Many health articles focus on keeping our skin healthy during the summer, but it’s important that we don’t ignore our lips. They are equally as exposed to the elements, and we want to prevent irritation, dryness, inflammation, and cracking. Not only do our lips not look great when they’re not healthy, they hurt really badly! Let’s explore some easy ways to keep our lips healthy and ready to pucker up!
Four tips to keep your lips healthy
1. Exfoliate
Rid your lips of dry or dead skin cells with a gentle exfoliator. Gently massage the exfoliator onto your lips and in a circular motion and rinse off. Do this 1-2 times a week. If they are extremely dry or chapped, you can do it 3-4 times a week, but be sure to give your lips a break in between days.
2. Hydrate
We cannot emphasize this enough. Our lips can easily dry out in the summer. To keep your lips (and body!) hydrated, drink plenty of water throughout the day and use a moisturizing lip balm regularly to keep them soft. Natural oils, vitamin E, and mango butter are great ingredients to look for in a healthy lip balm. Helpful tip: Mango butter has a light, non-greasy texture, which feels rich and calming on the lips and is immensely moisturizing.
3. Avoid harsh products
For those who wear lipstick, matte lipsticks and long-wearing products can be very drying. If you like a little color on your lips in the summer, opt for moisturizing lipsticks, tinted lip balms, or lip stains that add color without compromising your lip’s hydration.
4. Use sun protection
Lips are vulnerable to sunburn, so it’s important to keep them protected against UV rays. If you’re directly in the sun and woud like to use a balm that includes SPF, use one that includes a clean ingredient (like zinc oxide). Apply it generously and reapply every couple of hours. (Be mindful of lip balms that use oxybenzone as part of its chemical sunscreen. It’s a known endocrine disruptor commonly associated with endometriosis in women.) Fun fact: Coconut oil is a natural UV protectant!
Ingredients we tend to avoid
At Mona Moon Naturals, our goal is to keep you informed so you can make the best product choices for you and your family. When selecting a lip balm, not all ingredients are healthy. Keep an eye out for the following: parabens (like methylparaben, butylparaben, propylparaben, butylparaben, isobutyl paraben), butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA) and butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT), phenol/menthol and alcohol, and fragrance/flavors (they more often than not contain phthalates). These ingredients have been linked to a variety of health issues including cancer, infertility, allergies, skin irritations, and more.