Does your skin care routine include your lips? It should! Try these tricks for keeping your lips plump and healthy.
- Drink plenty of water to keep your body hydrated.
- Try a glycerin-based lip balm to help your lips retain moisture.
- Use a lip balm with vitamin E or spread vitamin E oil onto your lips. The lips don’t secrete sebum like the rest of your skin, so they’ll need the extra dose.
- Don’t forget the sunscreen. Your lips can get burned just like the rest of you! Use a lip balm with SPF underneath your favorite lipstick, or look for a lipstick with SPF included.
- You can exfoliate dry, flaky lips — just use a very fine scrub and don’t over-do it. Use a hydrating lip balm or lotion afterwards.
- Worried about thin lips? There are all kinds of lip-plumping glosses and lipsticks available. Many of them use bee venom or other irritants to cause a temporary swelling in your lips. Be careful using these if you have sensitive skin or any allergies!
- Quit smoking! First of all, it’s just bad for you. Second of all, the motion of pursing your lips around a cigarette can lead to wrinkles around your mouth.
- Watch other lip-pursing activities, like using a straw.
- Still not happy with the shape of your lips? You may want to look into cosmetic surgery or other professional lip enhancement.
I am a lip balm addict… I keep one in my purse, one at my bed side, and one at my desk so it’s always handy! Keeping your lip balm handy means you’ll remember to use it more often. My favorite is Chapstick Naturals, but there are lots of brands out there to try. Find one that you like the feel and taste of and stick with it — you’ll see your lips get softer and smoother over time.