Dry, chapped lips are an extremely common issue that many of us face, which is usually not harmful. The skin on our lips is much thinner and more delicate than that on the rest of the face. Therefore, our lips are generally less capable of retaining moisture and more prone to dryness, peeling and flaking. Today we’ll discuss some of the common causes and introduce you to the best remedy for chapped lips.
What causes chapped lips?
A list of external and internal elements can cause chapped lips or make them worse. If you’re struggling with keeping your lips moisturised, it is important to avoid these threats.
Environmental aggressors
Chapped lips are typically caused by external factors such as weather and sun exposure. In the winter months when temperature and humidity levels drop, dry and cold air draws moisture from the skin, causing our lips dry and chapped lips.
The thinning of the Ozone layer over Australia is leading to more UV radiation reaching the earth. This depletion of the ozone layer combined with Australia’s outdoor lifestyle, has increased the risk that we face from over-exposure to UV radiation, which places more threats to our lips.
Wrong ingredients in lip products
Another common factor contributing to chapped lips is the ingredients in your lip products. Irritants can exist in some lip care products, worsening your lip conditions. Some lip balms use salicylic acid for exfoliation, or menthol for that cooling, soothing effect, which can in fact, dry out your lips, making you ‘addicted’ to them. Some matt lipsticks containing too much wax and pigment can also leave your lips dry and flaky. Over time these wrong ingredients can damage healthy lips.
Unbalanced diet
Vitamins and minerals play a key role in one’s health. Deficiency in B Vitamins, Iron or Zinc can impair skin health, cause inflammation, and contribute to chapped lips. Insufficient fluid intake also leads to our body’s lack of hydration, which can leave our lips dry and tight.
Licking lips
It is hard to break the habit of licking your lips when they’re feeling dry. It might help to moisturise your lips temporarily, as you’re coating them with saliva. As saliva evaporates, it leaves your lips drier than before. According to dermatologists, our saliva is full of enzymes for digesting food, which is harsh for delicate lip skin, thus, lip licking makes your lips drier and more uncomfortable.
Medication
Occasionally, some medications can trigger chapped or cracked lips. For instance, topical acne medications may contain ingredients that will dry out the skin. Cholesterol-lowering agents might also have similar side effects of dehydration.
What is the best way to treat chapped lips?
Our lips lack oil glands and so they cannot produce their own moisture. Therefore, one of the most effective ways to heal chapped lips is moisturising them with a good lip balm. Choosing a lip care product that contains hydrating agents along with ingredients that seal in moisture will give you the perfect combo for soft, hydrated lips.
Our Tough Lips intensive lip balm is a lip moisturiser containing some of the best ingredients recommended by dermatologists. Tough Lips lip balm is formulated with a mix of super hydrating agents, including panthenol, shea butter and cocoa butter. These natural moisturising ingredients instantly boost the skin’s moisture, replenish lost oil and make your dry lips visibly softer.
Enriched with skin protectant dimethicone, beeswax and lanolin, Tough Lips lip balm prevents moisture loss and promotes the skin’s natural barrier function, delivering long-lasting hydration to the lips.
Tough Lips is a soothing lip balm infused with antioxidant grape seed extract and natural vitamin E. It rejuvenates sun-damaged lips whilst maintaining skin elasticity, helping the lips stay supple and smooth.
If your lips are already chapped or cracked from sun exposure, make sure your lip balm is gentle enough not to further stress them. Tough Lips is a natural lip balm free from irritants. With no added colour, parabens, phthalates or salicylic acid, Tough Lips is suitable for sensitive skin.
With its easily absorbed texture, Tough Lips melts into your dehydrated lips instantly, providing quick relief from any pain or discomfort. It doesn’t just sit on the top of your lips without actually healing them, so you won’t need to constantly reapply.
Our Tough Lips is made in Australia and is one of the best lip balms for chapped lips. It keeps the skin on your lips soft and healthy, keeping them away from dryness and flaking. You can pop it in your bag for daily care or apply it before bed as an overnight treatment. It is clinically tested to improve lips conditions instantly. Tough Lips keep your lips looking and feeling at their best around the clock.
DU’IT Tough Lips 4.5g
Clinically proven DU’IT Tough Lips antioxidant intensive lip balm instantly hydrates and relieves dry, chapped lips, resulting in soft, healthy-looking lips. Enriched with nourishing grape seed, vitamin e and antioxidant polyphenols, its texture instantly melts without a greasy effect and leaves your lips moisturised.
