We lick, paint, contort, and stretch ‘em all day long but, when it comes to giving them proper care, we often fall short. With a small amount of effort, you can rehabilitate your less-than-lush lips to prime-puckering condition. How, you ask. I hate to break it to you, but reapplying your lip gloss twenty times a day or slicking on hot red lipstick before a big night out does not cut it in the lip care category. Here are tips to help you beat the pucker predators and keep your lips in tip-top condition. —Jennifer Appenrodt
Dry
Lips do not have oil glands to help keep them lubricated so that lack of moisture is what makes us go for the quickest fix: a swipe of the tongue. Unfortunately, this only sets up a drying cycle that will make your them even more chapped in the long run. Next time they start to feel dry, use a soft, wet toothbrush or damp washcloth to gently massage your lips and slough off any roughness. As another option, Philosophy carries a lip scrub—rub on a small amount and wipe off with a tissue for an exfoliated, smooth pout. Then, put on a heavy-duty lip balm (I always slather some on before bed).
*C.D.L. (Chronic Dry Lip): If having dry lips is a regular occurrence, you might want to up your water intake or invest in a humidifier to keep the air moist in your home. Make sure to stay away from matte lipsticks and instead opt for glossy, hydrating blends that will keep lips soft and pliable.
Make sure you always use an SPF on your lips when going out. Lips are a susceptible to skin cancer because of their constant sun exposure so use a product with at least SPF 15 and reapply throughout the day. I keep a chapstick my desk—its easy access serves as a reminder, making it more likely I'll reapply.
As we get older our lips shrink from waning collagen. Of course there are surgical fixes for deflated lips but, if you prefer something less extreme, there are products that will maximize your natural pout. By applying products with antioxidants like acai, you can help improve the skin texture, tone, and elasticity while also hydrating the lips. For added fullness, you can also use this age-old makeup artist trick: layer foundation just over your lip line and use a lip pencil (color of your lipstick or nude) to trace your lips just outside of your lip line. You’ll have a bee-stung mouth, sans the sting.
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1 comments:
Perfect! All the answers I was looking for...
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