Giving your lips proper care and maintenance may not seem like a priority when your lips are moisturized. But the minute your lips dry up, it suddenly seems like no amount of water or lip balm can make them return to their normal state.
When your lips are dry, they can look and feel as though you’ve been living in the desert. To make things worse, a case of dry lips can feel very irritating and lead to cracked, peeling and sensitive lips. It may seem like you’ve got a case of never-ending dry lips, but learning about what’s causing your lips to feel parched and giving them TLC can make them feel normal again in no time. Read on to learn more about what’s causing your dry lips and find the best ChapStick products to soften them back up.
Why are my Lips Dry?
Trying to figure out what’s causing your lips to dry up so quickly may seem like a crazy guessing game. While a sudden case of dry lips might be startling, it’s easier to identify the cause once you consider all the factors. If your lips are starting to feel dry as the air around you gets colder, you might want to start taking precautions to protect them from drying out further. Cold weather or cold winds that run along the lips remove moisture, which can eventually lead to them feeling dry. 1
While cold, harsh temperatures are a common culprit, warm temperatures can also lead to dry lips in ways you may not consider. When you apply sunscreen to your skin before a day in the sun, it’s easy to forget about the skin that’s on your lips. Sunburn can dry out your lips and even be the result of more extreme conditions like swelling lips and blistering. 1 Even if you remember to apply sunscreen on your lips, there are other ways that warm weather can lead to dry lips. 1
It’s also important to always be conscious of the fact that lips have skin, too. If you practice a daily skin care routine, why not extend that care to your lips? Keep in mind that anything that dries out your skin can dry out your lips. If you frequently go swimming in chlorinated pools, have a job that requires you to immerse your skin in water often, or are in your 40s or older, you may be more at risk for developing dry skin. 2 Remember to swipe your lips with some lip balm after swimming, and try to avoid licking your lips, as doing so can lead to a wet-dry cycle that excessively dries out your lips. 1
Can ChapStick Dry Out Your Lips?
You may have heard some people say that ChapStick and other lip balms can dry out your lips instead of moisturizing them. While lip balms are made specifically to prevent dry lips from occurring, there is some truth to that statement. Some lip balms contain additional ingredients that can actually irritate your lips and dry them out. If you feel like the lip balm that you’re currently using is making your lips dryer after use, consider checking the ingredients to see what the cause could be. If you have dry lips, your skin may be irritated by certain fragrances, flavors, colors, and menthol. Other potential irritants that can be in ChapStick or other lip balms include camphor, lanolin, octinoxate, oxybenzone and propyl gallate. 1 People with chronically dry lips should choose their lip balms with caution to avoid further irritation.
Best ChapStick for Dry Lips
When finding a way to soothe dry lips, ChapStick has your back with super-smooth lip balms that won’t irritate your lips. Pick up a tube of ChapStick Sea Minerals Nourishing Lip Balm to soften and protect your lips from dryness. Sea Minerals balm is made with aloe and mango seed butter E to nourish your lips and lock in moisture. If you want to amp up the sun protection, try ChapStick Moisturizer Cool Mint SPF 15 to further protect your lips from dryness caused by the sun. Please read product labels carefully to ensure correct use.
Once you’ve got your trusty ChapStick in hand, you can start establishing a healthy lip care regimen to keep your lips feeling moist at all times. Staying hydrated and applying a bland, irritant free lip balm should be incorporated into your everyday lifestyle for moisturized lips that look great.1 For more tips and articles on maintaining healthy lips, check out the ChapStick News Nook.