Are you suffering from dry, chapped, cracking lips? Check our selection of the best moisturizing lip balms to get healthy, soft lips once again. Lip balm works by sealing the lips with a protective layer that locks in moisture. The skin cells can then get more water content and regenerate faster.

Having dry, cracked lips can be very uncomfortable. They can get very stingy and sore. Plus, having cracked lips is a very embarrassing problem to have.  The lips and mouth area  can get red, inflamed, flaky, and can even bleed. People will notice it right away when talking to you.

Luckily, there are a number of things that can be done to treat chapped lips and prevent lips from cracking in the first place. This article will go over these cracked lip remedies.

Lip Balm

Lip balms moisturize the lips from the outside, and this will help to lock in the moisture that is already contained in the lips. Lip balm will also create a protective layer on your lips. This will sooth pain and to protect lips from harsh environmental conditions. There are many good lip balms on the market. The most natural and safest lip balms are the ones that have herbal ingredients and bees wax.

Get a Humidifier

Sometimes the air in our home can be dry and harsh on our lips. This is especially true in the winter time when furnaces produce a lot of dry heat. It can be a good idea to get a humidifier to help counteract this dryness. Not only will this help with dry skin and lips, it will also allow for easier breathing. Getting houseplants can also help to balance out the humidity levels in your home.

Hydrate

One of the best ways to prevent and heal cracked lips is to make sure you are properly hydrated at all times. Chapped and cracking lips are one of the first symptoms of dehydration. This is because skin is not as important as other internal organs, so it gets water last. Skin is the first organ to be affected, and the last to heal. So, make sure you are drinking enough water. If you are out and about a lot, get a water bottle.

Using Honey

Applying pure honey to the lips can help moisturize them, similar to lip balm. This results in quicker healing. Honey is also well known for it’s antibacterial properties. This means applying honey to your cracked lips can also help to prevent infection. You can make your own lip balm with beeswax, honey, and almond oil.

Don’t Pick

Never pick or bite at any dry bits on the lips. While this will remove the dead skin, it will more often than not also tear off more than you intended. Then the lips might even start bleeding. It will take even longer to heal and will be even more noticeable. Try to leave the damaged lips alone and let them heal.

Don’t Lick

A common mistake a lot of people make when they get dry lips is to lick them. They think this will add moisture and heal the lips. In reality, just the opposite is true. It will only moisten them very briefly, then the saliva will evaporate and take away even more moisture. This makes the problem worse. You have probably experienced this at least once.

Tooth Brush Exfoliating

Exfoliating your lips can help remove excess dry skin from the area. This can make them look healthy, and will prevent chapping. Lips are one of the most sensitive places on our bodies, so we have to be careful. A good technique is to use a soft bristle toothbrush and gentle scrub the lips. Do not apply too much pressure, or you could end up causing a problem instead of preventing one.

Knowing what causes cracked lips can help us to know how to treat them. It also provides us with information to prevent lips from chapping in the future. Here are some the most common causes of dry, cracking  lips.

Dehydration

The most common cause of chapped lips is not getting drinking enough water. Dehydration occurs when the body loses fluids which are not replaced. These fluids can be lost through exercise, sunlight, diarrhea, or from not drinking enough water.

One of the first signs of dehydration for many people is dry or cracked lips. Vital organs, such as the brain, lungs, heart, and liver, are the priorities for the body when it comes to distributing water. The skin is last organ that receives water. This means that when you get dehydrated, the skin is the first that suffers. The skin is also the last to replenish and heal.

Weather and Environment

When your lips are exposed to extremely hot or cold temperatures, they will easily become chapped. High winds and UV rays from sun exposure can also trigger dry lips. This is because extreme weather will cause the natural moisture in your lips to evaporate.

Any time you are planning to spend the day outside, you should make sure you use a lip balm which contains sunscreen. Reapply several times during the time that you are outside in order to prevent your cracked lips from becoming worse.

Cosmetics

Many lipsticks can sometimes cause women’s lips to dry out. If you notice that your cosmetics are causing you to have dry skin, discontinue using the product and try another brand. There are many products on the market that aren’t harsh on your skin. In fact, some are good for your lips and can repair damage. However, you should always remember, that what works well for one person may not be the right choice for you.

