Problem: What should I do about my eternally
chapped lips? No matter what I use, the chapping never
goes away.
Solution: Whether they are responding
to cold, dry weather, an arid climate, or just tend to
be dry, chapped lips are a pain. Cracking, flaking, and
chapping are not only uncomfortable but also unsightly,
and applying lipstick often seems to make it look even
worse. Not to worry because you can solve those dry-lips
blues with consistency and patience. Chapped lips are
not going to disappear in a day, and missing even one
day of treatment can drive lips back to dryness.
Lips are more vulnerable to the environment than any
other part of the face because they do not contain oil
glands. This means that keeping your lips moist and sealed
against the weather is essential. There are lots of emollient
lip products that do just that, and the more emollient
they are, the better. Ingredients like lanolin, shea butter,
cocoa butter, and even Vaseline are all excellent emollients.
However, many lip products are little more than wax coatings
that make lips feel thick and protected when they are
on (original ChapStick is a great example), but they don't
really moisturize or provide protection from the weather
outside or dry heat and air conditioning inside.
A lot of lip products also claim to be medicated. "Medicated"
is a dubious term at best, with no regulated meaning.
These products usually contain camphor, menthol, peppermint
oil, or eucalyptus, but these are not medicines for dry
lips! Instead, they can irritate and actually make lips
burn, which isn't helpful for lips that are already dry
and chapped. Products like Blistex, which includes 0.5%
phenol, are the exception because they truly are medicated;
phenol kills anything that gets in its way. However, phenol
is strong stuff and can actually trigger some irritation
and dryness all by itself. I would not recommend it for
anything but very limited use.
You may have heard a rumor that lips can adapt to or
become addicted to lip balm. It isn't possible. But if
the lip balm you use contains irritating ingredients,
your lips will stay chapped. When a lip product contains
irritating, drying ingredients, there is no way the beneficial
emollient ingredients can help. Likewise, if you use a
lip product that is just waxy, with no emollients or water-binding
agents, it can only plaster down the dry skin; it doesn't
reduce the dryness.
I am quite fond of BeautiControl's LipApeel ($18 for
1.25 ounces). This two-step product exfoliates the chapped
skin with a waxy cream you rub over the lips and then
you apply a very emollient balm. It is one of the only
really gentle and effective exfoliating products I've
ever seen for lips. BeautiControl's ordering number is
(800) BEAUTI-1. I also developed two products that work
similarly: Paula's Choice Exfoliating Treatment ($7.95
for 0.5 ounce) and one of my personal favorites, Paula's
Choice Lip & Body Treatment Balm ($7.95 for 0.5 ounce).
Here's what you need to do: At night, after cleansing
your face, apply a thick layer of an emollient lip balm
(even a very thick emollient lip gloss can work well).
Do this every night as part of your nightly skin-care
routine and you will be thrilled with the difference in
how your lips look.
For daytime care, it is best to use an SPF 15 lip balm
that contains avobenzone, titanium dioxide, or zinc oxide.
However, if you wear an opaque lipstick, it may not be
essential to have that kind of SPF protection. Research
has shown that women who apply lipstick more than once
a day are at a much lower risk of getting lip cancer than
women who apply lipstick less often (Source: Cancer Causes
and Control, July 1996, pages 458–463). Theoretically,
opaque lipsticks have enough sun-blocking protection to
enable them to screen out the sun's skin cancer–causing
rays. Still, you may as well play it safe and use a lip
balm or lipstick with sunscreen daily, especially when
you are in the sun for long periods of time. Paula's Choice
Moisturizing Lipscreen SPF 15 ($6.95 for 0.16 ounce) is
great for portable lip protection, or if you want soft
color and sun protection, consider Paula’s Choice Sheer
Cream Lipstick SPF 15 ($9.95), also available in Invisible
for lightweight glossy sun protection without color. Revlon
Moisturous SPF 17 and Almay Pure Tints SPF 25 are also
options to consider.