Lip Service

Penny here...

Is it just me or is this horrible cold weather, and dry indoor heat wreaking havoc on your puckers too? (For mi familia in the warmer climates, the sun and other environmental factors can cause dry lips for you too; so this is for all). Penny is on the hunt the best lip balm or lip moisturizer out there. Like lipstick and other cosmetics, there are lots of options out there. Penny is most curious about the evolution of smooth (EOS) lip sphere.  It is 95% organic, 100% natural, contains she butter & vitamin e, and is petrolatum & paraben free. It also comes in summer fruit, honeysuckle honeydew, and sweet mint; and is available in a regular stick/tube as well. (The sphere may not be as cosmetic-bag-friendly as a regular tube of lip balm). It just looks and sounds cool. LOL! Check their website to find at a store near you. Penny is going to try Rite Aid.
http://www.evolutionofsmooth.com/products_lip_sphere.html
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Although the feel of lip balm is a personal preference, it's hard to find one that feels good, applies easily, but moisturizes and heals well. (Penny also likes a balm that can be used under her favorite lip gloss or lipstick without changing the texture or wear). Right now Penny's regimen of exfoliating every other night and applying pure vitamin e oil before bedtime is helping. The consistency of the vitamin e oil is thick and allows it to stay on my lips longer.
Since your lips are always exposed, and don't contain any oil glands like the skin on other parts of the body, they are prone to dehydration. Here are a few helpful tips Penny discovered to combat dryness:

• Drinking lots of water helps to keep your body, skin and lips moisturized
• Stop licking your lips; saliva contains digestive enzymes that can break down the protective barrier on your lips and cause drying
• Exfoliate; use an extra soft/soft toothbrush (or children's toothbrush) and scrub your lips lightly to remove dead dry skin; remember to scrub gently
• Look for lip balms with hydrating ingredients like beeswax, shea butter, vitamin E and almond, jojoba or coconut oils.
• Try Vaseline; some say petroleum jelly works well too. (NOTE: Some say petrolatum products are bad for you so you may want to research this).
• Avoid matte lipsticks as they can be drying
• If you have sensitive skin, use camphor-based medicated lip balms sparingly. They can be irritating.
• Try using a humidifier at bedtime or any time you are sitting in a place for a long time with dry heat
• If you get cracks at the corners of your mouth, apply your lip balm and then a dab of hydrocortisone cream to the corners
  

Lip exfoliators (products that contain fruit-acid-based alpha or beta hydroxy acids) slough off dead skin - much like the ones we use on our face. If you have sensitive skin or your lips are severely chapped or cracked, use these products cautiously; no more than once weekly as they do contain acids that can irritate skin.  It is also important to protect your lips for the sun. Lips are susceptible to sunburn since they lack melanin, the pigment that helps shield skin from the sun.   Examples of exfoliators and protective lip treatments include:

• Murad Energizing Pomegranate Lip Protector SPF 15
• Neutrogena Lip Balm w/ SPF 15
• Fresh Sugar Lip Treatment SPF 15
• Philosophy Kiss Me Exfoliating Lip Scrub
• Blistex Lip Revitalizer with alpha hydroxy acid (AHA)/vitamin E

Penny must confess that she is addicted to Burt's Bees 'Medicated' Lip Balm and have tubes of it every where...house, purse, office, car...yeah...it's bad. LOL! The regular Burt's Bees is good too, but I'm not crazy about the Pomegranate Replenishing Oil, or the Honey balms. What are you wearing to help fight, dry, chapped, peeling puckers? Please leave a comment for Penny if you have a favorite I should try.