There are a lot of good things about winter—the twinkling lights, the crisp mornings, spending time with family and loved ones… mulled wine. Unfortunately, for many of us, the condition of our lips is not one of them.
Amidst plummeting temperatures and bone chilling winds, it can feel nearly impossible to prevent painful, chapped lips from developing. Dry, cracked lips can be incredibly uncomfortable—not to mention putting a damper on any under-the-mistletoe action. Let’s take a look at what causes dry, chapped lips as well as how you can prevent the pesky condition should the problem arise.
Causes of Dry Lips
The skin on the lips is much thinner than other parts of the body, so it’s especially vulnerable to the dry, blustery winds and cold weather. The lips don’t have any glands to produce natural protective oils like other skin, which makes them even more susceptible. Essentially, chapped lips happen as a result of a lack of moisture. It’s not all down to the weather though, there are a number of environmental and lifestyle factors that can contribute to the problem. These include;
• A lack of humidity in the cold winter air.
• Smoking cigarettes or drinking too much alcohol.
• Frequent licking (saliva has a drying effect on the skin— so licking your lips can deprive them of moisture).
• Dehydration and certain vitamin deficiencies.
The good news is, a little bit of self-care can go a long way towards preventing dry lips from developing.
How to Prevent Chapped Lips
Top Tip: Don’t let your specialised moisturisers go to waste, if you have left over eye or face moisturiser, apply to your lips for that extra bit of nourishing goodness overnight.
We hope this helps!
If you have any other winter beauty woes send em’ our way and we will do our best to get your questions answered!
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