You’ve heard the phrase, “Never judge a book by its cover.” But you only get one chance to make a first impression. Often times, on dates, in interviews, and in chance encounters, people use little clues to help them assess a person. Dead skin on your lips can give the wrong impression, not to mention it’s uncomfortable and can affect how you present yourself. If you want to know how to get rid of dead skin on lips, pay attention to these simple tips and utilize them.
The skin on your lips is SKIN! It needs to be exfoliated and moisturized just like on the skin on the rest of your body to maintain that glow and to prevent dead skin build up. Taking care of the skin on your lips leaves them looking fuller, plumper, and brighter. Skin also needs to be protected from harsh weather conditions and the sun. Since the skin on your lips is thinner than anywhere else on the body, you must be gentle as well. Abusing your skin with over-exfoliation or dehydration can cause the skin on your lips to crack and split. Often times, this leads to more dead skin which can leave your lips looking dull, unkempt, and unattractive.
How to get rid of dead skin on lips naturally
Exfoliation
To get rid of dead skin on lips, you need to exfoliate. It’s the simple process of applying something that is lightly grittier than the skin on your lips to gentle remove the excess skin. You won’t be able to stop the skin from producing dead skin, and in fact, it’s necessary that your body produces new, healthy skin cells. That’s how the body repairs itself, but to achieve that fresh and full look, the old skins cells need to be removed.
Toothbrush
You can use an old toothbrush to exfoliate your lips or you can buy a soft bristle toothbrush for this purpose. It’s not a bad idea, considering that most dentists recommend changing your toothbrush every 3 months due to the germs and buildup that can happen with toothbrushes that are used or left to sit for any period of time.
You can use the toothbrush wet or dry. Avoid using really hot water as not to irritate the sensitivity on your lips. Remember to be especially gentle when exfoliating. The skin on your face is dramatically thinner and sensitive. It’s even more so on your lips. Exfoliating too often or exfoliating too rough can damage the skin which can lead to scarring, darkening of the lips, and even more dead skin as your damaged lips heal.
To complete the exfoliation process, brush your lips in a circular gentle motion. Rinse and pat your lips dry and apply a moisturizer to prevent them from getting chapped.
Baking Soda Scrub
To create your exfoliation solution, mix no more than ½ to 1 teaspoon of baking soda with water to create a thick paste. You can exfoliate the lips by using a face cloth to apply the paste or by using a soft-bristled toothbrush in gentle circular motions.
Rinse the lips and resist the urge to scrub the paste off. Simply wet the lips to remove the paste and then pat dry. You will still need to apply a moisturizer to keep your lips protected and looking plump.
Sugar & Honey Scrub
You can also make a simple sugar scrub of sugar and honey. Honey has healing qualities and sugar provides a gentle exfoliation agent. Mix 2 teaspoons of honey with 1 teaspoon of sugar and apply it to your lips using a circular motion. You can let it sit for a few minutes before removing it or you can place a piece of paper towel over the lips and leave it on overnight to further moisturize your lips. Just remember to keep the face up towards the ceiling and stay sleeping on your back. Once you remove the mixture, follow up with a moisturizer.
Water
It’s your lifeline. Your body needs water to function. Water hydrates the skin and helps the body to dilute and filter out toxins. When your body is dehydrated, everything is affected. The skin on your lips become dry and can begin to flake. Drinking the recommended 8 cups daily can help to prevent this from happening.
Air
The amount of moisture in the air around you can affect the skin as well. A dry environment, either hot or cold can suck the moisture right from your pores. Ways to combat dry environments are to moisturize your lips more often and to drink more water. Use a scarf in the winter to cover your lips. Wind is powerful and can further dry and crack the lips, leaving you with dead skin buildup. When in the sun, apply a lip balm often. Don’t wait until your lips are dry to reapply. You can also make use of a humidifier in the room to increase the amount of moisture in the air.
Fruit & Herbs
Many people are aware of that fruit has many of the vitamins and nutrients that the body needs including antioxidants, beta-carotene and vitamin E. But many people don’t know just how much food affects the lips. Many foods such as citrus fruit, mint, and spicy foods can irritate the skin on the lips, causing you to lick your lips for relief. Pay attention to the foods you eat and how they affect the lips. Rinse off the irritants and apply a healing balm or moisturize the lips with a fruit that is more mellow.
Cucumber
Cucumbers have been used for centuries to rehydrate skin around the eyes and on the lips. To use it, slice up a cucumber and hold a slice to your lips for up to 10 minutes. It’s natural, organic and gentle enough that you can do this daily.
Aloe Vera
Aloe vera is known for its healing properties. It’s effective either a gel or used straight from the plant. Aloe vera is soothing, replenishing, and moisturizing. You can also use this herb to help prevent minor cracks. To use it, simply apply the gel onto your lips and massage it in.
Conclusion
Always remember to never lick your lips. It’s a tough habit to break. Saliva does not equal moisture and further dries out the lips. It can leave your lips raw, which in turn cause the lips to repair themselves by producing new skin, leaving old dead skin on your lips. Hydration and moisturization is the key. Exfoliate on a regular basis but don’t overdo it. Every 3 to 7 days or as needed, is sufficient enough to remove dead skin.
References:
http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2013/02/07/beauty-tips-chapped-lips_n_2638828.html
http://www.livestrong.com/article/188789-how-to-get-rid-of-dry-skin-on-lips/
http://www.howtoremovethat.com/how-to-get-rid-of-chapped-lips.html
http://www.caretricks.com/lipcare/steps-to-clean-dead-skin-from-lips/
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