The skin on our lips is five times more sensitive and delicate than the one on our face. This is why we need to pay extra attention to the lip care process. During the day women are used to apply lipstick, gloss or lip balm on their lips. However, when it comes to all the skin care routine, everything stops at cleansing. You should know that lips are made from the same membrane as the one that protects the interior of the mouth, still the skin protecting them is not as rough as the skin on the body. That means that the moist on the lips constantly evaporates and water retention at their level is very reduced.
Moreover, since lips don’t have the same pigments or glands that contain fats, we can consider them as one of the most sensitive areas of the face. Even though we don’t realize it, there are numerous factors that highly contribute to our lips getting dehydrated, dry, but also an unpleasant aspect and feeling. In this context, we have to be very careful and try to find out and respect a few basic lip care tips and tricks. Besides all the products found in stores there are also numerous natural, homemade alternatives. 
There are various things we do that directly affect our lips and which became part of our everyday life. For example, one of the bad habits that has a negative effect upon our lips is licking them as the only thing we do is dry them. Saliva contains salts that are aggressive to the thin and sensitive skin on the lips. When saliva evaporates, the moisture level decreases, lips become dry in an instant and they chap much more easily. Another harmful habit is biting the skin on the surface of your lips, action which causes bleeding and unattractive lips.
What we need to do is to always carry with us a moisturizing lip balm. Your daily routine should start in the evening when lips should be cleansed using an eye cleansing lotion or gel, therefore something appropriate for sensitive areas. Before going to bed apply some lip balm that you need to massage so it enters the skin.
In order to be effective, the entire lip care process should be done in the evening as you shouldn’t apply anything else on your lips for at least one hour. While in the shower, use a toilette glove and some sugar and gently exfoliate your lips. Immediately after, moisturize them. This is an essential step for healthy lips.
Another important thing to consider is to protect your lips against harmful sun rays even in winter when the intensity of UV rays can increase up to 60% due to snow reflection. Since the skin on your lips doesn’t contain melanin to protect them from UV rays, sun exposure can lead to dryness and exfoliation, and it might even cause carcinoma at lip level. Therefore, when going out, be very careful so that the lip balm you choose contains a SPF of at least 15.
A special attention should be given to your lips during winter time, especially if your lips are chapped. Always use a lip balm as it moisturizes and prevents exfoliation. Make sure your lip balm contains hyaluronic acid, vitamins A and D, avocado and jojoba oil, Shea butter, and chamomile.
If you want to smooth wrinkles in this area, massage the lip contour with a propolis lip balm. You can also replace your lip balm with some honey. Another useful homemade product is a mixture made of honey and olive oil that you should apply and leave it act for at least 15 minutes. If you love using lipstick all day long, in winter you should try to apply it less as it might cause rashes. However, if you still want to use it, apply lip balm first.
The importance of a scrub in our beauty routine is already known. Exfoliating your lips will allow the lip balm to enter the skin for a maximum effect. Once a week use a scrub or an exfoliating gloss in order to remove dead cells at the surface. Gently massage the lips and remove the product with some cold water. You can also use a homemade scrub by mixing some brown sugar and honey. After exfoliating, apply green tea masks that nourish your lips. In the morning, you can also take a soft toothbrush and apply some moisturizing cream on it. Massage your lips for a few minutes, but make sure you don’t swallow the moisturizer. This is a great step that helps you remove dead cells and moisturize dry skin.
If you want to prevent dry lips, you should know that what you eat or drink plays a major role too. For example, the eight glasses of water that one should drink daily allow the hydration from the interior. Moreover, foods rich in vitamin A, fatty acids, calcium, and magnesium are important also. Besides, the lack of vitamin B or iron in the body is the cause of sensitive skin on the lips. You should have a balanced diet and eat every day foods rich in vitamin B, such as brown rice, spinach, milk, nuts, eggs, bananas, soy, broccoli, or fish.
