Lip care, as a rule, is limited to the purchase of decorative cosmetics - lipsticks, glosses and pencils to hide fading, roughness and small cracks. At best, you will find an almost dry chapstick or other lip moisturizer in your purse. But this is a fundamentally wrong approach. Lips require the same careful and caring care as the face, skin around the eyes, hands or feet.
Principles of lip care
The skin of the lips completely lacks sebaceous glands, which is why these areas become dehydrated without thoughtful care, premature aging occurs, and lips lose their freshness and color. Adverse weather factors also have an impact: heat and lack of moisture, gusty wind or frost. The causes of premature skin aging can be smoking, the habit of pursing your lips, lack of vitamins, and poor-quality cosmetics. You can reduce the impact of such unfavorable factors if you properly care for your lips.
Taking proper care of your lip skin at home is not difficult. Before going to bed, be sure to remove decorative cosmetics. This should be done by dabbing your lips with a cosmetic disc dipped in special milk or just warm water. After evening and morning brushing, a light lip massage with a soft toothbrush or terry cloth will not hurt.
The simplest lip product that can be used daily to keep them healthy and beautiful is regular oil. You can use sunflower, butter or olive. A small amount of oil should be applied to the lips, and after 15 minutes, rinse with warm water. Daily special gymnastics will also help, as it will prevent premature aging.
General overview of funds
There are a huge variety of cosmetic products for lips, but they are all divided into two large groups: products intended for care and decorative cosmetics. There are also special medicinal preparations that are not used for daily care, but are used only in certain cases: if the lips are chapped, burnt, or have ulcers or herpes. Such products are considered caring products.
Caring cosmetics
Lip cosmetics can be purchased at a specialty store, pharmacy, or made yourself at home. Whether to use store-bought products or to use homemade products is up to each girl to decide on her own, but in general the stages of lip care remain the same:
- Cleansing the skin of makeup.
- Removing dead particles.
- Nutrition and hydration.
Makeup remover
It is necessary to cleanse your lips of lipstick, gloss, pencil and any other decorative cosmetics daily. For this you can use milk, micellar water, cosmetic cream or just olive oil and warm water. It is better to wash your face without soap. Having an alkaline base, it weakens the skin's natural defenses, dries and causes peeling. Even tar soap, which cosmetologists often recommend, is suitable for few people and cannot be used for sensitive and dry skin.
The ten best makeup removers are represented by the following cosmetic products:
- Express Cleansing Lotion from Garnier. The cleansing lotion is great for removing eye makeup as it additionally protects the eyelashes.
- Micellar water from Garnier. The product is well suited even for very sensitive and problematic skin.
- Vichy Sensitive Skin Lotion (Normaderm Solution Micellaire 3 in1). Micellar lotion based on thermal water can be used to remove makeup from the delicate skin of the lips and around the eyes.
- Take the day off Cleansing Balm oil from Clinique. The product does not disturb the natural water balance of the skin and theoretically can be used for oily skin.
- Oil from Payot. It removes makeup especially gently, but is not very suitable for oily or combination skin.
- Biotherm milk. The product features a high concentration of thermal plankton extract, which gives the skin freshness.
- Wash-Away Gel Cleanser from Clinique. Very dense, foams well. Reviews of the lip product indicate that the gel removes even waterproof cosmetics and thick sunscreens. Extracts of aloe, lavender, lemon, eucalyptus and other beneficial substances soothe and nourish the skin.
- "Double effect" from Nivea Visage. Micellar water is best used for removing eye makeup, because thanks to the formula enriched with cornflower extract, it carefully cares for eyelashes.
- Makeup remover milk from Lirene. Suitable for oily and combination skin, despite its fairly thick consistency, it does not clog pores and effectively removes makeup.
- "Trio Active" from L'Oreal. The product is suitable for removing waterproof makeup and for sensitive skin.
Removing dead particles
For complete cleansing and removal of dead particles, scrubs are used, which can also be called a lip plumper - their effect, however, is short-lived. When thinking about purchasing a scrub, you can pay attention to the following products:
- Lush BubbleGum. This is an inexpensive analogue of luxury cosmetics, which, according to the reviews of many girls, has proven itself well. The main component of the product is ordinary sugar, tinted with food coloring, saturated with flavorings and flavoring additives. The scrub is exactly the same as ART-VISAGE Bubble gum from luxury products.
