Chapped Lips? Soothe Your Smacker

by Kim Peiffer (Subscribe to Kim Peiffer's posts)
Posted Dec 23rd 2009 at 2:00PM

What a Chap! Yes, your lips can look like this again. Just follow the steps below. Photo: Getty Images

Winter is officially here, and we're saying hello to hat hair, cracked hands and our personal favorite, lizard lips.

They're dry, cracked and peeling, and we can't stop picking them. The good new is that your pout can return to its soft and supple status with a few steps of extra care. StyleList consulted skincare expert Leah Chavie, a licensed medical esthetician, who shared her tips for treating and preventing chapped lips.

Avoid Irritation: Natural lip balm is the way to go. "Avoid petroleum and Carmex, they can inhibit moisture and make your lips crave for more," says Chavie. Instead of products containing ingredients that dry out the lips, try a more natural approach like Jane Iredale's Lip Drink, a macadamia nut base with lemon peel and zinc oxide for a hydrating treatment with sun protection.

Protection: Before venturing outdoors, it's essential to protect your lips with products that help fight external irritation. Layer on a balm, gloss or treatment to stymie the moisture loss that's exacerbated by wind and cold temperatures. And always choose a product with SPF, as winter sun can be very strong, especially if it's reflecting off the snow, or if you're at a high altitude. UV exposure will only damage and dry out lips further. Chavie recommends Bio Kiss. "Bio Kiss protects your smile from the effects of aging and from external aggression while softening the texture," she says.

Exfoliation: It may seem like the last thing dry lips need is exfoliation, but that's a myth, says Chavie. She recommends using the Oprah favorite Clarisonic Classic Skin Cleansing System to lambast dead skin cells and pave the way for better product absorption. "Focus on the lip area in a figure-eight motion and then apply your serums and skin specific creams," she explains.

Seal the Deal: Last but not least, treat the area with Vitamin C, (Try Philosophy Hope in a Tube) and antioxidant that will help soothe irritation and help the lips look younger. "Vitamin C Serum is an amazing antioxidant that with protect your lips from free radicals in the environment," Chavie says. It also helps protect the collagen in the lips to stave off fine lines and wrinkles.

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Filed under: Beauty, Skin & Body
Tags: Bio Kiss., BioKiss., chappedlips, clarisonic, Jane Iredales Lip Drink, JaneIredalesLipDrink, Leah Chavie, LeahChavie, Lip makeup, LipMakeup, Philosophy Hope in a Tube, PhilosophyHopeInATube

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READER COMMENTS

(11)Add A Comment

Lisa, 12-27-2009, 4:53PM

Any suggestions for products that don't cost a fortune? I can't justify $33 for Philosophy's Hope in a Tube...

Reply »

leolux10, 12-27-2009, 5:59PM

To Lisa. Just use A+D ointment. In a tube, or a jar. At about $4, i'd say it's a steal. It may sound weird, but it literally works for me overnight. Every Winter, my lips have a period where they begin chapping-up, and sometimes even bursting. It gets horrible. Whenever I go to bed, or when need, I apply some. I no longer have this issue. It's very strong. It has no funny smell, it's medicated, and non-toxic. It's what you would use on any cut, or bruise, before applying a band-aid. Vaseline, is an alternative, if you can't find any A+D. Even though it's in every major drug store.

Ryan.

Roberta, 12-27-2009, 7:35PM

I HAVE USED BOBSKINSOAP LIPBALM FOR MY LIPS FOR OVER 8 YEARS. IT IS THE BEST!

tigerlilly, 12-28-2009, 12:12AM

leolux10:

A+D Ointment: Main ingredient: petroleum.
Vaseline? aka Petroleum Jelly? Again, did you read the story? Avoid petroleum products.

Try something more along the lines of Burt's Bees Lip Balms, Out of Africa Shea Butter Balm, or any of the Badger brand balms. No petroleum products, and lots of good stuff your lips need to look and feel better.

Hannah, 12-27-2009, 5:35PM

Buy inexpensive clear lip gloss at the drugstore that is in a SQUEEZE TUBE. Squeeze about a teaspoon into a small dish, and add 1/2 teaspoon of sugar. Mix well, then using a small amount on the tip of a finger, gently rub on the lips for about 10 seconds. Rinse with barely warm water and pat dry. The lip gloss provides moisture and the sugar exfoliates. This recipe will last for about 3 days, but cover the dish with plastic wrap. Always use a lip balm every day to prevent dryness, but you don't have to spend a fortune on those either...drugstore brands are fine.

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TEXAS PRINCESS, 12-27-2009, 7:14PM

EXFOLIATE YOUR DRY CHPPED LIPS!

A LITTLE SUGAR... A FEW DROPS OF OLIVE OIL (MIX IN PALM OF HAND TOGETHER),
APPLY TO LIPS AND RUB GENTLY...
WILL GET RID OF DRY-UP DEAD SKIN IMMEDIATELY!

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my98xlclassic, 12-27-2009, 7:36PM

Once when hunting with a friend, he complained how badly his chapped lips hurt and asked if I had a chapstick? I told him no I hadn't any,but If you find deer droppings and smear it on you lips it would help it. he said really,It'll cure my lips? no I said, but you sure won't lick your lips!

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Sharon, 12-27-2009, 9:05PM

I had very chapped lips for several years. I brought this to the attention of my dentist and internist, and they brushed it off. Finally, I had my plastic surgeon look at, and it turned out to be a small precancerous lesion, which he promptly removed. Guess what? Chapped lips are gone! So go to a doctor and INSIST they take a closer look.

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tigerlilly, 12-28-2009, 12:12AM

Writers... check your sources or quit plugging products for money under the guise of advice.

While avoiding petroleum products is good advice, why would you then go on to recommend Hope in a Tube, a product that contains petroleum and mineral oils?

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