Getting smooth, soft, lips doesn’t have to add hours to your beauty routine. Check out these six easy tips to get a glam lip look in practically no time at all!
1. Choose the Right Balm
Look for lip balms that contain both humectants and occlusives so your lips don’t dry out. Humectant ingredients like hyaluronic acid, glycerin, and allantoin work by drawing in moisture from their environment. However, if the air around you is dry, these ingredients can end up pulling in moisture from your lips, which can then evaporate into the atmosphere and make dryness worse.
To prevent this, humectants should be paired with occlusive ingredients like beeswax, jojoba oil, and petrolatum, which act as a barrier between your skin and the outside environment. Thus, the moisture that humectants pull in can’t escape and dry out your lips.
Additionally, choose lip balms that contain SPF to protect your lips from damage caused by the sun’s UV rays. And if you live in a sunny climate like Florida, choose matte lip products instead of shiny glosses, since UV rays are intensified when reflected off of shiny surfaces.
2. Try a DIY Lip Scrub
Exfoliating your lips is one of the best ways to keep them smooth and soft. While there are plenty of lip scrubs on the market that you can buy, you can also easily make a DIY scrub with ingredients that you probably already have in your kitchen. Brown sugar and coconut oil make a great combination, as well as sugar and honey.
When exfoliating your lips, work in gentle circular motions and avoid vigorous scrubbing. The skin on your lips is thinner than in other areas and is therefore more susceptible to damage.
3. Fragrances and Flavors Aren’t Your Friends
As tempting as flavored balms and glosses might be, these products are not usually the best picks for your lips. Added flavors and fragrances in lip products may cause irritation or signs of contact dermatitis such as redness, itching and blisters. Whenever possible, going fragrance- and flavor-free is the best bet for getting smooth, kissable lips.
4. Resist the Urge to Lick or Pick at Chapped Lips
When your lips are dry and chapped, our first instinct is to lick our lips or even pick at flakes of skin in the hopes of making them smoother and more comfortable. However, both licking and picking at your lips will make matters worse.
Instead, apply a moisturizing lip balm (ideally one with humectants and occlusives!) that contains soothing ingredients such as vitamin E, shea butter, and coconut oil to help rehydrate your lips and calm irritation.
5. Drink Enough Water
We know what you’re thinking: Every beauty/health/fitness blog suggests drinking water. But there’s a reason adding more water intake to your day is suggested as a fix for so many skin and health concerns — it works! Can’t seem to cure chapped lips? Bingo. You might not be drinking enough water to stay properly hydrated.
6. Go for Fillers Over Plumping Products
Most lip plumping products contain mild irritants like capsaicin to cause temporary swelling and redness, giving you the illusion of fuller lips. However, not only do these products offer very short-lived results, but they can also cause unwanted signs of lip irritation, especially if you have sensitive skin.
Instead, consider getting lip fillers from a professional for longer-lasting results that don’t rely on irritants to give you a prettier pout. Hyaluronic acid fillers can also help to plump and hydrate your lips, giving you an overall smoother, softer, and fuller look.
Still have questions about lip care or fillers, or would like to schedule a consultation? Call our Boca Raton & Fort Lauderdale office at 561-454-8002 or get in touch online today!