- Sugar scrub Eye to Eye. A cosmetic product from Faberlic is not much different from what you can make at home. The composition contains only oil and sugar, the scrub does not cause allergies and is suitable even for very sensitive skin.
- E.L.F Studio Lip Exfoliate. The scrub is made in the form of lipstick and contains vitamins and beneficial plant extracts. Reviews of this lip product indicate that E.L.F Studio is great for caring for even chapped lips.
- The Body Shop Lip Scuff. Contains whole sugar, not crushed grains, which makes it different from other products. The scrub is suitable for the care of very chapped, rough lips, but can damage sensitive skin.
- Shara Shara Kissing Sugar Lip Scrub. This Korean-made cosmetic product not only effectively removes dead skin particles, but also carefully cares for the skin.
Scrubs should be used no more than once or twice a week.
Nourish and moisturize lips
For proper nutrition and hydration, you need to use special balms and creams. By the way, many lip makeup products contain useful ingredients that care for the skin, but it is better to entrust complete care to special cosmetic preparations. Here are some foods that will help keep your lips attractive even in the harsh winter frosts or hot summer days:
- Payot Moisturizing Balm. Does not create a sticky feeling on the lips, but effectively moisturizes. The product does not have any specific strong odor characteristic of similar cosmetic products. The balm really works.
- Sugar Cane Lip Balm. The product is expensive and belongs to luxury cosmetics. The entire line is produced in small quantities on one of the islands in the Caribbean. The original balm based on sugar cane extract is absorbed almost instantly and does not leave a second skin feeling. True, it is unknown how close the numerous fakes are to the real product.
- Twist-up Gloss Stick. The moisturizing balm is produced in the form of a solid lip liner with a natural tint. The composition includes phospholipids - substances that are close to the membrane of human cells. Perhaps this is what allows the product to stay on the lips for a long time and carefully care for delicate skin.
- Toitbel Sensitive. The balm is perfect for sensitive lips. This is a transparent gloss in a classic format packaging.
- Vichy Aqualia Thermal. Another remedy from Vichy with thermal water. As always, you can expect only the most careful care and natural composition from this brand.
Composition of caring cosmetics
It is not necessary to buy something from the top cosmetic products for lip care. You can simply choose the appropriate product from those available at your nearest store or pharmacy. The main thing is to read the labels correctly and understand what components should be in the product. So, a good cosmetic product for lip care should contain:
- Wax (relevant for balms, lip gloss oils). Used as a thickener, it also smoothes the skin, increases its elasticity and firmness, retains moisture, allowing the skin to breathe.
- Natural oils (shea, cocoa, olive, apricot, grape seed, almond, coconut). Oils deeply moisturize the skin, some of them can be used in their pure form.
- Essential oils. They are used as flavoring agents, but some also have antibacterial properties.
- Vitamins (A, E, C, F). Protects against premature aging.
- Natural honey. It is also a thickener, in addition, it moisturizes and softens, and has an antibacterial effect.
- Azulene. A natural component that is an antioxidant, has anti-inflammatory and anti-allergenic properties.
- UV filters. Necessary for protection from the harmful effects of sunlight.
SOS lip products
In addition to basic care, emergency aid is also needed from time to time. These, for example, include regular hygienic lipstick and herpes cream. It is not necessary to use hygienic lipstick all the time (there are balms for daily care); as a rule, it is used if there is already something to treat or for quick and reliable protection from adverse conditions - frost and wind or sunlight.
Herpes cream should also always be on hand so that, if necessary, it can be applied in the initial stages of the disease. The sooner you start treating a cold on the lips, the faster you can get rid of this unpleasant sore. You can purchase both hygienic lipstick and herpes cream at any pharmacy. Instead of lipstick, by the way, you can use cosmetic Vaseline for lips "Fito Cosmetic" or any other.
Natural masks and balms
For those girls who, for whatever reason, do not trust store-bought products, we can recommend natural cosmetics. Making a scrub or moisturizing balm is very easy at home. The simplest natural cosmetics for lips is an oil-honey or oil-sugar scrub. It is enough to mix a little honey (gentle action) or sugar (more aggressive removal of dead skin particles) with any oil and massage your lips with light movements.