Dry Air

Dry air can be harsh on all parts of our skin, including our lips. This is true for the air outdoors and inside of the home. The winter time is especially notorious for bringing about dry air. Outside the air is cold, and cold air cannot retain moisture. Inside our we have our heaters running, and they produce dry heat. There is not much we can do about the air outside, but inside we can make use of a humidifier to add moisture.

Nutrition

Poor nutrition along with a lack of essential vitamins can result in poor skin and lip health. It is important to make sure you are getting enough B vitamins. B vitamins are important in maintaining healthy, skin, and lips. Vitamin C in crucial because it produces collagen. Collagen is necessary for building healthy skin tissue. Finally, vitamin E plays an important role in skin health, because it is an antioxidant. You should always eat a healthy balanced diet including beans, whole wheat, green vegetables, fruits, and fish. The health benefits extend beyond healthy skin and lips.

Licking Lips

Constantly licking lips is a quick way to chap them. It may seem like a good idea to moisten them with saliva, but the effect is only temporary. The saliva will quickly evaporate, leaving your lips in worse condition than they were in before. Do your best to avoid doing this, and if it is a habit, try to kick it.

Medications

There are a huge variety of medications out there that can have adverse effects on skin. Topical acne treatments are well known for this. Unfortunately, this is probably something you will have to deal with. The good news is that after you are done taking the medications, things should return to normal. Using a lip balm can help to alleviate the symptoms.

Citrus Fruits

Citrus fruits will high acid contents can adversely affect lips and leave them dry. Plus, if they are already chapped it can be very stingy to eat these foods. Citrus residue on your lips will also make them more vulnerable to damaging UV rays from the sun. If you are eating oranges or lemons, try not to suck on them with your lips.

Mouth Breathing

Breathing through your mouth will cause air to constantly pass over your lips. This will obviously result in drying out. You have probably experienced this when you have a cold. Your nose get stuffed up, so you breath through your mouth, then your mouth dries up. Try to always be breathing through your nose to prevent cracked lips.

Applying a lip balm is one of the best ways to treat and prevent cracked lips. Read about the different kinds of lip balm, so you can choose which kind is best for you.

Fruit Based

Popular fruit based lip balms such as EOS, Softlips and Chapstick, contain natural fruit-based derivatives, along with a beeswax or petroleum base. These create a smooth lip coating that seals and protects from environmental contaminants. Plus, they will smell and taste pleasant.
Browse fruit based lip balm

Sun Protection

There are a variety of lip balms that contain SPF protection to guard your lips from sun exposure and damaging UV rays. Sun block is especially important if you are spending a lot of time outdoors. Water sports and snow sports can be especially damaging, because the sun reflects off the water/snow.
Browse lip balm with SPF protection

Camphor and Menthol

Camphor based lip balms include brands such as Carmex and are formulated to heal dry, cracked lips and aid in the healing of cold sores. Camphor is a derivitive of Camphor spirits, which have long been trusted to help fight viral cold sores and fever blisters. Menthol based lip balms such as Blistex lip balm, give a cooling sensation and is another great choice for dry, cracked lips in the harsh Fall and Winter months.
Browse camphor and menthol lip balm

Vitamin-E

Vitamin E based lip balm, such as Neutrogena Naturals, keeps lips velvety smooth and naturally exfoliated for a healthy appearance. Vitamin E is an essential Vitamin for new skin cells to develop and is an excellent natural exfoliant for old skin cells.
Browse vitamin-E lip balms

Shea Butter

Shea butter based lip balm works to repair and nourish the lips. Shea butter penetrates deep into cracked lips to rejuvenate the lips for a more youthful appearance.
Browse Shea butter lip balms

Petroleum Jelly

Petroleum jelly is also commonly used as a lip balm. Petroleum jelly acts as a barrier to seal and protect the lips and surrounding skin when it has been damaged, chafed, wind burned, sun burned or irritated.
Browse petroleum jelly lip balm

Homeopathic and 100% Natural

Lip balms that contain L-Lysine, such as Herpicin-L, contain natural antiviral properties and can help prevent cold sores or greatly reduce the healing time. Burt’s Bees is a 100% Natural lip balm infused with Mango butter to soften the lips naturally.
Browse natural lip balm

A common place to get cracked lips is on the corners of your mouth. This is because it is where your lips separate, so it gets a lot of movement. It can be a very painful condition, because even opening your mouth can reopen the wounds. Cracked lip corners can also take a long time to heal if you do not take the proper steps.

