Dry lips - 8 tips for prevention & treatment (Guide)

Dry lips are common, especially in winter when the air becomes much drier. However, it is possible to prevent and treat without being addicted to lypsyl!

It is not particularly fun to have sore dry lips that crack or to be dependent on lip balm or other lip surgery that aggravates the problem. Further down, I have also written about lypsyl addiction.

The reason for having dry lips can be different and can be due to several reasons. So in this post I was going to go through the most common causes and what can be done to counteract problems with dry lips.

Click on the link to jump directly to: 8 Best Tips for Preventing & Treating Dry Lips.

Why do you get dry lips?

Unlike other skin, the lips are very thin and more sensitive, which makes them more noticeable to external influences. Dry lips often depend on weather & humidity, e.g. dry cold air or sun can dry up the lips and cause them to crack. 

Especially now in winter, it is extra common because cold air can not carry water vapor in the same way as warm air does. This also affects the indoor climate and causes very dry air in the winter. 

It is important to moisturize dry lips with the right products so as not to aggravate the problem, if you go with it for too long, it will eventually be sore dry lips with cracking.

Some lip serums such as lypsyl can also aggravate the problem and have a counteracting effect. So even if they provide relief for the moment, there is a risk that the lips become more sensitive in the long run.

8 Best Tips for Preventing & Treating Dry Lips

1. Use good products that moisturize and protect the lips.

   It is important to use products that moisturize the lips while protecting them. As I mentioned earlier, certain ingredients can make the lips more sensitive to external influences and ultimately give the opposite effect.

   So think about the ingredients and feel free to use products with natural ingredients that also protect the lips, so that you do not make them extra sensitive and risk becoming addicted to lip balm.

2. Try different home remedies for dry lips.

   There are some home remedies to try if you want to experiment yourself or if you have dry lips and have to use something you have at home.

   It can e.g. be coconut oil, honey, aloe vera or any oil you have at home.

3. Avoid licking your lips too often.

   When you have dry lips and no moisturizing product to use immediately, a natural reflex can be to lick yourself around the lips to moisturize them that way.

   However, this should be avoided as it can result in the lips becoming even drier. The reason is that when saliva evaporates from the lips, it also absorbs extra moisture, which means that the lips are now drier than they were before you licked them.

   So to avoid a vicious spiral that results in stinging dry lips, avoid licking your lips!

4. Exfoliate your lips if they are too dry.

   Extremely dry lips are covered with layers of dry skin, this becomes like a layer between your lip and any moisturizing products that you have on your lips.

   So in order for the moisturizing products you use to have a better effect, I recommend that you exfoliate the lips carefully with e.g. sugar.

5. Drink water & keep your body moisturized.

   Dry lips can be an effect of the body being dehydrated, if you drink too little water during the day, the effect is that you also dry out. This is especially noticeable on the lips and the lips are probably the area you notice first if you do not stay hydrated.

   So drink properly with water! However, drinking water does not help for dry lips if the dryness is not due to you being dehydrated.

6. Use a humidifier.

   As I mentioned earlier, the lips are affected by the humidity, if it is cold & dry air, the lips will also be drier. One solution is to use a humidifier. They are available in small and large varieties, expensive and cheap. But it is often enough to have a smaller one on e.g. the desk or where you work.

   So if you suffer from very dry lips in the winter, a humidifier will make a big difference!

7. Think about what you eat, diet also affects the lips!

   If you eat very salty food, the salt can carry moisture from the lips, especially snacks with salt that is on the outside and risks sticking to the lips.

   Dry lips can also be a mineral or vitamin deficiency, e.g. Vitamin B deficiency can lead to dry, chapped and sore lips.

   Also read my posts about Vitamin D. & Vitamin C..

8. Avoid smoking.

   As already known, the smoke from cigarettes is not good for the body, but also not for the skin on the lips. It can dry out the lips and lead to cracks. 

If none of the above works, it could also be a sign of illness or side effects of medications. You can read more about dry mouth at 1177 (link).

Good lip balm for dry lips:

Pixi Shea Butter Lip Balm is a moisturizing and protective colored lip balm, so it can be used as a lipstick for dry lips. (Available for purchase here - adlink)

If, on the other hand, you do not want color, I recommend EOS lip balm (Available at Parfym.se - adlink)

Get rid of lypsyl addiction

Some fats can make the skin more sensitive to the environment and ultimately have a counteracting effect. This is why people find it easy to become addicted to certain lip teas. They work once you use them but also make the lips much more sensitive to the dry air. This in turn means that you have to use e.g. lypsyl all the way to keep the lips moisturized.

The only thing to do is to stop using lip balm or other similar lip serums and use products that do not have this effect on the skin.

Miska was addicted to lypsyl many years ago, and he decided to simply stop abruptly and "ride through" the wave of dry lips. However, it became very difficult and he eventually bought a can of Vaseline which he used only when it was really needed. He does not remember how long it took to get rid of his lypsyl addiction but maybe 2-3 weeks, since then he has not touched lypsyl but only uses natural oils or Vaseline when it is really needed. After the lips have recovered, the problems are not as big as when you constantly lubricate them with bad products.

Hope this post is helpful so you avoid extremely dry and sore lips! Have you had any other tips or have you been addicted to lip balm or other lip surgery? Feel free to write a comment below! :)

Hug!