When you have kids, you’re more worried about losing mittens and wiping noses than the level of your lips’ lusciousness. But your lips dry out 10 times faster than the rest of your face, which becomes painfully obvious when drier air arrives. Save yourself some grief, because the best ways to prevent chapped lips this winter just require a little self-care and common sense.
Don’t Lick Your Lips
Don’t lick your lips. Ever. When your lips are dry, your brain may tell you to self-moisten them—but your brain has a lot to learn about skin care. Licking your lips will dry them out more, and the enzymes in saliva can be irritating.
Slather on the Balm
Stash some tubes of lip balm everywhere you can think of—in the glove compartment, in the kitchen, in the changing table. They’re your best weapons against cold weather that wants to suck the life out of you. Scan the labels for moisturizing ingredients like essential oils, glycerin, petrolatum, and sunscreen.
Toss aside anything that contains camphor, eucalyptus, and menthol; they’re soothing at first, but worsen the problem in the end.
Add More Moisture
You know your skin, so give it what it needs by mixing more moisturizers in with your balm. Everyone can benefit from a bit more Vitamin E, and you can just empty the contents of a couple capsules.
Or whip up your own batch of balm with beeswax, coconut oil, and shea butter. You can do the same thing with DIY lip gloss by customizing it with your favorite essential oils—peppermint for cooling, or rose geranium for protection.
Gently Exfoliate
With proper prevention it won’t come to this, but you can whisk away flakes with a homemade blend of honey and sugar. Just be sure to slather the balm back on after so the raw skin on your lips can heal.
Drink More Water
Generate moisture from the inside out by drinking the recommended eight glasses of water a day. If your kids are too distracting for you to keep track of something like that, just down another bottle when you think of it.
Repair Overnight
It’s not exactly a weekend at the spa, but you can repair a little damage while you sleep. Turn on the humidifier to add moisture to the heated air. Then, remember the best way to prevent chapped lips this winter—balm, balm, and more balm.
Use it for healing and to protect against dryness when you breathe through your mouth. Just reach for the tube you stashed on your nightstand.
Or in your pillowcase. Or in your sock. Because if a mom is going to steal a minute for self-care, she’d better be prepared.
More Skincare Tips
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