While cold weather is a key factor in causing dry lips, certain daily habits can also lead to the development of chapped lips. Here are five of them.
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Chapped Lips: Mistakes to Avoid.
1. Skimping on hydration.
During the winter, lips tend to dry out, as they have very few defense mechanisms. Their protective layer is very thin and needs to be supplemented with natural active ingredients such as aloe vera for its powerful hydrating properties, jojoba oil or shea butter which help to strengthen the lip's hydrolipidic barrier. Products concentrated in hyaluronic acid, a molecule derived from wheat germ that can retain up to 1,000 times its weight in water, also remains a powerful active ingredient to prioritize in case of dryness, regardless of the season.
2. Apply a balm rich in mineral oils.
Mineral oils can be incredibly deceptive. Derived from petrochemicals, they appear to moisturize the skin and leave a temporarily pleasant greasy film, which in reality ends up clogging the pores and blocking the skin's natural mechanisms triggered by the body. Highly comedogenic, they possess no hydrating, soothing, or calming virtues.
3. Rinse your mouth with warm water.
If your lips start to feel slightly tight, you might be tempted to run them under hot water for immediate soothing relief. Unfortunately, this action is misleading because at this temperature, water dissolves the lipid cement of the skin barrier, which serves to protect the skin from various aggressions. As with the rest of your face, favor the use of lukewarm to cool water and opt for gentle products during the makeup removal process.
4. Moistening the lips with saliva.
Using one's own saliva to alleviate a sensation of dryness typically provides only short-term relief. Why? Because as saliva dries, it "retains" a small amount of water from the skin cells, thereby creating a dehydration effect. But another factor to consider is enzymes, which aid digestion during the chewing process. These enzymes are aggressive and are not meant to be on your lips, causing some cracking at the corners when they settle. To avoid frequently moistening your lips, there's only one solution: hydrate! Once the balm does its job by soothing your tightness and providing the right amount of nourishment, there's no need to use your saliva.
5. Wearing matte or long-lasting lipstick.
Even though it's true that matte or "long-lasting" lipsticks offer an unparalleled and particularly flattering finish, it often happens that after a few hours, your lips may start to show signs of chapping and dehydration. It's important to know that to achieve such longevity and this matte finish, the formulas generally contain chemical agents that dry out your lips. We would rather advise you to rely on tinted lip balms, which will hydrate and nourish the lips while providing them with a subtle and natural colored finish.
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