4 Tips that will keep your lips looking great this winter!

Guess whose back, back again….. Sheesh…it’s been a while! Winter has got me in all different modes of hibernation! Though I think the break has done me good and hopefully I’m back for good. Okay, today’s post…..It’s National Lipstick Day so it’s a good day to talk about lips! Gals, the Winter lips situation has hit me HARD this year! I’m not sure if it’s age, the weather, or just that I pay more attention to my skin now, but it seems worse than previous years. I find I am finding pieces of skin on my lips at random times…when I realise I’m chewing, I realise there is in fact a real problem. Dry, loose skin, cracked lips….is not a good look on anybody! To save you from the same thing I’ve been going through, I have rounded up my 4 tips that will keep your lips looking great 😉

1. Exfoliate!!

I have come to realise that chewing the skin off my lips, not a good idea! An exfoliator is a must have!

For a while I’ve been using the Pink Cosmetics lip scrub and I really like it. It’s gentle on my lips, but gets the job done. Also, it smells (and tastes) amazing! Janet’s lip scrubs are made from completely natural ingredients which is great and they are affordable.

The Swiitch Beauty lip Exfoliator is newer in my collection, but from the first time I used it I was obsessed! This has the consistency of a liquid peel and works the same way – leave on for 60-90 seconds and then slough the dead skin off your lips. It’s so satisfying (and kind of creepy) seeing all that skin come off. My lips feel as smooth as a baby’s bum after using this though!

2. Don’t lick your lips

Joshua suffers from really dry lips and as a result, he licks his lips…a LOT! Lip licking is the worst habit to have! In the moment, it feels like it’s doing the job, but it really isn’t. I googled and I found this: Saliva contains many enzymes (including amylase and maltase) that are meant to aid in our digestion of food.

So saliva is not manufactured to nourish our lips….is what Google tells me. Joshua ends up with something that we call ‘Winter lips‘ and eventually he needs prescription ointment to help the situation. Don’t be like Joshua! Don’t lick your lips!

3. Nourishing lipbalms

This should be a no-brainer, but make sure you’re using a nourishing lipbalm with soothing ingredients. I especially love my Elizabeth Arden 8hr Lip Protectant, as it also contains an SPF of 15. When I’m sloughing a layer of skin off my lips, I think the SPF is even more critical. This is a must have for me when I’m on the sports field when my kids have hockey matches or swimming galas.

Other recommendations:

• Nikelbalm lip balm – the packaging is BEYOND gorgeous! This lipbalm contains vanilla, orange and immortelle oils. I keep this on my desk and I use it during the day. I also like the ‘pot’ vibe that it has…it just feels very fancy! (Not pictured here, because…it was on my desk at work. Oi vey.)
• REN Vita Mineral Lip Balm – this contains Shea butter, calendula and cocoa seed butter. It has a really rich, runny formula, and makes this a bit different to what I currently own.

4. Intensive lip balms/treatments

Blistex is a brand that is new to me, but I found the Lip Medex in my goodie bag at a blogger event recently. Just when I needed it the most. My lips were cracked and in a bad state, and I found that overnight, this made a huge difference! I like to use this at night, almost like an overnight lip treatment. I’ll also use it during the day if I really need it.

Side note: Blistex also has a lipbalm with an SPF in it, available from Clicks and Dischem. So look around and next time you buy a lipbalm, make a concerted effort to get one that contains an SPF. 

The Elizabeth Eight Hour Intensive Repair Balm is a fabulous treatment. I love putting it on just before bed. In the morning my lips feel nourished and treated. I use this on Joshua’s lips as well and it works well. He says the Blistex ‘burns’, but I think it’s the sort of menthol cooling effect that feels like burning to him. He is much happier using this one.

If I owned a lip mask, I’d add it in as number 5, but I’ve never used one. After researching for this post though, it’s definitely something I want to add into my regime. If you have any suggestions for a good lip mask, let me know!

In this era of matte-lipstick everything, it’s more important than ever to keep your lips smooth. Nothing worse than scraggly lips wearing a matte lipstick!! Yikes. Let me know what your top tips are for keeping your lips looking pouty, smoochy and matte-lipstick ready!