USING & BENEFITS OF LIP BALMS

I can’t live without lip balm. I meant it. Sunscreen is a necessity for the skin. But I can’t live without this creamy feeling on my lip. I carry my lip balm everywhere, in the exam hall, on outings, I apply it before-after sleep, in winters, in hot summers, every time, everywhere! I’m addicted to it, I can’t bother to dry my lip for a few minutes, it feels so irritating. Are you with me or you’re normal? 🥺

Why Use a Lip Balm?

Lip balm moisturizes lips that are not new! But excluding that Lip balm is very important to skincare that we did use it when we did not start skincare. For chapped lips using 24*7 lip balm is very important. Providing adequate hydration to the lip makes the lip plumper. Using any lip balm can protect your lip from sunburn. Unlike face moisturizers, lip balms are very very thick. That’s why even a lip balm does not contain any SPF it can protect your lip. Lip balm is a must before applying lipstick. It acts as a primer so you don’t need any different primer for your lips. It will protect your lip from lipstick and also maintain hydration. Tinted lip balms are best because I use them daily basis instead of lipstick. Glossy lip balms create an illusion of bigger lips. You don’t need to spend money on lip gloss separately when you can just apply a lip serum. Lip balm softens the lip. Use a good lip balm before date nights. 👄

Reasons Behind Chapped Lips

There are mainly three reasons behind dry and chapped lips. Weather and humidity play a huge role in the skin. Low humidity causes dry skin and more dry lips. A bad habit of licking your lips. I saw many moistures on their lip with their tongue. Saliva removes the lip moisture more and that causes more dryness. You may take this casually. But some may develop severe chapped lip conditions called Cheilitis created by cracked skin of the lip.

Why Scrub Lips?

Scrubbing lips is very important. Scrubbing is a physical exfoliation process. A scrubber contains small grainy particles that rubbed against the skin and remove dead skin cells instantly. Scrubbing lips make lips smoother. That will make your lips look shiny and make a better canvas for lip balm, and lipstick application. No joking but scrubbing lips increases the effect of moisturizer and lip balm. If your skin is chapped and very dry, and nothing is working out, probably your lip has a thick dead cell layer. First, remove it by scrubbing then apply Lip balm.

One of the Luxurious Lip scrubs is Henne Organics Lip Exfoliator. It is a bit expensive but gives you a special feeling. I do not recommend it not because it’s not good but because no one needs to spend this much on lip exfoliator. Bella Vita Lip Scrub works just fine for me at a very less price.

Attention: Do not scrub lips if your lip is cracked open. First, repair it by using 24*7 lip balm then exfoliate it.

How to Scrub Lips?

Physical scrubbers show an instant brightness to the skin. Many do not like physical scrubbers nowadays because they can be harmful and cause harm to living cells. But for lips, I found out a physical scrubber works best as cells of the lip get flaky very quickly. You can use a face scrubber/exfoliator, brown sugar, or any special lip scrubber. I like to use brown sugar or my face exfoliator. I had tried some lip scrubbers but in the end, I think it’s better not to spend money on lip scrubbers separately.

Take a little bit of scrubber onto your washed fingertips. Trust me you don’t need much especially if you’re using that daily. Using more does not mean it will give you better results. Just need the amount that covers the whole lip. Do not over scrub. 1 minute is enough. Open your mouth for a larger lip area. That way lip scrub will cover evenly. Do not press hard. Just massage the product anti-clockwise and clockwise equally. I heard some that if you’re using lemon and sugar or sugar & honey you can eat it. But NO! that contains dead skin cells. Are you sure you want to eat it? Right. Wash your lip with cold water and dab with a cloth/towel.

Apply a thick layer of lip balm before your lips get completely dry. Using a moisturizer beforehand is important. Apply Skin toner/serum/moisturizer first. Do not forget your lips. I use everything around my eye and the lip I use on my face. Then lock the moisture with a lip balm. You can repeat the process three-four times a week. Or daily before bed. If you do daily do not rub it for more than 15-30 seconds.

How to Apply Lip Balm?

Do Lip Scrub before applying lip balm. Doing lip scrub regularly is not a bad idea. Before going to bed scrub your lip for one minute and then wash it. For lip balm, stick open the cap and rotate the dial at the bottom. Do not raise the balm a lot, just a little bit like 2mm will do. The more you raise the stick, the more the chances of breakage. Use it directly on your lip. Some just use upper/lower lips and then spread the lip balm by moving their lips together. I like to apply lip balm all over my lip directly. For the tube, press a little then do the same. For Cube like container, wash your hands then take an adequate amount with the help of your nail. Move your finger from bottom to upward so lip balm is piled on the top of your nail, not into it. When applying lip balm always move it from the middle to the outside. Not just Clockwise or anticlockwise. Do not forget to overlap the corners.

Look for These in a Lip Balm

Humectants are good, especially for lip products. They attract water from the environment and collect it on the upper layer of the skin. Some humectants are Salicylic Acid, Glycerine, Glycol, and Hyaluronic Acid. You need Occlusive for lip products because the lip gets dry quickly and the lip does not contain any oil glands. Various oils like Cocoa, Orange, Rose, Sunflower, etc will work as protectors. Petroleum jelly is a cheap but good occlusive. So basically Vaseline does not provide any hydration but holds it.

Avoid lip balms that contain only Occulsives. Like Vaseline, again. You can coat it. But not required, a good lip balm contains both. Do not use any lip balm with fragrance telling a girl who loves fragrance. I don’t mind fragrance as my skin is still not that sensitive. But I will never use a lip balm with fragrance. Because there’s always a part that is consumed internally passively.

Burt’s Bees Lip Balms come in different flavors like Coconut, Pomegranate, Mango, etc. It’s 100% natural. Laneige is a little bit expensive but good. I have tried their Lip Sleeping Mask and Lip Balm, both are rich and come in huge amounts. Both can run for half a year and I use them a lot. I love the coconut smell, so I love Palmer’s Coconut Lip balm. The more reason to love it is it comes with SPF15. The next one is very affordable and comes with a lot of quantity. Biotique Bio Fruit Lip Balm is tinted, and rich, and you will get 12gm for just 2$. Juicy Chemistry Blood Orange lip balm is organic, and 100% natural. It is one of the best sellers in India. Henne Organics Lip Mask is expensive but feels so good on the lip.