5 Steps to Healthier Lips with Technology and Natural Remedies

Dry, cracked, and painfully uncomfortable - chapped lips are a frustrating reality many face, especially during the harsh winter months. While drugstore shelves are lined with countless lip balms and treatments promising relief, those synthetic formulas can often do more harm than good. These harsh chemicals can end up aggravating sensitive skin.

Fortunately, Mother Nature provides a bounty of gentle, nourishing solutions to soothe and restore your lips naturally.

Read this article to bid farewell to that stinging, tight feeling and discover how to achieve soft, supple lips using nature's healing remedies.

What Causes Chapped Lips

Chapped lips are very common and can be caused by different things that make the lips dry out. Some of the main reasons lips get chapped are:

• Cold, dry weather

• Not drinking enough water (dehydration)

• Licking or biting your lips a lot

• Medical conditions like eczema or vitamin deficiencies

Understanding these common triggers can better address the root cause and choose an effective chapped lips remedy. They include the following:

1. Protect Your Lips from Harsh Elements

Protecting the lips from environmental elements that cause moisture loss is a major factor in preventing chapped lips. Lips are very vulnerable to drying out from harsh winds, low humidity, and cold temperatures, which can quickly lead to dry, cracked lips.

Harsh winds dehydrate lip skin through evaporation. When heaters are used, low indoor humidity in winter pulls moisture from lips and skin. Frigid temperatures further drain the lips of their natural oils and hydration.

It's essential to shield lips from these damaging conditions. Applying a thick, occlusive balm before going outdoors forms a barrier against winds and cold. Choose a balm made from beeswax, shea butter, or coconut oil that soothes without irritating sensitive lip skin. Stay away from products with artificial scents, flavors, or dyes.

2. Hydrate From the Inside Out

One of the most effective natural remedies for chapped lips is to hydrate your body from the inside out. Why? Dehydration is one of the leading causes of dry, cracked lips. When your body doesn't get enough water, it draws moisture from the skin, including the delicate skin on the lips. Therefore, you can consider the following;

• Drink plenty of water throughout the day. For maximum hydration, aim for around eight glasses (64 ounces) daily. Keep a water bottle handy to encourage regular sips.

• Eat hydrating foods high in water content, such as watermelon, cucumbers, oranges, and strawberries. The water and nutrients will hydrate the skin from within.

• Avoid dehydrating beverages like coffee, tea, and alcohol, which cause water loss in the body.

• Use a humidifier to add moisture to dry indoor air, especially in winter. Place one in the bedroom while sleeping to wake with hydrated skin.

3. Exfoliate Gently

Notably, the lips accumulate dry, flaky skin throughout the day, which can exacerbate cracking and chapping. Regularly sloughing off this dead skin allows moisturizers to penetrate more deeply.

The delicate skin on the lips requires an ultra-gentle approach. Wet a washcloth with warm water and gently rub it over the lips in a circular motion. This light friction lifts away dull flakes without irritation.

Dampen a toothbrush and brush softly around the lips for a targeted method. Discard toothbrushes frequently for a clean exfoliator. Some like using a warm sugar or salt scrub made of natural oils and granules weekly.

Whichever exfoliation method is chosen, go slowly and don't over-exfoliate. The goal is to remove dry patches, not irritate skin. After exfoliating, always apply a nourishing balm to moisturize freshly revealed skin.

Taking a few minutes a couple of times a week to exfoliate lips makes a noticeable difference. Leaving lips smooth allows natural treatments time to penetrate and heal chapping from within, resulting in a softer pout.

4. Use Natural Oils and Butters

Rich, emollient natural oils and butter are some of the most effective homemade remedies for chapped lips. They form an occlusive barrier on the skin to lock in moisture. They include the following:

• Coconut oil penetrates deeply to hydrate due to its medium-chain fatty acid composition. It has antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties as well. Swipe some onto lips like a balm anytime they feel dry.

• Shea and cocoa butter are dense moisturizers that layer thickly without feeling greasy. Melt a small piece and mix in coconut oil for easy application. Let it resolidify to create an all-natural SPF lip protectant.

Mix one above with a hydrating oil like jojoba, avocado, or rosehip seed for an even more nourishing salve. Apply before bed for overnight healing and preventative use throughout the day in cold weather.

5. Utilize Healing Agents

Certain natural ingredients have fantastic healing abilities to repair chapped lips when used topically. Integrating some of these agents can speed up recovery time. They include the following:

• Aloe vera is a powerful healing agent for chapped lips due to its anti-inflammatory properties and abundant vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. The pure gel extracted from aloe vera plant leaves can be directly applied to soothe irritated skin and accelerate the repair of cracks or fissures. Its cooling gel texture also delivers hydration, helping to soften and moisturize dry, chapped lips.

• Honey is another natural ingredient with lip-healing abilities. As a humectant, honey draws moisture into the skin around the lips. It possesses antibacterial and anti-inflammatory attributes and the ability to disinfect minor sores and reduce inflammation. Applying a light layer of honey and allowing it to absorb for 15-20 minutes provides relief and healing benefits.

• Cucumber: Contains hydrating vitamins and minerals that nourish parched lips when rubbed directly on the skin. Its refreshing juice soothes and replenishes moisture when lips feel dry and cracked.

• Green tea: Its high antioxidant and tannin content also effectively heals, helping reduce inflammation from chapping when a soaked tea bag is applied.

Final Thoughts

You can naturally heal and protect your delicate pout by addressing the internal and external causes of chapped lips. Proper hydration, exfoliation, protection from elements, use of healing oils and balms, and utilization of soothing natural agents work synergistically to replenish moisture. With consistent application of these simple remedies, chapped, flaky lips will become a thing of the past. Your smile will again be accentuated by beautifully soft lips - restored from within and without through wholesome, effective natural techniques.

‍