The skin on our lips is one of the most delicate ones on our entire body. Our lips react quickly to too much sun, bad habits like smoking and the effects of aging. Everyone has experienced dry lips or maybe has begun to notice tiny lines or a loss of plumpness. Instead of turning to painful injections to improve the look of your lips, you only need to venture into your kitchen to find wholesome ingredients that you can use to slough away dry skin and give your lips a more supple texture. Plus, they only take a few minutes to mix up and work their magic.
There are two key ingredients to effective homemade scrubs. One is the liquid, which can be milk, honey or oil; and the other is the scrubbing agent, which can be anything from sugar to salt to freshly ground spices. The goal is to exfoliate any dead skin cells that are settling into fine lines around your lips or causing chapped lips. Experiment with different ingredients to see which ones your skin best reacts to. Because the lips are sensitive, mixing the right combination is critical. Here are three recipes to try to create kissable, luscious lips.
A Bit of Honey Lip Scrub
1 tsp honey 1 tsp baking soda
Blend honey and baking soda into a smooth paste. Apply the mixture to your lips and let it set for up to five minutes. Gently massage it into your lips with your clean fingertips before rinsing off with warm water. Follow up with your favorite lip balm to re-moisturize your lips.
Sugary Sweet Lip Scrub
1 tsp white granulated sugar a few drops of water a few drops of olive oil
Pour the sugar into the middle of your palm and add a few drops of water, just until you are able to create a mixture that you can apply to your lips. Using your fingertips, gently massage it into your lips for about 30 seconds before rinsing it off with warm water. Follow up with a swipe of olive oil on your lips … or apply your favorite lip balm to lock moisture into your lips.
Scent-ual Lip Scrub
1 tsp honey 1 tsp oil (either olive, almond or other of your choice) 1-2 tsp white or brown sugar 2-3 drops essential oil, such as peppermint (optional)
Heat the honey in the microwave for no more than 5 seconds, then mix in the oil. Add the sugar and mix well to create a fine paste. Drop in the essential oil for its added fragrance and healing properties. You may find you prefer spearmint over the peppermint. With clean hands, gently pat the paste onto your lips and the skin around them, and allow it to set for a few minutes. Gently massage in circular motions to remove dead skin cells before rinsing with warm water. Finish by smoothing on a thin layer of the olive oil or lip balm.
