Smooth kissing lips whole year round

What I know for sure is that as far as most people are concerned the best lips are those that are smooth and crack free. Whether they are full and luscious or pencil thin, our concern is to have healthy lips.
I am sure you will agree with me that lips are one of our prized possessions on our anatomy.
We all need and want to be kissed whether in a romantic, plutonic or familial manner. Kissing is a sign of affection that human beings warm up to. But I am sure no one wants to have dry, crusty and crackly lips pressed against their lips or even their faces!
So both men and women strive to have the most “kissable” lips around, however, sometimes the unenviable occurs and lips become cracked and painful and at worst even get blisters or sores. Believe it or not, cracked or painful lips can send your confidence plummeting to rock bottom as they are unsightly and unattractive.
Lips are skin just like the rest of the body, but unlike much of the skin, lips do not produce natural oils to protect them, hence they become prone to drying and cracking.
There are a number of causes for dry and painful lips. Fortunately there are also solutions to help as well:
Climate Change
Lips are prone to elements the whole year round with wind, heat and the cold all being culprits to boot. The cold weather dries out lips and the hot weather dehydrates them. The sun also can damage our lips and the harmful rays from the sun can increase the chances of getting cancer.
It does not matter whether you are of a fair or dark complexion the effects are real. Use a lip balm with an SPF (Sun Protection Factor) of at least 16, to save lips from sun damage. With the way our temperatures can soar into the upper 30s here in Zimbabwe we should not think twice about this as it is for our own good.
Dehydration
This is probably one of the leading causes of dry, cracked and even painful lips. Your body needs plenty of water and in the colder months like we have now, we need to make greater efforts to take in the required amount of water.
I know two litres of water does not sound very palatable but it does not have to be cold water, even warm water will do and this can be mixed with some lemon juice or a bit of ginger, just to give it some flavour.
Some people even go to the extent of making sure their rooms are humid. You can use a humidifier or simply boil a kettle of water in your bedroom. This will make the air in the room humid and therefore help to hydrate your skin and lips.
Licking Lips
Do not lick your lips unnecessarily. People who lick their lips tend to also bite and pick their lips with their fingers. When you lick your lips too much, you are removing the protective covering of that skin. When the saliva dries up, it leads to further dehydration of the lips.
If you have this dilemma, find a “lip buddy”, that is someone who will stop you every time you start picking or licking your lips.
Lip balms
Most Lip balms (or “Lip Ice” as we like to call it in this part of the world), will lubricate the lips leaving them feeling smooth but they actually do not moisturise the lips. Lip balms seal moisture out so lips cannot absorb moisture. It is like putting polish on shoes so when you step into water, the water will just roll off.
The most effective way to counter this problem is to either wet your lips with water before applying lip balm or get a lip balm with ingredients such as Shea emu butter, Aloe vera or vitamin E oil. These oils are designed to introduce moisture back into the lips.
Vitamin Deficiencies
Vitamin deficiencies can also contribute to the cracked lips problem. Certain vitamins are critical to maintaining healthy skin. These are Vitamins A, B, C, E, B2, iron and essential fatty acids.
Lack of these vitamins will cause scaling of lips and cracking of the lips at the corners. A multivitamin supplement is a good way to help reduce lips cracking, but please consult a doctor first to ensure your system can tolerate them.
Spicy foods
Spicy foods can cause a dehydrating effect in some people so find out which spices do not work for you and which do. Unfortunately this can only be done by trial and error.
Allergic reactions
Some cosmetic and skin care products cause allergic reactions in both men and women. In the same light, some medication can cause similar side effects as far as drying of lips is concerned. So for women find out if you are not allergic to some lipstick dyes.
It may be that you have to change the cosmetic range you use in order to get reprieve and still wear lipstick. Creamy lipsticks work wonders. Lip gloss is good if you do not have a lip licking problem otherwise you will just be wasting your money and worsening the problem.
Solutions
The Buff – To ensure your lips look and feel smooth you should buff your lips with a soft toothbrush. A baby soft one will do the trick. Simply brush your lips a few times a week as this helps to remove dead skin cells that cause more drying and flaking. This is just like exfoliating for the rest of the body.
The Wonder Lip balm – Vaseline, yes the good old trusted Vaseline is one of the best ways to prevent and solve lip problems. It prevents sun blisters and so should be applied before venturing into the sun. Apply Vaseline before bedtime and you will wake up with smooth lips.
Cucumbers – The natural lip balm. You can rub a cucumber slice onto clean lips and enjoy the rehydrating effects of this natural remedy.
Bear in mind that certain medical conditions like diabetes, HIV and some skin disorders can exacerbate the problem so a doctor is the best person to help you in that case. Look after your lips and you will feel like a star the whole year round.
l Christine Nyirenda-Chimuka is an internationally qualified and accredited Image Consultant and Communications Professional running Milestone Communications and can be contacted on [email protected]