1. Sugar Scrub
Before you apply a soothing lip balm to chapped lips, you will need to remove any rough and dead cells. And there is no better natural exfoliant than sugar. When mixed with runny honey it makes a gentle yet effective scrub. Recipe: mix a teaspoon of granulated sugar with a teaspoon of honey. Gently massage it on your lips with your index finger, using circular movements to remove dead cells. Rinse it off and apply a moisturising balm.
2. Coconut Oil
Your lips are so chapped it even hurts to smile! Time to restore your grin with a nourishing coconut oil homemade lip balm. It will nourish, moisturise, and soothe your lips without leaving a greasy film. And you can apply it to your heart's content. Recipe: this one is as easy as pie. Just pour some coconut oil into a small jar that fits into your handbag. And that's it! If the texture's a bit too runny, pop it in the fridge for a few hours so that it solidifies.
If you find it messy and inconvenient to carry around a jar of coconut oil that you would have to dip your finger in, why not use a lip balm that is enriched with oils? The L'Oreal Paris CC Genius Balm Caresse. The CC Genius Balm is a colour corrective balm with oils that correct the dull complexion of your lips. The Genius Balm is infused with genius micro magnifying oils that bring a natural and lively shine to your lips. The oils also instantly erase chapped lines and provide hydration for up to 12 hours.
3. Shea Butter
Lip skin is extremely thin and sensitive, meaning it needs to be regularly moisturised. Shea butter deeply moisturises lips and helps them to remain hydrated. It'll protect your lips from the dehydrating effects of cold weather and leave them silky-soft. The perfect winter cure. Recipe: heat up 15g of shea butter, 10ml of sweet almond oil and a drop of lemon essential oil in pan. When melted, take it off the heat, mix and leave to cool, before applying a thick layer to your lips.
4. Honey
As we all know, honey is a skin-loving superhero. It heals and nourishes, making it the perfect ingredient to soothe chapped lips as well. Recipe: apply a runny or thyme honey to your lips and leave for 15 minutes. If your lips are in a right state, you can leave it on overnight. You will wake up to velvety-soft lips!
5. Aloe Vera Gel
Aloe Vera gel works wonders on dry, chapped lips. Packed with amino acids, enzymes, vitamins and minerals, aloe Vera repairs and heals lips damaged by cold weather. Aloe Vera gel is hygroscopic or liquid-binding. This means it harnesses water droplets in the air, thereby moisturising our lips. Added plus: you can mix it with essential oils to boost collagen and elastin production. Recipe: apply a thick layer of aloe Vera gel. Leave it to work for several minutes. You can also use it as a homemade lip balm.
Dry and chapped lips don’t just look nasty but are also extremely uncomfortable to deal with. Cracked and peeling lips cannot be healed in just one day. But following these steps regularly and making them a part of your daily and weekly routine will protect your pout and restore the health of your lips.