With winter on the way, the air is drying out and our skin is taking the brunt of it. At the same time our lips are also drying out and suffering from the harsh winter air. But don’t worry, we have compiled a guide on how to choose the best lip balm from you, tips for getting the most out of your lip-balm and common mistakes to avoid.
Why does our lips get chapped?
Many people experience dry lips, and our lips get dry for many reasons! The weather can make your lips dry. Especially cold and windy weather. Your lips can also get sunburned! Another reason your lips get chapped can be excessive licking of your lips. This may seem like a good idea to keep your lips moist, but saliva contains enzymes that dries out your lips even more! Further, some people struggle with irritation, allergies, or even certain health conditions that can cause cracked and dry lips.
The benefits of using lip balm.
Lip balm has many benefits, such as soothing dry or cracked lips, protecting your lips against the elements such as the sun, wind or cold, and hydrating your lips. If a lip balm has vitamins and antioxidants, it can help to strengthen your lips while protecting them.
Different types of lip balm and what they are used for.
There are several types of lip balms available on the market, and each provides a different benefit.
Regular Lip Balm
Regular lip balms contain emollients and waxes that are formulated to hydrate and sooth your lips.
Sun Protection
Some lip balms contain sun protection to protect against damaging sun rays. For the best protection, use a lip balm with a minimum of SPF 15.
Organic
Other lip balms are made with organic products such as beeswax, cocoa butter, and vitamins and minerals.
Tinted
A tinted lip balm combines all the benefits of a lip balm along with a pop of colour! These can be a good alternative to everyday lipstick!
Medicated
Medicated lip balms are formulated to treat specific lip conditions such as cold sores or extremely cracked lips. These lip balms are mostly used in the mornings and evenings.
Flavoured
As with tinted lip balms, flavoured lip balms pairs regular lip balms with unique flavours.
How to choose the best lip-balm for you.
Armed with the knowledge of the different types of lip balms, you can now choose your best lip balm!
If you are in search of a medicated lip balm for extremely dry and cracked lips, we would recommend using the Carmex Classic jar.
If you are very active, spend a lot of time in the sun or outside, a lip balm with sun protection would be best. We would recommend the Carmex classic stick with SPF 15.
If you like a flavoured lip balm, but you want quality lip care products that would sooth and hydrate your lips, try the Carmex Cherry tube!
Tips for applying and using lip balm.
- One of the best things you can do for your lips is drinking water! Water hydrates us and keeps our lips plump and soft!
- If you have extremely chapped lips, exfoliating on a weekly or monthly basis can help you get rid of those dry flakes of skin.
- Apply a generous layer of lip balm before going to bed! During the night our lips dry out, especially if you sleep with your mouth open.
- Put our lip balm on your whole lip. We often forget about the edge of our lips when applying lip balm, and this can cause dryness on the outer side of your lips.
Common mistakes to avoid.
- Don’t lick your lips!
- Take care to not over apply lip balm, this can cause your lips to become ‘lazy’ and they can slow down on producing their own natural moisture. This then causes even drier lips!
- Don’t pick at your lips when they are dry. This can cause sores or bleeding.
- Avoid mint, menthol, or cinnamon. While these ingredients can create a cooling effect, they can be irritating to your lips.
- And lastly, make sure not to use old or expired lip products! Old products can harbour bacteria!
And so, you can now ensure that your lips are smooth, hydrated and well taken care off for the coming winter!
