I wouldn’t say I’m a chapstick enthusiast, I would say I truly can’t live without it. You know that whole if you were on a desert island (A dessert island sounds much better, doesn’t it?) what would you bring, game? For me it would be water, my cell phone, and chapstick. I have a minimum of four active lip balms on a given day. One in my desk, one on my nightstand, and one in each of the two coats I wear on the reg. When it gets too warm for coats those chapsticks then find their way into purses and shorts pockets. I keep a chapstick on my dresser at each of my parent’s houses as well so I will never be without it.
So you might be shocked by me telling you my lips aren’t quite as delightful as they could be. I’ve been over-chapsticking and under-everything-else. Not a good look when Valentine’s Day is right around the corner!
Here is everything you need to know about why your lips get so chapped in the winter and how to have the smoothest, softest lips, just in time for the cheesiest kiss day of the year. P.S. you don’t need to give up lipstick, to make your pout the balm.com! (Balm/bomb…work with me here.)
Why winter, why? Winter is the toughest season on our lips, skin, and hair because there is rarely any humidity in the air to keep us moist. (I know people hate the word moist, but in terms of skin care we want to moisten.) There are a few ways to mitigate winter’s drying effect that directly causes chapped lips. First off, stay hydrated and avoid smoking of any kind. Sleeping with a humidifier increases moisture in the air and helps you sleep. Do not lick your lips! I repeat: do not lick your lips - counterintuitively, saliva makes everything more dry. Get a Popsicle, a lollipop, whatever you need to lick other than your lips. Capiche?
As I hinted to in the intro, over-chapsticking is very much a real thing. In the words of the ever wise Mark Twain, “Too much of a good thing is bad, but too much good whiskey margaritas is barely enough.” Without getting too scientific, the flesh of lips have a natural instinct to let moisture seep in and by always having the assistance of lip balm, our natural response systems are weakened. It’s like gulping down caffeine first thing for morning energy so often, that now you get a headache without that cup of coffee. Also several ingredients involved in creating the scent of your chapstick can be damaging.
The Best Balms: Like vodka sodas, dark chocolate peanut butter cups, HIIT workouts, and so many other things, we now know chapstick is best used in moderation. If I shouldn’t use chapstick three times an hour like I currently do, I want my few-times-a-day application to be the very best brand. Across the board, medical news sites recommend Aquaphor ($2.99 at Ulta) as the most healing brand or, just straight Vaseline. But, if you’re into Chapstick brand, EOS, Burt’s Bees, and others just peep the ingredients list before buying.
The American Academy of Dermatology Association advises us to seek lip balms containing: “shea butter, castor seed and hemp seed oil, mineral oil, petroleum jelly, zinc oxide (sun protector), petrolatum, and beeswax.” Its safest to skip scented chapsticks all together (sorry Katy Perry). However, mint seems to be the most harmful. Reserve menthol and eucalyptus for stronger body parts like your throat and your feet. And of course, salicylic acid (high in Carmex) and camphor (high in Blistex) are no-go’s.
Rule of thumb: if the word acid or alcohol is an ingredient in your lip products it's bad. If the word oil or wax is in your lipwear its good. This is easy to remember, as I’m sure you’ve learned by now alcohol dehydrates everything...even the lips!
Non-traditional yet organic lip treatments to be used in lieu of lip balm according to Medical News Today, include: Vaseline, cucumbers, honey, green tea, aloe, and coconut oil.
Your Step by Step Cure: There is a lot of extra love you can give your lips and in turn, your lover. By no means, is a quality lip balm the end all be all. People frequently boast about their skincare routine but, what about the exfoliating, priming, and overnight treatments taken towards lipcare? Start with a sugar lip scrub that can be concocted in your kitchen right now! Combine sugar, oil, and honey in a bitty jar. In this instance, do not sub salt for sugar. Sugar’s savory counterpart is much more gritty and could cut up plush lips. Ouch! A lip scrub can be a great gift for your Valentine - their softer lips will benefit you in many ways or for a pal you want to help out.
After your kisser is scrubbed clean, lean back and place a lip mask on top. Lip masks are most similar to sheet masks, they come in one hydrating piece and are tossed after one usage. My dad was a big fan of his first lip mask on Father’s Day 2018. Overnight treatments found at any beauty shop or local drug store can be applied just like you would a lip balm before bed for an eight hour refresh. Clinique Pep Start comes highly recommended for nourishment.
Can I still wear lipstick? Is the gloss still poppin’? Lipstick is composed of wax, oil, and pigment however, ratios of these three are rarely the same across companies, shades, and style of lip color. By nature, matte lipsticks and stains known for vibrant, long-lasting color are not ideal for V-Day or the days leading up to 2/14 because they lack oil and leave lips like the desert. However, it does stay on where intended aka you won’t get lipstick stains on your date’s face and it won’t smush your lips into a clown makeup situation.
If you’re suffering from chapped lips and still want a colorful pout I’d recommend an olive oil lipstick, a tinted balm, or a hydrating lip crayon of sorts. To name-drop a few: Neutrogena’s Moisturesmooth Color Stick, Burt’s Bees Matte Hydro Lip Crayon, e.l.f. Cosmetics moisturizing lipstick, and Ere Perez Natural Vegan Olive Oil Lipstick provide a stellar balance of looks and medication. In more high end news, Hermes just released their first lipstick line with an orange that could kill!
No Valentine to kiss? Your newfound luscious lips will change that, stat. Muah, mi amores!
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