Your lips are one of the most delicate parts of your body and are constantly exposed to external stressors. However, they’re often not thought about when it comes to your skincare routine. Without proper lip care, they can become dry, flaky, chapped, or peel.
Why You Need a Lip Care Routine
The skin on your lips is much thinner than the rest of your body, and because of this, there is less of a protective skin barrier on the lips. Because lip skin is so thin and doesn't have oil-producing sebaceous glands, your lips can’t protect or moisturize themselves the way the rest of your skin can. Constant exposure to sun, wind, saliva, and even the friction of eating and talking are all stressors that take a toll on your lips over time.
What is a Good Lip Care Routine?
A good lip care routine is about consistency and protecting, hydrating, and renewing this delicate skin.
Exfoliate Lips
Just like the rest of your face, your lips accumulate dead skin cells and over time, this buildup can leave them looking dull and flaky. Exfoliate your lips once or twice a week because over-exfoliation can irritate this delicate skin, causing sensitivity or even bleeding. Gentle exfoliation helps with skin cell turnover to prevent cracking and chronic dry lips. Smooth lips look fuller, healthier, and help lipstick or gloss apply more evenly without clinging to dry skin patches.
Lip Mask
Using a lip mask is a hydrating treatment that deeply repairs damaged lips while enhancing their natural contour. Biologique Recherche’s Liftkiss visibly reduces dehydration lines while plumping and smoothing lips for a fuller, silky-smooth finish.
Lip Balm for Sun Protection
Daily sunscreen is a skincare essential, however, lips are one of the most commonly overlooked areas when it comes to sun protection. Lips have very little melanin, the pigment that helps protect skin from UV rays, which makes them especially vulnerable to sunburn and long-term sun damage. Shop our recommended lip balm for sun protection.
Drink Enough Water
The most common cause of dry lips is dehydration. If your body is thirsty, your lips are often the first place to show it, so staying properly hydrated is one of the best ways to keep your lips healthy and smooth.
Use a Humidifier
Environmental factors are a big part of how healthy your lips are. In the winter, indoor heating can strip moisture from the air, which causes lips to dry. Using a humidifier while you sleep helps replenish moisture to prevent your lips from becoming dry overnight.
Avoid Licking Your Lips
When your lips feel dry, it’s natural to lick them for instant relief, so it's a tough habit to break. However, saliva contains digestive enzymes that break down the skin's protective barrier. When the saliva dries, it strips even more moisture from your lips so they’re even drier than they were.
How to Build a Skincare Routine
At Sarah Akram Skincare, our estheticians can build a personalized skincare routine that protects, rejuvenates, and hydrates your lips and face. We’ll recommend customized treatments and skincare products to keep your skin healthy and glowing. Reserve a skin consultation by filling out our online form or calling us at (703) 531-9350.
FAQs
Why do my lips get dry so easily?
Lips have very thin skin and lack oil-producing glands which makes them more prone to dryness from environmental factors like sun, wind, and indoor heating.
How often should I apply lip balm?
Apply lip balm as needed throughout the day, especially before going outdoors, after eating and drinking. Using a lip balm daily helps keep lips hydrated and protected.
Can I use regular moisturizer on my lips?
It’s best to use products specifically formulated for lips. Lip balms and treatments contain ingredients designed to hydrate, protect, and repair the delicate lip skin.
Do lips need sunscreen?
Yes! Lips have very little melanin which makes them especially vulnerable to sunburn and long-term UV damage.
Is it bad to lick my lips?
Licking your lips temporarily relieves dryness, but saliva evaporates quickly so your lips become even drier.
