The nip in the air has left your lips dry, cracked and yearning for moisture… Winters are exciting, but the season can spell disaster for your lips. Experts say that lips lack oil-producing glands and are thus the worst-hit during winters. One often tends to lick dry lips, but that is not a long-lasting solution.
One should protect the lips with lip balms that contain sunscreen and anti-oxidants like Vitamin E or green tea extracts. The balm should also contain SPF of at least 15. If you prefer gloss to balm, then make sure it has moisturising properties like lanolin, cocoa butter or aloe vera.
Time for juicy delights
Dr Naresh Arora of Chase Skin Care Institute says that deficiency of vitamin C causes lip problems right from chapping to cracking and bleeding. One tends to lose more moisture in winters due to which the corners of the lips become black and the dry-UV rays tend to cause pigmentation, more so because waxing and threading open up the pores. “Most people avoid citrus fruits during this season thinking it would affect their throat.
On the contrary, one should increase the intake,” he says. Dermatologists say that a base coat of a lip balm should always be added prior to applying lipstick during winter season. If lips chap way too much then lipsticks should be avoided as drying products in colour pigments can irritate chapped lips. “Always use hypo-allergenic lipstick products. Have a diet rich in vitamins, take plenty of water and increase the intake of liquids,” says Dr Seema Malik, MD Eleganza Skin Clinic.
Dadi ma said
If nothing helps, turn to some home remedies. Massage your lips with coriander leaf juice or scrub them with a paste of butter, sugar and rose petals.
Says Dr Blossom Kochhar, “Apply the paste and gently rub onto your lips. For puffy lips, apply a mixture of cream, vaseline, cinnamon oil and sugar. It not only helps you deal with dryness, but also makes your lips look pretty.” Dr Charulata Bose of Artemis Health Institute says that one should avoid licking dry lips as it further leads to fissuring. “At times the cracking can lead to bleeding too and one should immediately consult a doctor,” she says.
Dadi ma said
If nothing helps, turn to some home remedies. Massage your lips with coriander leaf juice or scrub them with a paste of butter, sugar and rose petals.
Says Dr Blossom Kochhar, “Apply the paste and gently rub onto your lips. For puffy lips, apply a mixture of cream, vaseline, cinnamon oil and sugar. It not only helps you deal with dryness, but also makes your lips look pretty.” Dr Charulata Bose of Artemis Health Institute says that one should avoid licking dry lips as it further leads to fissuring. “At times the cracking can lead to bleeding too and one should immediately consult a doctor,” she says.
Quick tips
Smoothen chapped lips by scrubbing them gently with a baby toothbrush to
remove dead skin and then coat it with vaseline
Massage your lips with ghee and leave it overnight
Dip a black tea bag in warm water and press it to your lips for a few minutes
Apply warm sesame oil to soothe the lips