The skin on the lips is extremely thin and therefore reacts much more sensitively to dry air, heat and cold. If too much moisture is removed from it, it can quickly tear or fray – this not only looks ugly, but is a painful process. Apart from that, bacteria have an easy time if your lips are not adequately protected. Regular lip care with the right products is all the more important, because what many people don’t know is that many over-the-counter lip care sticks are the reason for dry lips. This article explains why this is the case and which (home) remedies help to relieve and prevent chapped lips.
Cheap paraffin oil (paraffin liquidum or petrolatum) is often used in the production of conventional lip care sticks, i.e. refined petroleum, which tends to dry out the skin instead of caring for it. In other words, the more you reach for the pencil to moisturize your chapped lips, the drier they become. According to Stiftung Warentest, that’s not all: many lip balms contain ingredients that are harmful to health, so-called mineral oils. The hydrocarbons contained therein, MOAH (“Mineral Oil Aromatic Hydrocarbons”) and MOSH (“Mineral Oil Saturated Hydrocarbons”) for short, are suspected of having a carcinogenic and mutagenic effect on our body. The consumer portal therefore only recommends lip care sticks from natural cosmetics – in principle, no mineral oil may be used in these products.
According to Stiftung Warentest, these lip balms are recommended, for example:
Tip: Alternatively, you can also use cruelty-free lip care products from Facetheory, which do not use any single-use plastic. With the code “2030” you get a 20 percent discount on orders over 30 euros.
Since sensitive lips react equally to heat and cold, the care should be adapted to the seasonal conditions: In summer, be sure to use a lip care stick with UV protection (at least SPF20) – it protects the skin from the sun’s rays and prevents it from drying out. In winter, on the other hand, you should use lip care or lip balm for dry lips to protect sensitive skin from the cold.
Another tip: If you not only tend to have dry lips, but also get herpes more often, you can use a Manuka care stick. It cares for and protects sensitive skin.
If your lips feel dry, do not wet them with your tongue – the saliva that evaporates on the surface will make your lips even drier!
Remove dead skin cells with a gentle lip scrub – but only twice a week at most. Alternatively, a soft toothbrush is also suitable.
So-called lip masks can help to care for and repair your lips. Depending on the manufacturer, it must be absorbed for 15 minutes or allowed to act overnight.
When it comes to regular lip care, there are also a variety of practical home remedies that moisturize your lips and thus protect them from drying out, such as:
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