Lips need more care in the winter than your face. Image via Wikipedia

When it comes to battling the elements, the lips frequently bear the brunt of the attack from sun, wind, cold, and dry air. We bundle up in extra layers of clothing to protect against the elements, but often leave our lips exposed.

The truth is, lips need more care during the winter months than the face. Lip skin has just about the least natural protection against the elements of any skin on the body. Research shows you lose up to 10 times more moisture through your lips than you do elsewhere on the face or body.

The lips have no sebaceous (oil), glands, so they have no natural protection against drying environmental factors such as indoor heat, wind, cold, or UV rays. Most skin on the face has around 16 opaque layers of cells, both dead and alive. Lips, on the other hand, have just three layers of skin and are actually translucent. Lips have a reddish color because capillaries in the subsurface layer of the lips push close to the skin on the surface, revealing the blood within.

Because the lips are comparatively thin, they’re also more vulnerable to damage from seemingly harmles activities. Case in point: licking your lips. Once saliva on the lips dries, it evaporates … along with the natural moisture contained within the lips. What’s more, saliva contains digestive enzyme which can actually break down the skin, creating even drier lips.

Your lips need a shield to protect against drying, peeling, and splitting. A balm acts as a winterizing layer to provide a buffer between delicate skin and brutal weather or indoor heat and form an occlusive barrier that seals in moisture while providing additional hydration with beneficial oils. When outdoors, use a lip balm with an SPF of at least 15 – there is evidence that this helps to protect against development of cold sores.

Not only is it important for lips to be healthy – they should look good. Lips are expressive – key to many of our perceptions of beauty and sensuality. Smiling lips symbolize happiness and warmth. Pouting lips are often portrayed as sexy. Below are a few tips for creating luscious-looking lips:

1. Want fuller lips? Use a lip liner that’s almost identical in color to the lipstick you use – it should not be more than one shade darker. Use the liner to fill in everything but the very center of the top and bottom lips. Apply lipstick with a lip brush. Finish with a dot of shimmer lip gloss over your lipstick for added lusciousness. The lighter, shimmering color will create the illusion of fullness.
2. Concerned about bleeding lip color? Apply your lip pencil both before and after your lipstick. You’ll find that the wax in the pencil actually helps keep the lipstick from bleeding. When blotting lipstick, apply tissue completely over lips closed, instead of biting the Kleenex. When you blot the entire lip this way, you get the entire ‘lip print’ on the Kleenex, which keeps lipstick edges – not just the center – from bleeding and feathering.
3. Need to smooth chapped, peeling lips? Take a wet, soft toothbrush and gently brush your lips, using a circular motion. Then mix sugar and canola oil and, again using a soft toothbrush, exfoliate a second time. Follow with a hydrating lip balm.
4. Want a silkier look? Lip balm creates a smoother surface to apply lipstick or lip pencil to. The trick is to make sure the lip balm is completely absorbed by the skin before applying lip color. Apply lip balm about 5-10 minutes before you apply your makeup – your lips will be perfect for application. If you apply your lipstick or pencil right after applying lip balm, you actually intensify the feathering and creasing problem because lip color will run because of the slickness of the lip balm.
5. Need to create the illusion of whiter teeth? Select a lipstick shade with bluish undertones.

Follow these tips to protect your lips from the elements and keep them smooth, sensuous, and — most important — healthy.

Related articles that may be of interest:

Top 5 Ways to Prevent Dry Lips by Josh Clark

Lip Care/7 Lip Care Tips for a Youthful Look by Neil

Has winter chapped your lips? Find out why it happens and what to do about it. By Liesa Goins

Sunscreen and Cold Sores by Heather Gloria

Five Tips for Winter Lip Care by carleenp

Lip and Mouth Care – American Academy of Dermatology