3 Top Tips On How To Treat Dry Lips

We’ve all been there. Your lips feel dry and sore and you’re not quite sure how it happened. Unlike other areas of skin on our bodies, our lips don’t have sebaceous glands, meaning they don’t naturally produce oils to keep themselves moisturised. This means they might be more susceptible to drying out and becoming sore. But fear not! - The experts at UKLASH are here to let you in on what the causes are for dry and chapped lips and ways in which you can hydrate and heal them. 

Causes Of Dry Lips

As previously mentioned, your lips are one of the only areas of skin on your body that don’t have sebaceous glands, meaning they don’t naturally produce oils to keep themselves moisturised. This makes your lips more susceptible to becoming dry and sore and is exacerbated as an area that deals with a lot of friction from eating, drinking and talking. Aside from these reasons, there are more below that could be the cause of dry lips.

• Cold weather - In the winter, the cold air and lack of humidity can make it harder for your lips to stay hydrated. Your lips also sit front and centre on your face, making them harder to protect against the elements and more likely to be affected by cold temperatures and harsh winds, often leading to dry and sore lips.
• Sun exposure - At the opposite end of the spectrum, in the summer, the rise of temperature and the exposure of UVA and UVB rays from the sun can cause your lips to become sunburnt and eventually dry out. 
• Lip licking - When our lips dry out and become sore, the first thing most of us do is lick our lips. Although this might feel like it’s working initially, it actually doesn’t help to keep your lips moisturised and hydrated - in fact, it could be doing the opposite. Excessive licking of the lips decreases the natural moisture content as your saliva evaporates. It also contains digestive enzymes which can be abrasive on delicate skin such as your lips. 
• Dehydration - If your dehydrated and not drinking enough liquids, more specifically water, your lips will be one of the first places you feel the effects. The lack of sebaceous glands makes it harder for your lips to fight back against dryness which can lead to chapped and sore lips.
• Matte lipstick - As much as we all love the sleek look of matte lipstick, sadly it’s not the best option for keeping our lips hydrated and smooth. Most formulas lack in offering any oils that can moisturise your lips and result in dehydrated and sore lips.
• Salty foods - As we all know, salt absorbs water, so by increasing your intake of salty foods, the moisture content in your mouth and lips will decrease. Not only will this encourage dry and sore lips, but it can also exacerbate any sores that are currently there, causing them to be irritated and more painful.

How To Treat Dry Lips

1. Avoid lip licking - The first thing you should nip in the bud if you want to avoid getting dry lips is licking your lips. As previously mentioned it only makes your lips more dry as your saliva will just evaporate and dry out your lips even more. Instead, every time you notice yourself going to lick your lips, try reaching for your favourite lip balm instead (more on those later!) as this will help you to implement a healthier habit that can lead to well moisurised and nourished lips!
2. Stay hydrated - Drinking water can help your body function better in a number of ways; from helping your digestive system to easing up your joints. Another way it can help is by keeping your skin feeling healthy and hydrated, especially around your lips. The lack of natural moisture in the lips makes it harder for them to stay hydrated, but by nourishing our bodies with plenty of liquids, you can help to keep your lips looking smoother, more nourished and healthier in the long term.
3. Get into a lip care routine - One of the best ways to nourish your lips and keep them healthy is by looking after them consistantly. A lip care routine generally works to keep your lips exfoliated, soothed and moisturised, resulting in smoother and fuller looking lips. For more information on lip care routines, check out our article here and start working towards smoother, healthy and more hydrated lips today.

The Best Products To Treat Dry Lips

Lip Scrub

One of the first steps in a nourishing lip care routine is to exfoliate your lips, rubbing away any dry skin or roughness that could be getting in the way of your achieving smoother, fuller and healthier-looking lips. However, if you’re suffering from dry lips already, you need to be selective with what lip scrub you are choosing to exfoliate with. The best option is to look for lip scrubs that offer natural exfoliants such as sugar and citrus, which are then combined with nourishing moisturisers such as natural oils and waxes, to counteract the abrasive nature of the product, leaving lips feeling smoother and softer. 

Lip Mask
The best way to intensively treat dry lips is by indulging in an overnight lip mask. Applying a lip mask while you sleep is the best time to offer all the nourishing ingredients and vitamins they may be lacking; away from the natural elements and pollutants that your lips are met with everyday. When looking for the perfect lips masks, try to look for natural moisturisers such as Shea Butter and Honey, as well as natural antioxidants such as Vitamin C and E as these can help your lips to retain moisture and feel smoother, nourished and fuller-looking.

UKLIPS Plumping Lip Gloss

Our new Plumping Lip Gloss comes in both Clear and Rose shades, and packs an innovative 3-in-1 design in its recipe - helping to plump, nourish and offer a high-shine finish to your lips. Alongside nourishing ingredients that provide a moisturised and smoother-looking pout, Capsicum Annuum Fruit Extract adds a tingling sensation for a plumped and fuller-looking effect on the lips. The moisturising formula is packed with powerful ingredients such as Jojoba Seed Oil and Aloe Vera Extract which helps to heal and hydrate dry lips and a number of anti-oxidents including Rosa Canina Seed Extract and Vitamin C, which work to revitalise and nourish your lips - an effective combination that helps to heal and soothe dry lips.