In winter, the air gets drier and colder, causing our skin and lips to dry out. The simple antidote to this, of course, is a heavy moisturizer and Lip Balm. You can find out here why this lip care does not always have a positive effect on your lips and why they can dry out even more.
Lip balm: does it bring anything in winter?
Lip balm is one of those products that you don’t really question. If you have dry lips, you smear your lips with it. The immediate result is velvety, soft lips. However, experts agree that this lip care can be counterproductive.
This is what the dermatologist Melissa Piliang explains to her Cleveland Clinicthat not every lip balm will moisturize the lips, but can cause them to dry out. In addition, it can constant application of care lead to addiction. In order to find the right care for the lips, the dermatologist has listed a few things that you should pay attention to.
1. Pay attention to the ingredients
When it comes to lip care, you should make sure that it does not contain the following ingredients: phenol, menthol and salicylic acid. dr Piliang explains: “Lip balm with these ingredients actually makes the lips drier. So you wear more of it. It becomes a vicious circle.” Some of these products also cause a tingling sensation when you apply them. This either leads to irritation or removes the outer layers of skin, like a scrub. Then you have less protection, are more susceptible to environmental influences and have to apply even more of the lip balm.
2. Pay attention to the fragrances
Be honest: How many lip balms do you have that smell fruity and sweet? Especially when it comes to lip care, you don’t think too much about it. But that is wrong. The chemicals in some fragrances and flavorings can irritate the skin or cause allergies, explains Dr. Piliang opposite the Cleveland Clinic. „They dry out the skin and it can feel cracked, so less is better” she adds.
3. Pay attention to sun protection
Of course, the sun is not a particularly big problem here in the German winter, as it hardly ever appears. Nevertheless, you should make sure to apply lip balm, the one Sun protection of at least 30 Has. This is very important, especially when skiing or hiking in the mountains!
Lip balm is not always harmful
Of course, not every lip balm is harmful. So you should make sure that you use simple jelly products, such as for example Vaseline. These are recommended because they keep the lips moisturized and prevent future cracks rather than causing them.