up a notch with a few extra benefits. Once a week, apply a mask to the lips for added hydration and protection. Decleor Hydra Floral Eye and Lip Moisturizing Mask replenishes lost moisture, reduces the effects of pollution on fragile skin and hydrates, all in 10 minutes!
If a fuller pout is on your wish list, you’re in luck: lip plumpers are more sophisticated than ever. CityLips Advanced Formula helps lips maintain fullness with collagen peptides and hyaluronic acid while LipFusion creates a maxed-out pout with marine collagen peptides. Even more fun, both formulas are available in a variety of shades to coordinate with any look.
Lip care can be a snap with the right products. Stock up on a few extra-care lip specialists now, and enjoy a healthy smile far into the future.
See also:
Chapped Lips(Cheilitis)
How to Apply Lipstick for a Perfect Pout
The Key to Younger-Looking Lips