Winter brings a lot of things we love, like hot cocoa, snow, and cozy nights by the fire. But it also comes with that dreaded wind chill that wraps itself around your bones, saps the moisture from the air, and makes everyone’s skin itchy and Dry Lips.
Your lips, especially, tend to get flaky and cracked, and sometimes the only thing that seems to help is licking them (it doesn’t).
As the two biggest factors affecting the moisture in your lips are the ingredients you apply and your environment, we spoke to some dermatologists to get a few tips for treating and preventing dry lips so they stay soft and hydrated all winter long.
Next time you catch yourself peeling your dead skin or over-applying that cinnamon-flavored lip balm, you’ll know what to do instead.
1. Drink water.
The warmer months aren’t the only time your body craves hydration. Water affects the moisture levels in your body all year long. Less water means less saliva production, which can make your lips feel really dry.
Lily Talakoub, M.D., a dermatologist at McLean Dermatology and Skincare Center in Virginia, recommends you drink two glasses before each meal (or about six to eight glasses a day).
Tea is another option, but make sure it doesn’t have caffeine in it. Caffeine is a diuretic, meaning that it encourages fluid to leave the body, which in turn will cause your lips to feel dehydrated.
2. Sleep with a humidifier.
Our skin cells have a natural moisturizing factor (NMF), which helps maintain skin elasticity and prevent lips from chapping and cracking, Talakoub explains. People with dry skin have fewer NMFs, while people with oily skin have more.
When there’s little humidity in the air or lots of dry heat at home, the moisture in our skin evaporates more quickly and causes dry and chapped lips.
