Beautiful, soft lips are desired by women everywhere. You see luscious lips featured on magazine covers, in lipstick ads, and on the faces of your favorite celebs. Who says we can’t have them, too? Here are some ways to improve the look of — and protect — our lips.
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1. Skim Lip Product Labels
Can’t get enough lip balm? If so, check the ingredients you’re putting on your lips. To protect from sun damage, the American Academy of Dermatology recommends choosing a lip balm with an SPF of 30 or higher.
Avoid parabens and fragrance, which can be irritating. Also, if you tend to get chapped lips, you may need to avoid camphor and menthol, super-aromatic ingredients that can dry your lips. Instead, look for ingredients that help lips hold on to moisture. These include glycerin, mineral oil, aloe, lactic acid, and sorbitol. Lanolin and beeswax both soften lips instantly.
2. Slough Away Flakes
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You probably already exfoliate your face and body. But did you know that your lips can benefit from this treatment, too? Apply a dab of sugar and honey (it helps the sugar stick) to your lips and rub gently, using small circular motions.
Turning over those epidermal cells can help stimulate new collagen, which somewhat slows down the aging process of the lips. Finish by wiping your mouth with a damp cloth and applying lip balm.
3. Don’t Make Matte Forever
Matte lipsticks can be extremely drying (which helps these lipsticks stay put for so long). That’s why you should use them sparingly when your lips are extremely chapped. Instead, alternate use of them with hydrating lipsticks (as indicated by ingredients like vitamin E and/or glycerin) or add a layer of moisturizing lip balm underneath.
4. Don’t Smoke
Studies have linked smoking with premature skin aging. Smoking accelerates skin cell damage and collagen loss, which leads to wrinkles. So skip the cigarettes and layer on the lip moisturizer.