To moisturize, you can apply a crust of black bread, softened in warm water, to your lips every day. There are other options for homemade masks:
- Banana. Mix banana pulp with a small amount of sour cream. Keep the mask on for 10 minutes.
- Cottage cheese and pumpkin. Mix pumpkin juice with cottage cheese. Apply to lips for 5 minutes. This composition is great for cracked and dry skin.
- Potato. Keep the grated raw potatoes for several minutes. Rinse off with warm water.
Other natural remedies that will help in proper and gentle care of the skin of the lips are carrot, cucumber and lemon juice, any natural oils, liquid vitamins, and chamomile infusion.
Decorative cosmetics
Decorative cosmetics do not care for lips as thoroughly as special products. But you also need to choose the right lipsticks, glosses and lip liners. It is important that decorative cosmetics do not dry out the skin and do not contain many harmful components. If possible, lip makeup products should be luxury or at least a little more expensive than mass market products, because these areas are especially delicate and sensitive.
Step-by-step lip makeup
Many ladies apply liquid matte lipstick in one easy movement before leaving the house just out of habit. But proper lip makeup is an entire art. It starts with cleansing, exfoliating and moisturizing. Here's what to do next:
- Apply and blend foundation (it’s good to use a light one, for example, the popular BB or CC cream today). To do this, it is better to use a special sponge - a beauty blender.
- Use a brush to powder your lips a little - this will preserve the lipstick for a long time.
- Draw an outline with a pencil.
- Lightly shade the edges with the same pencil.
- Using a cotton swab, the sharp side of a sponge or a special brush, carefully shade the pencil without touching the contour.
- Apply liquid lipstick with a brush or lipstick in a tube (preferably also with a brush).
- It's easy to blot your makeup with a napkin.
- Powder your lips again with a wide brush.
- Apply a finishing layer of liquid matte lipstick or other decorative cosmetics.
How to choose the right lipstick?
There are many nuances in choosing the right shade of lipstick. But you won’t need lip augmentation at all if you choose the color of your decorative cosmetics wisely. The basic rule is that if your skin is of a warm tone, then you need to purchase lipstick in the same color scheme. With a cold shade, it is accordingly better to use decorative cosmetics in cold shades.
Care after lip tattoo
Additional care is necessary for the skin of the lips after permanent makeup. Firstly, for a week after tattooing you need to use special disinfectants (for example, chlorhexidine) several times a day. Secondly, the skin should be treated daily with a healing balm with a soothing effect. Thirdly, after the procedure you should not wash your face with tap water and soap. It is allowed to use only boiled water and antibacterial cosmetics for washing.
What is special about the skin of the lips, and why does it need special care? We’ll tell you right now what products to use to make your lips look attractive.
- Features of lip skin
- Why do lips dry out?
- How to care for your lips
- How does care differ in different seasons?
- Tools Overview
Features of lip skin
Lip care is an important part of your daily beauty routine. What do you need to know about the skin of your lips in order to properly care for it?
The number of sebaceous glands in the lip area is reduced; a small number of them are located only in the corners of the lips. That is why, in the absence of proper care, dryness, peeling and cracks cannot be avoided.
Dry, chapped lips cause discomfort and do not add neatness to your makeup. Therefore, it is better to systematically maintain the health of the skin of the lips than to periodically restore it.
There should be several lip balms in your cosmetic bag, including sunscreen.
Why do lips dry out?
The skin of the lips is initially more susceptible to aggressive environmental influences, since it has a thin epidermis and is almost devoid of natural protective lubricant. Main causes of dryness:
negative impact of environmental factors: strong wind, frost or, conversely, scorching sun, temperature changes;
bad habits such as smoking;
Decorative cosmetics can also dry out the skin of your lips - for example, the recently popular matte liquid lipstick. Its long-lasting texture contains practically no greasy components, so this makeup requires enhanced lip care before and after applying lipstick.
How to care for your lips
It would seem that what is so difficult here? But there are nuances, and it is better to adhere to certain rules.
