Have you ever wondered the reasons for lips to get dry, chapped, and peeled? Here is the simple answer; they do not have any oil glands, unlike facial skin. Since they are exposed to the environment, sunrays, wind, food, and drinks and have an important role in acts of eating, drinking and facial expression, we must keep them healthy. Let us understand the common lip care concerns, remedies, and tips for winter lip care.
Reasons for Dry, Chapped & Peeling lips
The unique structure of lips doesn’t have any particular mechanism to self-moisturise. They are exposed to cosmetics, cold winds, hot & cold food or beverages, rub against clothes, biting, and more. The most common reason for dry lips is licking them to keep them moist, as this causes more dryness. Dehydration, heat stroke, fever or excessively hot climate and certain medications also aggravate chapping and peeling of lips. Therefore, to keep them soft, supple and moisturized ensure a lip care regime.
What is Angular Cheilitis
Angular Cheilitis is a lip condition wherein the outer corners of the lips are dry & inflamed. This happens due to a deficiency of Iron, B12, or an infection in the body. Apply a moisturizing fragrance-free lip balm or chapstick to treat this and also ensure nutritional deficiency is addressed.
Home Remedies for dry & chapped lips
- Take 1 tsp each of sugar, honey and powdered orange peel to make a lip scrub. Massage on damp lips for a minute and then wipe or rinse it off. This scrub can be used twice a week to remove dead skin cells and moisturize the lips.
- Massage the lips with almond oil or pure cow’s ghee and leave it overnight.
- Make a lip mask with 1 tsp of full-fat cream (Malai) and soak a few strands of saffron in it. Apply for 10-15 mins, then rinse off. Use this lip mask at least once a week for the best results.
Winter lip care tips
- During winter the lips tend to dry and chap off because of rise in Vata dosha, in this season that leads to dryness internally as well as externally. To combat this, we must ensure a nourishing diet that includes 2 tsp of cow's ghee, practice oil pulling with 1 tbsp of Sesame oil post brushing teeth in the mornings, and stay adequately hydrated throughout the day.
- Regularly exfoliate the lips with a sugar-based lip scrub, to remove the chapped skin, and then apply lip balm soon after. Use T.A.C Beetroot scrub twice a week during winter.
- Use a lip balm as a part of your skincare regime, with nourishing butter such as Cocoa butter, Shea butter, Coconut oil and natural lip color enhancer Beetroot such as in T.A.C Beetroot Lip Balm
- When stepping outdoors, you may use a lipstick with sunscreen for your lips as it protects from hyperpigmentation due to the harsh rays of the sun such as T.A.C Liquid lipstick with SPF 20
- Try to be mindful of the ingredients of lipsticks, and avoid cosmetics with harsh chemicals, strong pigments, and drying formulations as much as possible.
