How to achieve healthy lips for happy holidays!
Picture this: it’s the dead of winter and your lips are doing… the thing. Despite your steady application of vaseline, your lips are so chapped that they are almost bleeding! You’re too COVID-cautious to head to the crowded stores, and every online supply of Chapstick and EOS is out of stock. As if 2020 couldn’t get any worse! It’s not like you can just make a remedy from the safety and comfort of your own home…
…except you can totally do that. And with the expert guidance of Doctor Konstantin, as featured in this Insider article by Toketemu Ohwovoriole, you can do so easily and effectively.
Why do my lips get chapped?
Lips don’t just chap due to cold weather; they can become chapped when dry or sore, or simply when you haven’t been drinking enough water. Regular, adequate hydration is one simple way to keep your lips looking fresh. But if you need a quicker fix for more immediate results, Dr. K’s got you covered. Follow these homemade tips this holiday season and you’ll be puckering up under the mistletoe in no time.
Here’s a run-down of the top five homemade chapped-lip solutions. Pick the one that works for you and flaunt your smooth, uncracked smile!
The skincare expert’s homemade lip remedies
The five homemade remedies recommended are petroleum jelly, aloe vera, honey, coconut oil, and a sugar scrub. Each has its own unique properties and benefits, as well as things to be mindful of when using; for example, after a sugar scrub (or any exfoliant), it is imperative to moisturize your lips. “If you forget to moisturize following lips scrubs, it can actually worsen chapped lips,” warns Dr. Konstantin (Insider). This goes hand-in-hand with fighting the temptation to lick honey off of your lips. Yes, it’s sweet, but your saliva can reverse the healing properties of the honey.
Break it down: the top five ingredients
While petroleum jelly doesn’t offer any moisture of its own, it will seal existing moisture onto your lips. Use it in combination with a layer of balm underneath, and the jelly will shield your lips from drying.
Aloe vera is an excellent choice for dry lips, as it sucks moisture from the surrounding air and deposits it onto the skin where it is applied. It naturally binds to your skin, too, so no petroleum jelly is needed as a top coat. Best of all, as a common houseplant, it’s the gift that keeps on giving– grow your own to opt for a lower priced, environmentally-conscious solution to chapped lips.
As for Doctor K’s favorite remedy? It’s simple and sweet: honey! Just like aloe vera, it takes the moisture from the air and gives it to your lips. But this isn’t honey’s only benefit; it is full of healing effects that make it the perfect solution for chapped lips, as well as a variety of other common issues. Dr. Konstantin explains that honey works as an exfoliant to remove dry, dead skin, and that its antibacterial properties prevent the sores from harboring infections.
Coconut oil, just like honey, has several powerful elements to keep your smile smooth. Both antibacterial and anti-inflammatory, it will assure your lips are void of germs and prevent infections from happening in their cracks. On its own, coconut oil doesn’t exfoliate, but if combined with another ingredient (like sugar!), it can be used to gently remove dead skin.
Finally recommended is an exfoliating homemade sugar scrub. This is an effective combination of several of the aforementioned ingredients. Making a sugar scrub involves combining sugar with either honey or coconut oil, rubbing in, wiping off, and restoring moisture with petroleum jelly or coconut oil. This is where it is particularly important to remember to finish with a moisturizer; as Dr. Konstantin tells Insider, forgetting to do so can only intensify your condition.
Dr. Konstantin’s top tip
Regardless of if you choose to go homemade or store bought, remember this: “the best way to prevent chapped lips is to be consistent with the lip moisturizing treatments you use. Ensure that you are applying moisturizer multiple times throughout the day” (Insider). Whichever treatment you choose to employ, don’t forget to moisturize adequately and apply your treatment frequently. Follow Dr. Konstantin’s tips, and this season’s mistletoe kisses are sure to be your best yet.
For more information on having your best pout yet, read the original full article on Insider. To schedule a consultation with NYC’s favorite rejuvenation expert, contact our Manhattan office today.
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