Take care of proper nutrition
Beauty starts from within. A lack of vitamins and fatty acids in your diet immediately affects the condition of your lips - and this is a reason to reconsider your nutrition system. It should include:
fatty fish: mackerel, halibut, saury, eel, sturgeon;
nuts (walnuts, peanuts), pumpkin seeds;
vegetable oils: olive, flaxseed, sesame, rapeseed;
vegetables and greens: spinach, parsley, pumpkin, Brussels sprouts.
Bad habits such as smoking and excessive consumption of spicy foods can also lead to dryness, cracking and flaking.
A scrub with sugar particles will help exfoliate the skin of your lips.
Don't skip care steps
The daily care algorithm involves several steps.
Use lip balm
Before going outside, apply a protective balm, before going to bed - moisturizing, nourishing, restoring.
Exfoliation is a very useful procedure, including for the skin of the lips. To get rid of flaking and improve microcirculation, try lip massage using soft scrubs, such as sugar-based ones.
Apply primer under lipstick
Instead of a primer, you can use a non-greasy balm. Apply a thin layer and pat it into the skin with your fingertips or spread over your lips with a brush.
Remove lip makeup correctly
Don't wash your face with soap. Apply milk or micellar water to a cotton pad and gently remove makeup with it without rubbing the skin.
Still have questions?
How to minimize transverse wrinkles along the contour of the lips. You can do this in two ways:
regularly use a plumper based on menthol or hyaluronic acid;
perform shock exfoliation for seven days in a row - and immediately after the scrub apply an intense moisturizer.
How care differs in different seasons
Seasonality is one of the conditions that is important to observe in lip care so that their delicate skin feels comfortable 365 days a year.
Before lipstick, especially matte lipstick, apply lip primer.
In summer
In summer lip care, everything is simple: choose lighter textures; in warm (but not hot!) weather, you can get by with regular lipstick - without additional nutrition in the form of balms.
In hot weather, be sure to use sunscreen balm. Within the city limits, an SPF level of 15-20 will be sufficient, but for traveling to warmer climates, choose products with an SPF of at least 25. And don’t forget to renew the coating every 1.5-2 hours (and after snacks).
in winter
In addition to the mandatory stages of exfoliation, nutrition and moisturizing, you can add masks to winter care. If you don’t have a ready-made product, apply a thick layer of restorative cream to your lips and leave for several hours, preferably overnight.
Sunscreen balm will come in handy on a ski vacation: snow reflects the sun's rays as well as the surface of water, exposing your skin to an increased risk of photoaging.
When choosing a balm for the winter, carefully study the composition. Ingredients such as glycerin, oils and ceramides work as moisture-retaining agents, preventing the appearance of tightness and flaking. Natural vegetable oils (shea, olive, macadamia, coconut) are able to “lock” moisture in the skin and have a protective and antioxidant effect. Hyaluronic acid and aloe extract instantly moisturize and refresh. Products that combine all types of components will suit you.
Tools Overview
Indispensable products for lip skin care are a balm for nourishing and moisturizing, as well as a smoothing cream designed specifically for this area.
Lip care creams.
Creams
Anti-aging Collagenist Re-Plump, Helena Rubinstein
The product with proxylane and collagen microspheres instantly adds volume to the lips and smoothes out wrinkles along the lip contour.
Care for the contour of the eyes and lips during menopause Neovadiol, Vichy
Firms and smoothes the skin thanks to the content of proxilan, epiruline, proteins and Vichy thermal spring water. With this product, even with hormonal imbalance, lips look fresh and well-groomed.
Balms
Lip balms.
Universal lip product Lip Balm Him/Her, Giorgio Armani
A universal product that is suitable for both women and men. The melting texture spreads well over the lips, is odorless and gives a natural shine. The product comes in a neutral range to suit different skin tones, with 6 shades ranging from clear and pale pink to cool mauve.
Nourishing balm for deep restoration of lip skin Nutritic Lèvres, La Roche-Posay
The formula with ceramides eliminates tightness, irritation, heals cracks and tightens the skin. For deep restoration, you can apply a thick layer before bed.
Lipstick-lip balm Sexy Balm, L’Oréal Paris
Smoothes and conditions the skin, leaving lips smooth and moisturized. The palette contains 12 shades with two types of coverage: translucent Sheer and denser and richer Bold. A stick with a pointed end allows you to apply the product strictly along the contour, even without a mirror.
