How to heal your dry, chapped lips

If you’re suffering from chapped lips this winter, you’re not alone. This common condition affects everyone at one time or another, particularly in the wintertime.

Our instinct is to lick the lips to add a little moisture, but since our saliva contains digestive enzymes, this ends up irritating the skin and making the problem worse. Using lip balm is one way to get a bit of relief, but most brands contain either petrolatum or beeswax which cause an occlusive barrier to form on the skin, preventing moisture from getting in or out. Not ideal since our lips don’t have oil glands and need to absorb moisture to stay healthy.

When my daughter was very young, she came home from school with lips so chapped and irritated she had a big red ring around her entire mouth. So I came up with this simple, healthy treatment to give immediate relief, heal them overnight, and provide a long term hydration solution.

Enzymatic Powder $46

Step 1

Exfoliate the lips using a sugar and honey scrub, or a gentle, enzymatic exfoliant in a circular motion for 45 seconds to 1 minute.

I use Skin Regimen’s Enzymatic Exfoliant Powder. Formulated with Chlorella and Papaya enzymes, the enzymatic powder gently cleanses skin with a delicate exfoliation and rice starch, to absorb and remove excess sebum.

HA Booster $115

Step 2

Massage 1 drop of hyaluronic acid serum to the lips. Hyaluronic acid is the KING of topical skincare, in my opinion. It adds deep hydration to depleted tissues and helps your skin absorb any moisture that’s applied over the top of it.

Skin Regimen’s flavorless, odorless HA Booster with it’s instant absorption abilities and light, fluid texture is ideal for deep hydration for the face and lips.

Tulsi Booster $116

Step 3

Apply one drop of lightweight oil and massage gently into the lips.

I prefer Skin Regimen’s Tulsi Booster because it feels super light, absorbs quickly, and is renowned for helping repair the skin’s delicate microbiome. While it’s meant to be used on the entire face to protect dry, sensitive skin, the texture is perfect for the lips as well.

You can also use sweet almond or jojoba oil.

Skin Regimen Lip Balm $21

Step 4

Apply a skin-healthy lip balm to seal in the moisture and allow the lips to breathe. Repeat throughout the day to keep the skin hydrated.

Look for formulas that contain only natural oils and butters to avoid exacerbating the condition.

My personal favorite lip balm is Skin Regimen’s lip balm uses avocado butter, karite butter, and sweet almond oil adds much needed essential fatty acids to the lips, as well as naturally occurring vitamin E.

While you should feel immediate relief, be sure to follow steps 2-4 morning and night at least 2-3 times per week for maintenance, but only repeat step 1 once per week to avoid over-exfoliating the skin.

That’s it! Now you’re on your way to healthier, more hydrated lips all year long. Be sure to check out my previous blog post, “5 Tips for more hydrated winter skin” for more ways to prevent your skin from drying out during the winter months.

Happy Holidays and a Happy New Year to you all!