Dry lips can affect young and old and it's actually quite common. My name is Nanette and I am a practicing Herbalogist. You see, lips need moisture too! Without this, you will experience problems every time.
There are many reasons why lips can become dry and cracked. It can be due to: *weather conditions *illness *dehydration *constant licking (this is very common with children) *food or drink reaction *chemicals and dyes in lipsticks and lip balms.....to name a few.
I tell my clients this, "Remember the basics to overall health!"
Proper skin care can help prevent and treat dry lips, as well as the cracking and bleeding often associated with it.
Water, taken internally, is important in keeping the skin (this includes lips) smooth and flexible. Also, a proper diet filled with fresh and wholesome foods is equally important.
I tell people, "Be very particular with what you put on....all lip balms ARE NOT EQUAL".
From lipstick to lip balm, so many products today claim to defend against wind and chapping, sunburn and aging. But which ingredients offer optimal protection? Do any have adverse effects, such as actually causing dry lips or skin irritation or exposing you to toxins? Plus, are any addictive?
I have seen certain types of lip balms with so many chemicals and preservatives in them that they actually ate away the top layer of skin. How horrible!
In 2007 the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics released a report that found lead in over half of the 33 brand-name lipsticks and lip balms they tested. Unfortunately, the FDA has no standards for regulating these products so it is good advice that pregnant women and small children avoid using commercial lipsticks because lead exposure can disrupt normal development. Even low levels of lead can add up!
Some chemicals found in lip balms can so irritate the skin to the point of causing allergic reactions. If you keep buying lip balms that leave you with dry lips that get itchy or red, try avoiding parabens, fragrance, glycolic or salicylic acid, and lanolin. Menthol and camphor can cause a tingling sensation that could also be an irritant to your lips and the effect is quite drying. What's more,
contact dermatitis
can be caused by cosmetic pigments such as artificial colours and dyes.
Learn to read the ingredients on the labels of the products you intend to use. And certainly, stay away from products containing MINERAL OIL and PETROLEUM as these will only suffocate your skin.
Here's an interesting little story:
Lip balm has been around for over 100 years. The inventor, Dr. C. D. Fleet, started an unfortunate trend by using petroleum jelly in his Chap Stick, and it's only become clear in recent years just how ineffective petroleum jelly is. Since petroleum jelly isn't absorbed by the skin, it keeps the skin from breathing and over time -- actually makes your lips more chapped.
You see, just like your body needs nutrients, your lip balm should be filled with natural and moisturizing ingredients. However, most products fail on this end!
A proper lip balm
must contain herbs,shea butter
and vitamins. This will produce a healthy effect that is completely different from that of petroleum jelly and chemical filled products.
Instead of lying inert on the surface, a truly moisturizing lip balm will absorb into the
7 layers of skin
. Then, because it improves moisture retention capacity, your lips will stay healthy and moist even in the driest conditions.
My son kept licking his lips repeatedly until they became so chapped and dry they hurt him to even eat anything. I followed your advice and his lips are so much better now. Thank you so much. V.T., Brooklyn, N.Y.
I tell my clients this, "Remember the basics to overall health!"
