Kissable Lips

Weather or dehydration can reek havoc on your lips, which is never good. Get your kissable lips back with these simple tips on lip care.

Every woman’s second worst nightmare (first being an overnight 5 pound weight gain) is chapped flaky lips and if you have a big date night coming up, well that’s downright rubbing salt on open wounds. There are quick-fixes but for a pair of healthy, soft, and kissable lips, you must take regular care.

Water, Water and More Water!

The winter season and lack of hydration are the prime causes of chapped lips. Keep your kissable lips by drinking adequate amounts of water everyday. Not only ensuring your body stays hydrated but your lips too are not robbed of moisture. Also, you must never lick your lips to moisten them as it will only dry them further.

Exfoliate

Exfoliating would get rid of the dead and flaky skin but you have to be extra careful as the skin on the lips is three times more fragile. Before exfoliating make sure that the lips are hydrated, you can even smudge a thick layer of Vaseline or olive oil before scrubbing out the deal cells.

There are a number of ways in which you can exfoliate your lips, my personal favorite is using an exfoliant by Tart called Maracuja Lip Exfoliant. The raw sugar and maracuja always leaves my lips filling soft and more full. However, if you don’t feel like running out and buying a product, the age old toothbrush method still holds as a second best option. It is better to use old worn out toothbrushes as the frayed bristles are not harsh on the tender skin. Another great way is to mix sugar and lemon with olive oil or honey and gently rub them in a circular motion across the entire lip area, give the lemon a miss, if you have cracked bleeding lips. You’ll have kissable lips back in no time.

Choose the Right Lipstick

Most women do not step out without their favorite lip color; although there is nothing wrong in that but picking up the wrong lipstick can do long-term damage to the lips. Always buy branded cosmetic, if you are worried about the cost, then cut down on the quantity. Make sure that your lipstick has a good SPF coverage and also contains products that can keep the lips moisturized, such as Guerlain Divinora Colour and Shine Lipstick.

Even if you swear by matte lips and do not want any hint of gloss on your lips, opt for applying a layer of moisturizing lip balm before applying lipstick.

Avoid These

Do not want to end up with hurtful and bleeding chapped lips? Religiously avoid:

• Chewing on the flakes or pulling them out with hands. This is a complete no-no and can lead to bleeding and further exposing of the tender skin.
• Wearing lipstick round the clock. One of major reasons for lip darkening, sleeping with lipstick on does not give your lips a chance to breathe and can cause some serious damage in the long run.
• Smoking. Till date, no has come up with even one positive effect of smoking, while the negative aftereffects are aplenty. Smoking is not only bad for the lungs but can also darken teeth and lips, which is a complete turn-off!
• Lip Balms that lubricates but not hydrates. Be stringent while choosing your lip balm and choose the one that has a good concentration of Vitamin E.

Use these tips to get those gorgeously kissable lips and go play with your puckers!