Forget the falling leaves and shorter daylight hours. The sure-fire sign of autumn for me is chapped lips.
The skin on lips cracks in cold, dry weather. So combine dropping temperatures with rising thermostats, and you’ve got the perfect storm for chapped lips.
Luckily, nature supplies some great ways to prevent and heal cracked lips.
Natural Ways to Prevent Cracked Lips
Vitamin Load: Deficiencies in B vitamins, iron or essential fatty acids can cause lips to crack and flake. If your diet doesn’t supply these essentials, take a multivitamin.
Drink Water: To keep your lips from dehydrating, up your water intake during winter.
Humidify: To increase moisture in your home, run a humidifier.
Balm Your Lips: Before they become chapped, apply lip balm daily. Use one with at least SPF 16 to protect lips from damaging sun rays.
Stop Licking, Picking and Biting: These nasty habits injure the skin covering your lips, increasing the chances they will dry out.
Pick Lipsticks Carefully: Lip stains and other long-lasting lip colors can dry out lips. Instead, use creamy lipsticks, which are more hydrating.
Avoid Eucalyptus, Menthol, and Camphor: They can dry and irritate lips.
Natural Ways to Heal Chapped Lips
If your lips become chapped, you must hydrate and heal to prevent lips from splitting and bleeding, which is no fun.
Here are natural items to rub on your peeling pucker.
Coconut Oil: It softens and moisturizes lips.
Cucumber Slices: Cucumber slices deliver water and Vitamin C to lips, which help hydrate and protect lips from sun damage.
Aloe Vera Gel: The gel attracts moisture to lips and delivers essential oils that promote elastin and collagen production.
Sebum: That’s the oily substance under and on the side of your nose. It’s a natural moisturizer and water-proofer, according to HowStuffWorks. Clean your hands, rub your finger along your nose, and smear the sebum on your lips.
DIY Cocoa Lip Balm: Nose grease not your thing? Combine cocoa butter, beeswax and olive oil to make a natural lip balm. Get the directions here.
