Experts Answer Your Most Frequently Asked Lip Care Questions

Education

When it comes to caring for your skin, there’s no such thing as a one-size-fits-all approach. As we all know, the skin is the body’s largest organ, but not all skin is the same. Skin structure, texture and color all differs depending on where it is on our bodies. The skin on our face is particularly thin and sensitive and therefore susceptible to external aggressors such as pollutants and UV exposure. And the skin on our lips is even thinner, with very little melanin to absorb harmful UV rays or sebaceous glands to provide moisture or create a protective barrier. Lip care is therefore in a category all of its own, throwing up a unique set of problems and solutions that deserve our time and attention. For answers to your most common questions concerning lip care we turned to two of our Rose Inc. Beauty Advisors, Starr Gentry and Elizabeth Scott, who shared their expert knowledge on all things lips.

“I always like to look for lip treatments that are very deeply hydrating and also help repair and improve the health of the very delicate skin on the lips."

Is lip balm bad for your lips?

No, but ingredients matter. While many lip balms might temporarily soothe irritated lips, they often contain flavors, fragrance and preservatives that may dry out lips in the long run and cause further irritation. “I personally like to stay away from any lip balms containing parabens, phthalates, alcohol, butylated hydroxytoluene, mineral oil and PEG-8,” says cosmetologist and medical esthetician Gentry. Instead, look for ingredients that hydrate, moisturize and work as a barrier to prevent water loss.

Do you need to put sunscreen on your lips?

“Absolutely,” says Scott, a licensed esthetician who has spent years working alongside dermatologists. “The delicate skin on the lips burns very easily. UV exposure is also the main cause of premature aging. It's easier to protect and prevent this damage than it is to correct it.” Scott recommends extending your facial sun protectant onto your lips saying, “I use the Solar Power Luminous SPF 30 Serum on my full face and across my lips. It also gives a nice glow underneath my lip color.”

What are the best lip treatments?

“I always like to look for lip treatments that are very deeply hydrating and also help repair and improve the health of the very delicate skin on the lips,” says Scott. “It’s also important to use clean beauty products free of harmful chemicals because they are going on the area around, and often in, your mouth.”

“Active products are really great for the face, but they can be too harsh for the lips."

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Why are my lips so much more sensitive than the rest of my face?

“Our lips have the thinnest skin on our body and they have over one million nerve endings, making them one of the most sensitive parts of the body,” says Gentry. “The touch receptors in our lips are much more sensitive and, unlike the rest of our skin, the lips do not have any sweat glands, therefore there is no protective layer of body oils or sweat.”

What are the ingredients sometimes found in lip products that we should avoid?

“I would say the ingredients to avoid are things like menthol, camphor, mint and peppermint alcohols (all commonly found in lip balms), because they are drying and can cause irritation,” says Scott. While their tingling sensation might deliver temporary relief, these ingredients have actually been found to be the cause of contact dermatitis in many cases."

Why is licking your lips bad for your lips?

“When you lick your lips you coat them with saliva. Saliva contains digestive enzymes, like amylase and maltase to digest food in your mouth and can wear down the skin on the lips, which can cause chapping, splitting, flaking or peeling,” explains Gentry.

“The lips do not have any sweat glands, therefore there is no protective layer of body oils or sweat.”

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Which should I use for optimum hydration: A balm, gloss or lipstick?

“I love to reach for a balm because they are specifically formulated to intensely hydrate the lips and improve the health of your lips. But it’s also important to look at the ingredients in your product,” says Scott, who points out that many lip products now contain sun protection or ingredients with skincare benefits. “If there are healing ingredients in your lipstick or gloss, it may be just as hydrating as a balm.”

Why do my lips feel chapped even though I’m putting on lip balm all day?

“This could be due to a number of factors; an allergy to a specific ingredient in the lip balm itself, dehydration or even a vitamin deficiency,” says Gentry. It’s worth taking a holistic approach to your lip care just as you would your skin care to identify any underlying problems."

How can I stop my lipstick from cracking on my lips?

“Hydration is key, however, here are some tips to consider when this does happen,” says Gentry. “Exfoliation helps to smooth out the lips, just make sure not to over exfoliate, this should be done no more than once or twice a week. Apply lip balm about ten minutes prior to applying lipstick, then start your skincare routine or make up application. This will give your lip treatment time to work. Reapplying lipstick can also cause lips to look cracked, so clean off your lipstick and start afresh. Applying a new coat over a cracked, dry coat will only make matters worse.”

“If there are healing ingredients in your lipstick or gloss, it may be just as hydrating as a balm."

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What products should I avoid if I want to keep my lips moisturized?

“I would highly recommend avoiding things like retinals and aggressive exfoliators,” says Scott. “Active products are really great for the face, but they can be too harsh for the lips. I usually recommend applying a lip balm onto your lips first and then applying your more active products, avoiding the lips as you would the eye area. By doing that you're minimizing the drying and more abrasive effects of those products.”

How often should you exfoliate your lips?

“Our lips experience a lot of daily friction in the form of talking and eating,” says Scott. “Because of this it is easy to over exfoliate our lips, so I usually say about once a week is enough.”

What’s an ideal lip care routine?

“Exfoliate once or twice a week with a gentle lip scrub, using your finger to work it in circular motions with light pressure,” says Gentry. “Next, apply a lip balm or hydrating lip mask. Apply again as part of your nighttime routine. Skin cells renew and repair while you sleep and a targeted lip treatment will help support this process, as well as protect lips from losing hydration overnight.”