With the weather only getting colder, many people are beginning to experience the woes of dry and chapped lips. Learn how to exfoliate and smoothen your lips.
It happens to almost everyone—some stress-pick their lips, some have naturally dry lips, and others experience chapped lips in cold weather. Regardless of the reason, no one wants to deal with chapped and rough lips. Not only does it not look great, but more importantly, it hurts and is uncomfortable. If you’re tired of dealing with rough, cracked lips, this article will be your beginner’s course in lip exfoliation to teach you how to get softer lips.
Clean Your Lips
Before you begin, you want to get rid of any risk that you might be introducing dirt or bacteria into your lips. When your lips are cracked or rough, there are exposed raw bits that you may not even feel. Introducing bacteria from your hands onto your lips can cause painful irritation or infection. To clean your lips, use warm water and a clean washcloth. Not only will the warm water help soften up dead skin, but the washcloth can act as a physical exfoliant to take off some of the looser bits.
Use a Gentle Physical Exfoliant
One of the most common mistakes to avoid when exfoliating is using an exfoliant that is too rough. If you use ingredients that aren’t fine-milled, such as plastics or microbeads, you can end up with micro tears and damage your skin even more. Instead, mix sugar and honey together for a gentle exfoliant, and be sure to rub in small, gentle circles. The skin on your lips is sensitive, so the last thing you want to do is press too hard and cause more damage.
Rehydrate and Protect
While you may not see immediate results, consistency is key, and over time you’ll start to notice your lips becoming softer. However, you should only exfoliate once or twice a week to avoid over-exfoliation. Additionally, the new skin cells that are revealed when you exfoliate are sensitive. Use a hydrating lip balm to protect them. For even more protection, you can use a lip balm with SPF (yes, even in cold weather) to keep them looking soft.
Now that you’ve passed your lip exfoliation 101 class, you’re bound to get softer lips in no time. Just remember to be gentle and consistent and pay special attention to hydrating and protecting your lips.