Dry, cracked lips can be unattractive, not to mention painful. Fortunately, keeping your lips healthy and full is as simple as knowing which products to use and ditching a few bad habits. Drinking more water, using hydrating lipsticks and balms, and exfoliating periodically can all help preserve a plump pucker. In the meantime, limit your exposure to dry conditions and avoid licking your lips to keep them from losing moisture as quickly.
EditSteps
EditHydrating Your Lips Naturally
- Drink more water. One of the best ways to defend against dry, damaged lips is to make sure you’re hydrated from the inside out. Aim to get at least 2 liters (about 8 glasses) a day. As an added bonus, loading up on water will also make your lips appear more full.[1]
- Carry a water bottle or thermos with you so you’ll have something to sip on all day long.
- Proper hydration isn’t just good for your lips—it makes you healthier in almost every conceivable way.[2]
- Decaffeinated coffee, decaffeinated tea, juice, and other beverages can also help you meet your daily hydration goals. Steer clear of caffeinated beverages and drinks that are high in sodium because these will dry out your lips.
- Turn on a humidifier. Humidifiers introduce moisture to the surrounding environment, which can be a major plus if it’s as dry inside as it is outside where you live. Just switch your unit on and leave it running for a few hours a day. Chances are, you’ll notice an improvement in the condition of your lips in no time.[3]
- A humidifier may run you anywhere from $50-80, but the benefits it can offer can make it worth the price.
- Rub on some all-natural almond oil, coconut oil, or shea butter. Scoop up a small amount of oil on your fingertip and smear it directly onto your lips. Fatty oils make great natural conditioners, as they moisten, soften, and give lips a healthy glisten. For best results, apply a little oil 2-3 times a day.[4]
- Almond oil is hypoallergenic, which means it’s safe to use from head to toe on all skin types.[5]
- The high amounts of vitamins A and E found in organic oils have age-fighting properties that may actually make your lips look younger with continued use. To take advantage of higher concentrations, you could even try using pure vitamin E oil.[6]
- Use cucumber to restore vital moisture. Cut a ripe cucumber into thin slices and place one over each lip while you’re lying down, or use them to dab your lips. It will only take a few minutes for your lips to absorb the hydrating, nutrient-infused juices, but their effects will last all day.[7]
- Cucumber treatments can make a fast and effective addition to your nightly skincare routine.
- Topical application of the fruit can also help ease the discomfort of chapped or sunburned lips.[8]
EditUsing Protective Products
- Look for lip balms that protect against drying. Keep an eye out for products formulated with nourishing additives like shea butter, vitamin E, and coconut and jojoba oil. These ingredients reinforce the natural barrier on your lip skin to block out external drying agents and prevent moisture loss.[9]
- A quality hydrating balm will also leave your lips feeling softer, smoother, and less sensitive to wind and cold.
- Skip lip treatments containing camphor or menthol, which will only aggravate dry skin even more and could sting your lips if they are irritated.[10]
- Pick up an exfoliating lip scrub. Exfoliating removes dead, flaky skin, leaving only the healthiest tissue behind. Get in the habit of exfoliating your lips every few days, or whenever they’re in need. This will be especially important late in the year, when cold weather wreaks havoc on healthy lips.[11]
- Exfoliating scrubs are available in most places where beauty and skincare items are sold.
- For a more do-it-yourself approach, try making your own scrub using ingredients like sea salt, brown sugar, honey, and olive or coconut oil.[12]
- Slather on a sunblock for your lips. You may not realize it, but your lips are just as vulnerable to sunburn as the rest of your extremities. Luckily, there are a wide variety of lipsticks and balms with built-in sun protection on the market these days. Be sure to apply your product liberally before heading to the beach or going for an afternoon stroll.[13]
- Reapply your lip-block every few hours as directed. You should find complete instructions for use on the label.
- Sun-screening lip products can offer valuable protection as strong as 15 SPF.
- Apply hydrating products after using matte lipsticks. In order to remain in place for as long as they do, matte lipsticks have to dry out the surface they stick to. To prevent your lips from becoming a desert, it's best stick to hydrating lipsticks whenever possible, or alternate between the two to restore missing moisture between wears.[14]
- Shea butter, vitamin E, coconut and jojoba oil are among the best ingredients for pampering lips that have been dehydrated by matte lipsticks.
- If you just can’t bring yourself to leave the house without your matte lipstick, spread a thin coat of conditioner onto your lips before putting it on to provide a defensive buffer.[15]
EditAvoiding Harmful Habits
- Stop licking your lips. Wetting your lips with the tip of your tongue may seem to make a difference in the short term, but it’s really doing more harm than good. Over time, the digestive enzymes found in your saliva will eat through the protective barrier on sensitive lip skin.[16]
- Keep some hydrating lipstick or balm within arm’s reach. You’ll be less tempted to lick your lips if you’ve recently applied a fresh coat.[17]
- Stick to unflavored lip balms because flavored lip balms may cause you to lick your lips.
- Watch out for spicy or acidic foods. There’s enough acidity in a plate of hot wings or a glass of orange juice to have a nearly instantaneous drying effect on your lips. If you eat or drink enough, it can cause them to become cracked and sore. Greasy foods are the worst culprits, since they tend to form a residue that can be hard to wipe away.[18]
- Whenever possible, use utensils like straws or a forks, and eat carefully to make sure as little food makes contact with the area around your mouth as possible.[19]
- Lip conditioners made with natural ingredients like shea butter and aloe vera can be useful for soothing irritated lips.
- Breathe through your nose. If you’re not already, start inhaling and exhaling through your nose rather than your mouth. The movement of all that air around your lips can dry them out in a hurry. Keeping your mouth shut is also less likely to mess up your lipstick than opening and closing it constantly.[20]
- If you have no choice but to huff and puff while exercising, open your mouth a little wider so that you’re not blowing the air over your pursed lips.
- Mouth breathing is a good behavior to curb, as it comes with a host of other negative consequences, including cottonmouth, teeth grinding, and drool-drenched pillows. Yuck![21]
- If you cannot seem to stop mouth-breathing, then make an appointment with an ear, nose, and throat doctor (ENT). You may have a deviated septum.
- Cover up when it’s cold out. Winter weather is notoriously tough on lips. If you have no choice but to brave the elements, pack a scarf or high-collared coat that you can pull up over the bottom half of your face. Not only will it keep your lips off-limits, it will also make you stay warm and comfortable.[22]
- It’s especially important to bundle up when you’re walking into frigid winds or have to be outside for long periods.
EditTips
- Feel free to apply lip balm as often as you think is necessary. The key to maintaining moist lips is prevention.
- Stash hydrating lip products in a multitude of places, like your bedside table, purse, locker, or the glove compartment of your car, so you’ll always have a ready supply on hand.
- If your problem is severely chapped lips, you may need to switch to medicated products containing ceramides. These waxy molecules can help build back up your lips’ natural protective barrier.
EditWarnings
- Chronic dry lips could be caused by an allergic reaction to chemicals in toothpastes, chewing gum (cinnamon gum can burn your mouth), fragrances, and other beauty and hygiene products. If none of the methods you’ve tried have worked for you, it may be a good idea to visit a dermatologist.
EditRelated wikiHows
EditSources and Citations
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