Lip balm Aquasource Plump and Glow Lip Balm, Biotherm
The light balm smells like peach. Thanks to vitamins and vegetable oils in the composition, it quickly softens lips. Adds visual volume to lips. Sun protection factor SPF 8 prevents photoaging.
Lips are truly considered one of the most attractive and sexy parts of the body. Plump and elastic lips can seduce no worse than a deep and passionate look.
But lips, like individual parts of our body, also need to be looked after, groomed and cherished. It is not enough to simply hide your lips in bright lipstick or add shine with lip oil; a much more serious approach is needed here, and this approach should change at different times of the year.
Why are lips dry?
If you don’t take care of your lips every day, they won’t make you forget about them for a long time, and the most harmless thing that can happen to them is dry skin. Lips are the only part of the body that does not secrete fat, and it is known to perform protective functions for the body.
Lip care one of the important components of the daily procedures that we carry out for the whole body.
Dry sponges must be lubricated, and constantly. Try natural fats or buy special oil. Olive oil, or macadamia oil, shea butter are good for such procedures - they are well absorbed by the skin and do not leave a sticky feeling.
Lip care with oils, probably one of the most effective among all possible options. If dry lips are not lubricated, then cracks will certainly appear, which will take a very long and painful time to heal. And the feeling of itching will not give you peace around the clock.
There are many reasons why the skin of the lips can become dry and even peel. It could be:
- exposure to sunlight,
- on the contrary, severe frost,
- street dust,
- smoking,
- frequent snacking on spicy or sour foods,
- nervous lip biting
- bad cosmetics.
If, after regular moisturizing, the skin continues to peel, then we are talking about serious diseases associated with both the digestive system and kidney disease, allergies, or some kind of inflammatory processes in the body. If you begin to notice that the skin of your lips remains dry for a long time, and cracks do not go away, then be sure to consult a doctor.
Lip care at home
At home, without resorting to the services of a professional, taking care of your lips will not be difficult for you, just pure pleasure. Firstly, there are a huge number of natural lip masks.
Making them at home is very simple. For example, you can mix a grated apple with a teaspoon of olive oil and apply the mask on your lips for about 15-20 minutes. This will help soften your lips and make your skin more elastic.
Grated apple and butter are also used to nourish the lips.
Strawberries are very common in many cosmetic products. It will also help our sponges.
Strawberries need to be crushed, mixed with a small amount of mineral water and applied to the lips for half an hour. Then rinse with cold water, gently massaging.
By the way, such a mask will also give your lips a rich pink tint. Secondly, of course, the beauty industry has long invented lip care products and you don’t have to waste time on homemade recipes.
It is useful to exfoliate your lips every day; for this, there are special scrubs with very small particles so as not to damage the skin. By the way, sugar particles, ground coffee or candied honey are suitable for peeling.
If you wear lipstick, your lips need to be very thoroughly cleaned of makeup. It is advisable to use a makeup remover for this.
Seasonal lip care
Of course, you know that in certain seasons of the year our skin needs special care - summer and winter. Whether in cold winter or hot summer, our lips are subject to severe drying.
Therefore, the skin needs to be moisturized. But be careful, if in summer the use of glitter is still appropriate, then in frosty winter it is better to avoid it. In the cold, the wax included in the gloss quickly freezes and, on the contrary, dries out the sponges.
It is better to use hygienic lipstick. It is also suitable in the hot season. Or, you can look for a special lip balm winter care with a gentle composition.
Also important lip care. With transparent hygienic lipstick, you can go a little beyond the outline of your lips, nothing bad will happen, but you will maintain a beautiful smile.
In both winter and summer, it is important to ensure that you do not bite your lips, and if herpes appears, then it is better to minimize the use of any lipsticks for a while. It is important to lubricate your lips with a special ointment and it is advisable to see a doctor.
Lip exercises
By the way, many experts recommend carrying out a kind of exercise for the lips, this tones the skin, invigorates it, and they even say that it enlarges the lips.
