Dried chapped lips, OUCH! Here are some tips on how to keep those lips moisturized.

First, what are our lips made of? Our lips are made of the same mucus membrane that coats the inside of our mouths. This means two things. First, our lips don’t have the same protective outer layer as the skin elsewhere on our bodies. Second, our lips don’t have the same glands and pigments as ordinary skin. For example, lips don’t have oil glands, which also help keep moisture from evaporating.  What this means is that our lips have little to no protection from the environment, and their main source of moisture is the saliva that comes from our mouths. Our lips are almost always on display, and rarely covered by clothing. As a result, the moisture on our lips is continually evaporating. And that’s before we take into account exposure to sun, wind, cold and air-conditioning. Plus, if you’re sick or have allergies, and your nose is congested, your lips end up drying more quickly because you tend to breathe through your mouth. Try using your toothbrush softly across your lips after your brush your teeth to help remove dead skin (exfoliate your lips,) and buy a good lip moisturizer, roll it on and keep it close.

Until next week, have a wonderful day.

This entry was posted by Juliette Decena on January 15th, 2007 under Beauty and Style with keywords .

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