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Today’s habit
Invest in a nice lip balm to soothe your chapped lips.
What it is
Throughout the winter, I probably use at least five different brands of lip balm, which I spread out between my bag, my desk at work, my bathroom, my bedside table, my dining room table, and my kid’s diaper bag.
Where I live (Toronto), the winter is usually quite cold but also very dry, so my skin constantly needs to be moisturized, including my lips. If I had to guess, I probably spend 10 per cent of my day reapplying lip balm and moisturizer. And you know what? It’s totally worth it. Chapped lips? Honey, not for me. That’s why you should invest in one or two good lip balms to get your lips soft and moisturized.
For whenever you’re feeling
You want to give your lips a little treat; you’re tired of feeling self-conscious about chapped lips; you’re looking for a new lip balm.
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How it can help
The colder and drier the air is, the more likely your lips are going to be dry and chapped — they can even flake off, peel, and crack — because the skip on the lips is really thin and delicate compared to the rest of the skin on your body, making them more susceptible to the elements.
“Our lips dry out 10 times faster than the rest of the skin on your face so it’s really important to use extra protection,” dermatologist Dr. Melissa Piliang told the Cleveland Clinic.
According to Medical News today, lips don’t have oil glands so they can’t produce their own moisture — this is where a lip balm can help.
Pro tips
Using a balm that is ointment-based (such as petroleum or glycerin) will help keep your lips moisturized, preventing and healing cracks in the skin.
Look for lip balms that contain moisturizing ingredients such as petroleum, lanolin, beeswax, and ceramides.
Avoid lip balms that contain menthol, camphor, and phenol, as they’re very drying and can leave your lips more chapped. Likewise for a balm that’s scented or contains fragrance.
After you apply the lip balm, avoid licking your lips. “Once you put saliva on the lips, it dries out and makes our lips even more dry,” Dr. Piliang said. “Plus the enzymes that are in saliva that are meant to digest food are irritating to the lips.”
At the end of the day, don’t wipe your balm off; apply more before getting into bed. “Look for ingredients like shea butter, glycerin, or natural oils,” Dr. Cybele Fishman, a dermatologist, told Today.com.
It’s also a good idea to get a lip balm that contains SPF, because just like the rest of your skin, your lips can burn and get skin cancer, too.
Some of our favourite lip balms are:
How it makes us feel
Dried lips (well, dried skin in general) is one of the main reasons I hate winter, so when I swipe on some fresh balm, I feel refreshed and moisturized.
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