To maintain the elasticity of your lips, do the following exercises:
- Stretch your lips and blow as if extinguishing a candle, then relax your lips. Repeat 5-7 times.
- Take a deep breath and puff out your cheeks. Exhale slowly at first, then as if pushing out the air. Repeat about 10 times.
- Energetically articulating, pronounce the vowels “a”, “o”, “u”, “i”. Repeat 7-10 times
- Pull your lips forward and open your mouth like a fish. Close and release your lips.
Repeat 10-20 times. - Move your lower jaw simultaneously with your lips, sequentially to the left and to the right.
Repeat 10-20 times. - Stick your tongue out as much as possible and hold it there for 2-3 seconds. Remove your tongue and relax for 1-2 seconds. Repeat 5 times.
Lip massage
To improve blood circulation and keep your lips fresh, perform a minute-long light massage using tapping movements with your fingertips. After the massage, lips should be lubricated with a rich cream and left for 10 minutes.
A huge number of lip exercises are recommended. But again, be careful, if the skin of your lips is damaged, it is better to hold off on the exercises.
By the way, during a kiss, or during a smile, an infectious laugh, up to 15 muscles contract in our mouths. So take this into account!
Lip care after permanent makeup
For a long time now, not so much for the sake of fashion, but even for the sake of practicality, women have resorted to lip tattooing. Modern cosmetology allows you to adjust the color, shape and even size of your lips.
Lip tattoo care has its own nuances, especially in the first days. In general, you need to prepare your lips for this procedure a few days in advance, preferably a week in advance.
The skin of the lips needs to be cleansed and softened, moisturized abundantly, and protected from various microtraumas. In the first days after tattooing, it is important to speed up the healing process.
The photo shows lips after permanent makeup
Use special preparations to disinfect the skin, then wipe it with soothing creams or ointments; it is advisable not to use running water, it is better to boil it.
During the healing period, the skin of the lips becomes the most vulnerable, so it is better to give up some things: visiting a bathhouse, sunbathing, it would be good not to eat spicy and sour foods, alcohol, hot drinks, under no circumstances massage your lips with a toothbrush, do not comb them .
A week after getting a tattoo, you should definitely visit your cosmetologist again. The boundaries of the applied tattoo may be blurred, but there is nothing to worry about. In almost 70% of cases correction is necessary.
Care for hyaluronic lips
Plump, sensual lips, of course, have always been an attractive part of a woman’s body. But, unfortunately, not all girls were blessed by nature with such beauty. Moreover, with age, after 25 years. lip thickness decreases. True, their height and width, on the contrary, increase. This is the physiology.
Another procedure after which the skin requires careful care is sponge augmentation using hyaluronic acid. The procedure is quite serious, it cannot always be carried out, there are contraindications.
They should be taken very seriously to avoid negative consequences. For example, such contraindications include pregnancy and breastfeeding. Among other things, there are a number of diseases for which “hyaluronic acid” is also prohibited.
So, if you decide to have lip augmentation, then literally within 10-12 hours after the procedure it is not advisable to use makeup. Usually there are no special consequences after the procedure. The only thing that may appear is swelling and slight swelling at the injection sites. But all this passes quickly.
Next, it is important to avoid temperature changes, not to stay in the cold for a long time or, conversely, in direct sunlight. During the week you should also not drink hot drinks or go to the bathhouse.
What is possible? You can apply cooling compresses, light lip massage, and apply nourishing masks. By the way, it is recommended to apply masks based on sour cream, cottage cheese, and honey. They can be done twice a week, but only after 14 days from the date of the procedure.
There are also special lip balmswho were subjected to such a procedure. They contain natural oils, possibly components that improve blood circulation and other ingredients that are beneficial for the skin of the lips.
What can I say, beautiful lips can truly become an object of admiration. It’s not for nothing that journalists have long been publishing ratings of stars who have the most beautiful lips.
Their list has more than once included Angelina Jolie, Rihanna, Aishwarya Rai, Jessica Alba, Eva Mendes, Adriana Lima, Jennifer Lopez and other world stars. But, for example, Marilyn Monroe's plump lips are nothing more than successful makeup.
So whether these sponges have undergone major cosmetic procedures or are simply naturally beautiful, what matters is that these sponges are given excellent care and the utmost attention!