Lips being the delicate organ in our body lacks oil which is why constant care is often recommended. One common skin concern which most of them face includes dryness in the lips, irrespective of one’s age and climatic conditions. No matter what other reasons like dehydration, lifestyle habits, etc maybe, when lips get drier they will become uncomfortable and even lead to cracks and peeling in the lips, which further causes bleeding.
A proper lipcare routine is mandatory, which is why they need enough care on an everyday basis. And the best part is that, with proper care and better remedies, you can restore the softness and also help in keeping them healthy.
How to Get Rid of Dry Lips Naturally
For dry and dehydrated lips, here are three main characteristics which play a major role.
1. More and More Hydration
To keep skin well hydrated, drinking a lot of water is important. Ensure to keep sipping your water or any liquid drinks like buttermilk, fresh juices, soups, etc based on your needs. A minimum of 7 - 8 glasses of water per day helps.
2. Use Natural Lip Moisturizers
As much like we internally hydrate the body, hydrating externally through lip balm also helps and protects the lips better.
Some of the best natural moisturizer for lips includes:
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Honey: Works on retaining moisture and soothing lip dryness.
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Coconut Oil: Nourishes and softens lips naturally.
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Almond Oil: Improves lip texture and hydration
3. Gentle Lip Exfoliation
Exfoliation is a key for keeping the lips softer because of the removal of dead skin cells. You can make a simple mint lip scrub using “exfoliating ingredient + nourishing/hydrating ingredient”. And in such cases, if you are looking for DIY options can try using honey + sugar or coffee powder + oils/butters.
Use it gently 1–2 times a week to avoid irritation.
4. Avoid Lip Licking
A common habit that most of us have, but it worsens the dehydration level more in the lips. Saliva even though temporarily moisturizes, they evaporate faster and strip away the natural moisture.
5. Use a Lip Balm Regularly
Incorporating in a good beetroot lip balm helps in creating a protecting barrier and also reduces the pigmentation while giving a natural tint. Get your hands on balms which have a nourishing blend of ingredients and also ones which have zero chemicals and fragrances.
Apply lip balm while being at home, when stepping out, before bedtime, and whenever you feel dryness or tightness in the lips.
6. Protect Lips from Weather
Weather conditions also play a role in deciding your lip health. When the sunlight and its rays are heavy, when you are under cold climatic conditions, and any other time, ensure to protect the lips using a nourishing and hydrating lip balm.
Signs of Dry Lips
When people have dry and flaky lips, the symptoms defer based on the condition and its severity.
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Symptom
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What It Feels Like
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Flakiness
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Peeling skin on lips
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Tightness
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Lips feel stretched and uncomfortable
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Cracks
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Small cuts, especially on the corners
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Redness
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Irritated and sensitive lips
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Bleeding
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Severe dryness causing splits
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What Causes Dry Lips?
Knowing the root cause of the lip dryness helps in treating them better and effectively. The lack of oil glands in the lip area will make the dryness excessive at times, and they are mainly because of:
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Dehydration: Intakes less amount of water on an everyday basis.
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Weather Conditions: The climatic change happening from hot winds to cold drizzles and vice versa.
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Licking Lips Frequently: This is one of the common habits, where saliva tends to evaporate and increase the dryness more.
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Nutritional Deficiency: The lack of vitamins like B and E affects lip health.
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Allergic Reactions: The presence of certain lip products will lead to irritation and dryness in the lips.
Natural Ingredients + Benefits - Must Know Combo
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Ingredient
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Benefit
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Suitable For
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Honey
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Moisturizes and heals cracks
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All skin types
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Coconut Oil
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Deep nourishment
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Dry lips
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Sugar
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Removes dead skin
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Flaky lips
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Aloe Vera
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Soothes irritation
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Sensitive lips
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Ghee
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Repairs and softens lips
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Extremely dry lips
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Daily Lip Care Routine
Following a routine is vital, but keeping and maintaining them consistently will show a drastic change in your overall lip routine.
In AM routine - Wipe lips, and use a lip balm - preferably SPF lip balm.
In PM routine - Exfoliate twice in a week, and then follow up with shea butter lip balm for nourishing and glowing lips.
The more consistent you are with your lipcare routine, the softer and smoother the lips will be.
Foods That Help Prevent Dry Lips
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Food
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Nutrient
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Benefit
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Citrus fruits
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Vitamin C
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Improves skin health
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Nuts
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Healthy fats
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Keeps lips soft
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Leafy greens
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Iron and vitamins
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Prevents dryness
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Water-rich fruits
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Hydration
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Maintains moisture
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Seeds
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Omega fatty acids
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Nourishes skin
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Mistakes to Avoid - In Lipcare
There are some of the everyday lip regimen which we follow without even knowing they will cause damage to your lips.
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Exfoliating often like everyday.
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Getting your hands on low quality or under 100 products. Trust me, there is no use in using them; Damage will be more than the goodness.
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Missing lip hydration frequently.
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Peeling the lips or touching them often.
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Not cleansing the lips properly post using lipsticks and lipglosses.
When to See a Doctor
When you see the extreme dryness or peeling in your lips despite trying the unique range of home remedies, other than normal issues, there may be other concerns like dehydration, allergies, and even nutritional deficiencies.
Tips for Long-Term Lip Health
Maintaining lips and preventing the lip issues is more important rather than getting rid or treating them.
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Keep yourself hydrated
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Use nourishing lip products
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Follow a gentle skincare routine
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Protect lips from environmental damage
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Maintain a balanced diet
Conclusion
Even though dry lips is a common skin care concern, it is not something that is unmanageable. When you follow a healthy lipcare regimen, they will help in restoring the softness and prevent new and upcoming lip damages.
You can get the smoother and baby soft lip when you follow a proper everyday lip routine along with the right lifestyle habits too.