Let’s face it: having dry, cracked lips is uncomfortable, and there’s no better feeling than smooth, healthy lips. Because your lips are vulnerable to a whole range of environmental aggressors, they can easily become dry or cracked or chapped if you’re not taking care of them.
Throughout the winter months, cold winds and dramatic changes in temperature can cause your lips to become dehydrated. And in the summer, the harsh heat and glare from the sun can also contribute to chapped lips.
The good news is, it’s easier than you think to protect your lips and prevent them from becoming dry in the first place. We’ve pulled together 5 easy tips on how to hydrate dry lips and keep them soft all year round, including the best organic lip products to use and dry lip treatments you can easily do at home.
1. Exfoliate your lips
One of the first steps to relieving dryness across the lips is to help lift and remove dead skin. A clean and dry toothbrush works well as an exfoliating tool. To exfoliate your lips, gently brush it over your lips to help remove any stubborn dry skin. Natural scrubs are also a great option; coffee or sugar grounds work well to carefully exfoliate your lips naturally without the use of any harsh formulas. Our Phytofuse Renew Exfoliator is a natural exfoliator that combines natural exfoliating particles and fruit acids from the native Australian Caviar Lime to purify pores and remove dead skin cells. It works well as a gentle lip exfoliator, leaving you with smooth, soft lips.2. Drink plenty of water
When your body is dehydrated, your lips can be the first to show signs, appearing dry or cracked. Keeping hydrated is one of the most obvious but forgotten about elements when it comes to keeping our lips soft and smooth. With over 60% of our body being made up of water, it’s absolutely essential to give our skin and body enough water to function optimally and stay healthy. Aim to drink around 8 cups of water a day (around 2 litres) to keep your lips feeling their best.3. Stay away from dehydrating food & drinks
It’s not only the weather that can dehydrate your skin. If your lips already feel dry, there are certain foods and drinks that you’ll want to try and avoid. Citrus fruits such as oranges or grapefruit, both in their original form and in juices, can cause more dryness and leave you with chapped lips. The same goes for spicy and salty food, and highly acidic food such as tomatoes. Alcohol is also very dehydrating, so we recommend saving it for special occasions only to keep your lips and skin feeling hydrated and moisturised.
4. Use a lip serum
Lip serums will make a huge difference in keeping your lips soft. As you age, the lips may become smaller and drier, so finding a lip serum enriched with Vitamins and natural skin-loving ingredients will help bring back a luscious pout.The formula of our Certified Organic Lip Serum focuses on key, natural ingredients that nourish and care for your skin. Our lip serum is infused with Green Tea Leaf Extract, a rich source of antioxidants that helps reduce the skin’s signs of ageing and repair any skin damage; Jojoba Oil and Rosehip Oil, both high in vital nutrients to help fight everyday exposure to toxins and dryness; and Shea Butter for its rich source of Vitamin A and E, working to counteract dry skin.
With no added colour, this lip serum provides a natural-looking shine and seals in moisture. Perfect to use alone as a lip treatment, or over your favourite organic lip colour for added gloss.
5. Use a hydrating lip balm
An organic lip balm is the perfect product to have on hand to defend against the first signs of dry lips. Keep them moisturised throughout the day with our Certified Organic Lip Balm. Formulated using only the best ingredients, our lip balm is designed to be multi-protective and replenishing, and will give your lips long-lasting hydration. The key ingredients we use include Coconut Oil for its antioxidant and hydrating properties, helping to diminish signs of ageing; Peppermint Oil which works to promote better circulation; and Sunflower Seed Oil which is a powerful source of Vitamin E and antioxidants. Super effective for helping your skin retain moisture and feel healthy and nourished, this lip balm is everything your lips need.Ensuring lips remain soft, smooth and hydrated, INIKA’s full range of organic lip products offers everything you need to care for your lips all year round.Feeding your skin with nourishing, natural ingredients is the best way to care for it. At INIKA, we’re committed to producing clean and safe cosmetics to help our lovely customers stay healthy. Find out more about how to identify clean beauty products, and start putting your skin’s health first.