Janet J
Dry lips are a common problem that most of us face. If dry or cold air is not making your lips dry, then it is the harmful sun rays or your cosmetic items that are making your lips dry.
Though lip balms are helpful, there are also varieties of DIY treatments that can bring relief.
Here, we will look at some simple DIY treatments that can help soothe your dry lips.
Best DIY Treatments for Chapped Lips
Begin with exfoliation- When your lips become dry, the skin becomes flaky and starts coming out.
Exfoliating your lips gently can help in removing dead skin cells that cannot be attained just by using a lip balm.
Lip balms cannot reach and moisturize the new skin below the dry areas.
You will be surprised to know that you can create a lip scrub of your own with simple ingredients available at home. For this, you will require:
- An exfoliating ingredient, like sea salt or sugar
- An emollient, like oil or honey
- A bowl for mixing all these ingredients
- Cotton swab for applying this scrub
- A wet cloth to remove the dry skin
To make this lip scrub:
- Mix the exfoliating ingredient, maybe sugar or sea salt with oil or honey in a container
- Dip the cotton swab into the scrub
- Apply this scrub on your lips in a circular motion by applying some pressure
- Wipe off by using a damp washcloth
- Once the lips are exfoliated, follow any of these DIY treatments to smoothen, moisturize, and guard your dry lips.
Coconut oil- Contrary to our body skin, our lips have a poor barrier. This means that they are more subtle to elements, like heat, cold, and wind, compared to other parts of our body.
Coconut oil is one of the best emollients that not only keeps the skin moisturized, but according to several studies, it can even safeguard the skin by enhancing its barrier function.
Other major benefits of coconut oil, mainly with regards to dry lips are its anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory properties.
Take some coconut oil and apply it to your dry lips. You can either apply using a cotton swab or your finger to apply the oil to your lips.
Aloe Vera- This is one of the popular DIY treatments meant for chapped lips. This plant has multiple uses. It is popular as one of the best home remedies for treating sunburns.
Its soothing and anti-inflammatory properties make it the best option for treating dry lips, too.
You can purchase aloe vera gel, or you can even use fresh aloe vera from the leaf of an aloe vera plant.
For doing this, cut a leaf off the aloe vera plant and cut it open to take the gel out.
Store the gel in a container and apply this gel on your lips using fingers as required.
The enzymes present in aloe vera have exfoliating properties, so you must restrict using aloe vera to 2 or 3 times a day.
Honey- Several studies are conducted on the anti-inflammatory, wound-healing, and antimicrobial properties of this ingredient.
It has been in use for several years as one of the common DIY treatments in the form of home treatment for skincare and various health conditions.
Honey can moisturize the lips and safeguard your cracked lips from any kind of infection.
It acts as an exfoliator and is best for removing dead and dry skin from the lips.
Always use organic honey to apply on your lips the whole day either using a cotton ball or fingers.
While honey is totally safe, people with bee venom and pollen allergies should avoid this.
Petroleum jelly- Several studies have recommended that applying white petroleum jelly on the lips throughout the day and also before going to bed helps in moisturizing and soothing dry and cracked lips.
Petroleum jelly blocks the water for a longer time than wax and oil.
It is also affordable and is available easily online.
If you have sunburned lips, you will want to find another option, though.
As per different studies, petroleum seals the heat caused by burns.
Avocado Butter- According to several studies, Avocado Butter works as an emollient as well as a thickener in lip balms. It is not greasy and is properly absorbed by the skin. It consists of different fatty acids as well as antioxidants that benefit the skin, including linoleic and oleic acid.
You can purchase organic avocado butter or you can make one at your own home using a food processor. To use avocado butter on chapped lips, apply as required with your fingers or a cotton swab.
A mix of raw milk and rose petal- Raw milk and rose petals can nourish your lips and help in treating your cracked lips naturally.
Rose petals consist of Vitamin E which are known to possess anti-aging effects, therefore making your lips appear young and beautiful.
Raw milk nourishes the skin by supplying it with essential vitamins, fats, and minerals, therefore, avoiding dryness.
This is one of the DIY treatments that do not require too many ingredients. You just need rose petals and a quarter cup of raw milk.
- Soak the rose petals in milk for at least two to three hours
- Afterwards, mash it to achieve a smooth consistency, like a paste and apply this paste on your lips.
- Leave this for 20 minutes and then wash using cold water.
You should follow this home remedy once every day for a week.
Cucumber- This cool vegetable can also be included in DIY treatments, especially during the summer.
So, use it as a treatment for dry and chapped lips.
This cool vegetable is a great hydrating agent for the skin. It produces a nourishing and soothing effect on the skin.
For following this skin treatment, you will need a slice of cucumber. Yes, that’s it.
Rub the cucumber slice on your lips for at least a minute or two. Leave it for at least 10 minutes so that the juice of cucumber gets soaked. Then, wash your lips.
You can even mash 1 or 2 slices of cucumber and apply the mask on your lips. Make sure you follow this treatment once or twice daily.
Green Tea Bags- This is another easily available ingredient that you can use for DIY treatments.
While green tea cannot be an effective home remedy for dry lips, however, it can help you get rid of the burning sensation caused by dry lips.
What you need to do is dip the green tea bag in hot water for a few minutes and keep it on the lips. Leave this on your lips for a few minutes once regularly.
Sugar Method- The coarse particles of sugar are great for exfoliating your dry lips.
Scrubbing your dry lips with sugar helps you to get rid of dry and flaky skin.
After you repeat this process for a week, your lips will become soft.
Just like other DIY treatments, for this treatment also you will need ingredients that are readily available in your kitchen. What will you need?
- Brown or white sugar
- Olive oil
- Honey
Mix the sugar with honey and olive oil. Make sure it does not dissolve. Apply this mixture on your lips and scrub in a circular motion. Wash the scrub using lukewarm water.
You should follow this treatment every alternate day. Then, continue using it once or twice to have soft and smooth lips.
Simple DIY Treatments for Chapped Lips
Keeping your lips moisturized is just one of the common DIY treatments that you can do to avoid dry lips.
Here are a few ways using which you can avoid dryness:
Never moisten your lips using your tongue.
You may think licking is a good method to wet your lips when they are dry, but saliva gets evaporated fast.
Wetting your lips will make them drier when the saliva gets evaporated.
Keep yourself hydrated. Drinks lots of water as it will keep your body and lips hydrated.
Keep a humidifier in your home.
If the air inside your home is dry, can use a humidifier. This will add moisture to the air.
Try to avoid lip care items that contain irritants.
There are many lip products that include chemicals that can dry your lips. Select products that do not contain any type of alcohol, fragrance, and dyes.
Always protect your lips. Heat, cold weather, sun, and wind all cause dry lips.
So, if you have dry lips, then make sure you carry a moisturizing lip balm with you that has sunscreen in it before you step out.
Always breathe through the nose.
Breathing from your mouth can result in dry lips and mouth.
Try to breathe only through your nose and consult a doctor to discuss allergy medications and sinus, if you feel a blockage in your nose.
Conclusion
Our lips have quite a little protection against the several drying components they often come across.
With the prevention and help of some DIY treatments and home treatments for dry lips, now it is easy to keep your lips look fuller and healthy.