Once your lips become chapped, it’s pretty much impossible to ignore them. And they just get worse as it gets colder and the air gets drier—no wonder winter is such a bummer! If you’re suffering from dry, flaky or even painfully chapped lips, here are 9 natural ways to heal them and keep them moisturized.
1. Homemade Honey Lip Scrub
Honey is a humectant, which means it locks moisture in to your skin. A little honey combined with sugar (to gently exfoliate) and almond oil rubbed gently onto the lips will moisturize and slough off dead skin. You can even eat the scrub! We also have a pumpkin spice version (complete with balm recipe) if you want to keep it seasonal.
2. Brush with a Soft Toothbrush
If slathering honey and sugar on your lips doesn’t sound appealing (hey, to each her own), try a very gentle scrub with the softest toothbrush you can find, one to two times per day, to exfoliate.
3. Homemade Beeswax Lip Balm
The beeswax in this DIY balm creates a protective layer on your lips—so you won’t be reapplying on the hour. Including honey makes for an effective chapped lips treatment.
4. Drink Plenty of Water
Good life advice, and even better advice when it comes to dry, flaky lips. If you’re hydrated, your lips will be too. If you’re having trouble getting to 64 ounces each day, try these hydration hacks.
5. Opt for Natural if You Buy
If you buy balms or moisturizers, look for ones that contain coconut oil, shea butter, cocoa butter or beeswax to seal in moisture—and avoid those that have menthol or camphor.
6. Use Thick Emollients
For a DIY approach, you can even just slather some coconut oil on your lips at night; by morning they’ll be soft, supple and crack-free. Or make this all-purpose body balm to use on your lips; it includes cocoa butter, beeswax and coconut oil.
7. Almond Oil
This rich body oil can be used head to toe—including on dry, chapped lips. We love it in this DIY warming vanilla-chai oil, which is totally safe for lips.
8. Vitamin E
If your lips are starting to get cracked and painful, open up a vitamin E capsule and put a little of the gel right on the problem spots (this works well for the corners of your mouth, too).
9. Invest in a Humidifier
I’m embarrassed to say that I don’t have a humidifier, despite living in a super-cold climate and the fact that they’re only about $20 to 30. This year’s going to be different, though! Rather than suffering through dry skin and lips, I’m finally investing in a warm mist humidifier to stop the dryness before it starts.
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Hiii! Thanx for sharing these tips. You can also include organic juices in your diet to detox your body and add an extra factor to your efforts.
My lips were dry and I played the oboe so it was really hard but now it is not.
This is great advice my lips feel softer already 😝👍🏽💕
Good day,i commend your write up and research.i am currently having my lips in that form but i hope your prescriptions will correct them. please i am also having a lot of black spots on my face from pimples ,please can my face still be spotless and what is your advise
Easy! Look up korean skin routines and voila!!! Well heh at least thats what i do just follow their routines and done
Would Cod Liver Oil be good for keeping lips soft and moist.?
I have a problem with my lips they are cracked what can I do. Please help
Do you have a recipes for foamiing hand soap.. If so could I please have it thank-you REBECCA/
These are great tips. I can’t wait to try the scrub and balm.
Just a note about humidifiers in general. They are an excellent way to control humidity locally. The debate rages on over the pros and cons of warm vs. cool mist versions. Just be mindful they both need to be cleaned regularly – as in weekly or more often. Both types can build up bacteria or worse, mould, very quickly. Not just in the water reservoir, but also throughout the unit, on the outside and in the aroma/medication compartment. The manufacturers instructions often differ for each unit on how to dismantle and properly clean them. Although some may suggest warm mist units must reach the boiling point, so therefore kill this problem, they do not reach the required temperature for long enough, (often leading to spore formation of mould) or in enough places throughout the humidifier to prevent microbe (bacteria or mould) growth within the unit.
In addition, most experts suggest a comfort zone in your house of 30%-50% or 60% relative humidity. However, the optimum range of 45%- 50% is suggested to prevent microbe growth and/or damage to household items and structures while counteracting nose bleeds, asthma, etc. Very inexpensive analog gauges (<$10) can be purchased to monitor relative humidity in the required room.
Finally, humidifiers are great ways to disperse essential oil concoctions depending on preference and requirement. For example, peppermint and eucalyptus for common cold and sinus issues, lavender and camomile for restful sleep…etc. Again, each unit is different and may require some tinkering with recipes for safety, functionality, and efficacy.
Sorry to be a downer but if you are using humidifiers for improved general health or symptom relief, I doubt you want to compound the problem by dispersing mould and bacteria into the air. I prefer wafting lovely lavender for my slumber induction.
Thanks,
Elizabeth
Note: I am not a doctor, but as a paramedic who suffers from asthma and eczema, I work in extreme cold conditions often (-30°C plus wind chill highway extrications). I have owned more than a few brands/models of humidifiers and acquired a wee bit of experience and knowledge over the last 15 years.
Great tips! I’m on my way to get a humidifier right now, actually. Not for my lips, but my nose! It’s just crusting apart :( But yes, always opting natural and beeswaxing it up for the winter! Cheers.
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