With two more grueling winter months still looming on the horizon, your skin may be in desperate need of a little TLC.
And while you’ve probably already perfected a winter skin care routine fit for curing cracked heels and dry, flaky elbows, there’s one body part you may not be paying enough attention to: your lips.
The skin on your lips is very different from any other part of your body. Unlike the skin on your legs or arms, which contain a rather tough, protective outer layer of skin called the stratum corneum, the outer layer of skin on your lips is much thinner and thus more vulnerable to damage. Due to the fact lips lack sweat glands and sebaceous glands, which are tasked with producing natural oils that protect your skin from harsh elements like cold weather, they are also more likely to dry out and become chapped. Plus, not drinking enough water, constantly licking your lips (the evaporating saliva actually dries out your lips!), and using chapsticks rife with unnatural ingredients (petroleum, parabens, added fragrances, etc.) can exacerbate the dryness!
If you’re looking for ways to relieve your painful, chapped lips sans toxic lip balms, keep reading to learn of five all-natural, everyday ingredients for soft, kissable, hydrated lips. 💋
5 Natural Ingredients To Help Remedy Dry, Chapped Lips
1. Aloe Vera
Widely praised for its medicinal properties, aloe vera works miracles in the summertime by healing your painful, peeling, sunburned skin. But, it can also come in handy during the winter months! The succulent plant species has many antifungal and antiseptic properties that make it a terrific healing option for soothing flaky, chapped lips. Simply remove the aloe vera gel from a leaf (or use a store-bought gel) and apply it directly to your chapped lips. Along with locking in moisture, the gel will nourish your lips with vitamins, amino acids, minerals, and other vital nutrients!
2. Almond Oil
A wonderful remedy for dull, damaged hair, almond oil is also a go-to ingredient for dry lips because it’s a terrific exfoliating agent and moisturizer! A few drops of almond oil (high in vitamins and minerals) will work wonders on your lips by rejuvenating dead skin cells and hydrating your skin!
3. Green Tea
Along with being a popular herbal drink of choice thanks to its numerous antifungal and antibiotic properties, studies show green tea can have antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, and antineoplastic effects on the skin and lips due to the polyphenols (antioxidant molecules) found in the tea. Once you’ve finished steeping your tea bag, let it cool and place the warm bag directly onto your lips for hydrated skin!
4. Brown Sugar
Here at PD, we are *all* for creating simple — yet effective — all-natural, DIY beauty products! And at the top of the list are nourishing brown sugar scrubs (like this lovely brown sugar lemon scrub!), which can be whipped up in minutes using only a handful of ingredients (and no $$$!). A brown sugar lip scrub can be used to gently slough away dead skin cells and exfoliate your skin. Simply mix one tablespoon of coconut oil with two tablespoons of brown sugar and gently massage onto your lips for about 30 seconds before removing with a wet washcloth.
5. Coffee Grounds
After you’ve revitalized yourself with your morning cup of joe, put your leftover coffee grounds to good use! After all, coffee grounds are incredibly versatile and their abilities go far beyond giving you a helpful buzz in the AM! Along with being terrific fertilizers for your garden, coffee grounds are incredibly beneficial for your skin, especially your face and lips. Due to the fact they’re high in antioxidants (which help fight aging!), coffee grounds are excellent exfoliating agents and help remove bacteria and dead skin cells from the skin, which can help cure dry, flaky lips! So — for kissable, soft lips — simply mix a small amount of leftover coffee grounds with a dab of coconut oil and gently massage onto your lips for a few minutes before wiping it off with a damp washcloth.
What’s your go-to natural remedy for chapped lips?
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Photo: Fabien Albert via Unsplash, Cari Corbet-Owen via Unsplash, Pixabay, Pexels,
