Looking after our lips is often a forgotten step in our beauty routine, but a super important one! Chapping, splitting, sunburn and cold sores are all common, yet annoying problems that people encounter. Our lips have no ability to create the hormone melanin, which is what protects us from the sun.  They also have thinner skin and fewer oil glands than the rest of the body which means that they have no protection of their own, and need just as much love and attention, if not more, than the rest of your skin!

Below are our top five tips to help you maintain healthy and soft lips. 

1. Gently exfoliate

Remove dry, flaky skin by gently exfoliating your lips to keep them soft and smooth. Removing dead skin cells also ensures that they aren’t open to any infection. The skin on lips can be quite fragile and sensitive, so avoid using anything too harsh to exfoliate with.

It is super easy to create your own DIY lip scrub with ingredients you have in your pantry!

Check out our edible, DIY Coconut Oil and Honey Lip Scrub recipe here.

2. Use an SPF – all year round

Whether it is the middle of summer, or winter is upon us, an SPF is your friend! Exposure to the sun can dry out your lips and lead to painful sunburn, unsightly peeling and even skin cancer. Look out for a lip balm with at least SPF15, or opt for a natural sunscreen that is suitable for the whole body and face.

Basking Beauty Natural Sunscreen provides SPF50 protection and contains 100% natural, and vegan ingredients. The natural sunscreen’s UV protective agent is Zinc Oxide, which is reef-friendly, and gentle on the skin. Basking Beauty is also enriched with Vitamin E and Rosehip Oil to nourishing the skin and provide a hydration boost. It is suitable for use on the whole face, body and even the lips!

3. Keep an oil or balm in reach

One of the easiest ways to instantly hydrate and soothe dry lips is to apply a lip balm or oil. As the skin on your lips is thinner than the rest of the body, it is important to avoid any balms and oils with harsh chemicals or toxins that may cause irritation such as synthetic fragrances, lanolin or Salicylic Acid. We swear by carrying a lip balm or oil everywhere we go to hydrate the skin and avoid chapped lips.  

The Green Goddess Lip Oil contains a hydrating and soothing blend of green superfoods including Hemp, Avocado, Broccoli and Spinach Leaf. The superstar ingredient of this green lip oil formula is Avocado oil! We love applying Avocado to the lips just as much as we love eating it! This is a rich oil with an ability to penetrate deeply into the skin, making it the ideal rejuvenator for dry and chapped lips.

With a particularly high content of Vitamins A, B, D, E and essential fatty acids, it has a wonderful ability to hydrate and nourish the lips whilst protecting against oxidative damage. Blended with Broccoli Seed Oil and Alfalfa Seed which provides an abundance of skin-soothing and nourishing action, this lip oil will help to lock in moisture and keep lips feeling plump and ultra-lush.

For ultra-hydrated lips, lock in the moisture provided by our Green Goddess Lip Oil with our our Goddess on the Go Balm! This nourishing balm combines an edible cocktail of hydrating oils including Macadamia Nut, Mango Butter and Prickly Pear.

Prickly Pear is considered the ‘new Argon Oil’ as it contains 50 times more Vitamin E. It is extremely rich in essential fatty acids and antioxidants to moisturise and soften the skin whilst protecting the skin from oxidative damage. Macadamia and Mango butter provide a unique blend of nourishing and revitalising oils which take lip hydration to the next level!

If your lips are feeling extra dehydrated, try using your balm as an overnight lip mask!

After gently exfoliating, apply a thick layer of balm to your top and bottom lips, and leave on overnight. The balm will soak into your skin while you sleep for intense hydration and nourishment.

4. Avoid licking and picking!

Our lips don’t have any protection of their own, which means that touching, picking and licking them causes them to become exposed to dirt and germs.

If your lips are feeling dry or chapped, avoid licking them! While licking may provide some relief at the time, the saliva will evaporate very quickly, leaving them dryer than before. Your saliva is also full of enzymes that are harsh on your delicate lips and remain on the skin after saliva has dried, causing them to become irritated and uncomfortable. Always carry a balm or oil to avoid licking your lips and to soothe them when they are dry and chapped.

When lips are dry and flakey, you may be tempted to pick at them. Frequent picking can cause irritation, sores, scabbing and scarring. Picking your lips can also expose them to germs and infection.

5. Hydrate from the inside-out.

Just like the rest of your skin, your lips also need hydration from the inside to keep them soft and healthy. Your lips are one of the first places to show dryness when you are dehydrated so ensure you are getting plenty of hydration from your 2 litres of water a day, herbal teas, and loading up on water-dense foods such as cucumber, grapefruit and watermelon. 

You can add lemon juice or chlorophyll to your water to improve hydration. Our Plant-based Collagen Powder also helps to hydrate whilst boosting your intake of beauty-boosting vitamins at the same time.