This article will go over all about cracked lip corns. Learn what causes cracked lips corners, ways to treat it, and tips to prevent it.

Nutrition

When your lip corners begin to crack, it is typically called angular cheilitis. Dehydration, personal habits, and environmental conditions can all bring about chapped lips, but the main cause of angular cheilitis is lack of vitamin B2 (riboflavin), and sometimes zinc.

Fungal Infection

When angular cheilitis occurs, it is usually a fungal infection, but sometimes it is bacterial. It will cause both sides of the mouth to develop inflamed lesions, dryness, and deep cracks. Every time you open your mouth it will open the wound and aggravate it. A crust can form around the area, which can be very unsightly. Sometimes a yeast infection, thrush, can cause cracked lip corners.

Treatment

In minor cases, you should apply a topical anti-fungal or antibiotic cream to the affected area. This will kill whatever is causing the infection, and will allow your cracked lips to heal. It should heal within a few days of applying the ointment. Clotrimazole is an over-the-counter antifungal cream that is used to cure athlete’s foot, but it will also work for angular cheilitis.

In serious cases, or cases when the wounds will not heal, you will need to see a dermatologist. They can provide you with more information and prescription medications to cure the problem.

Prevention

Make sure you are eating a healthy, balanced diet to help heal your cracked lips corners. As mentioned before, you want to make sure you are getting plenty of vitamin b2 and zinc to prevent angular cheilities. Foods that include these vitamins and nutrients are broccoli, beef, asparagus, salmon, nuts, and spinach. It might also be a good idea to take vitamin B2 supplements if you are not getting enough if your diet.

The main cause of chapped lips is loss of moisture. Moisture may be lost from our lips due to various factors. Extreme weather like winter, wind, and heat can dry lips. A variety of personal habits can also dry lips out. The following tips will help to prevent chapped lips. After all, prevention is the best cure.

Use Lip Balms

Ensure that you moisturize your lips with a lip balm, both during the day and at night. Just as our faces and bodies need moisturizing, lips also need to stay hydrated. For day time lip moisturizers, choose a good oil-based brand with at least a SPF 15 to protect your lips from UVB and UBA damage. Lip balms that contain cocoa butter and Shea butter are good lip moisturizers as they are easily absorbed by the skin. At night, good old Vaseline will keep your lips hydrated as it locks in moisture throughout the night. Keep away from flavored lip balms, as they encourage licking of lips.

Choosing the Right Cosmetic Products

Lips sticks and lip glosses are meant to give your lips a fuller and glossy look. Unfortunately, some lip sticks and glosses will harm your lips, because they contain harsh ingredients. Some may cause chapped lips, and some will cause clogged pores. Choose your lip products wisely and always check the ingredients. Products with alcohol should be totally avoided. Go for lip products that have high quantities of moisturizers and natural oils. Look for products that not only make your lips look beautiful on the outside, but also healthy from the inside.

Stay Hydrated

Drinking lots of water and fluids is essential for healthy skin and lips. This will keep the body hydrated, and prevent lips from drying and eventually chapping. If you get dehydrated your lips will be one of the first organs to be affected, because they are so sensitive.

Protection from Harsh Weather

Extreme weather has a way of ridding our surroundings of moisture. During winter, you may consider humidifying your home or office to add moisture to cold and dry air. Your humidifier should be cleaned regularly to ensure that it is working at its best. If you are outdoors on extremely windy days or during winter, use a scarf to cover your mouth.

Stop Bad Habits

Kill the temptation to bite, pick, and lick your lips. These awful habits remove the protective layer of oil on your lips’ skin, making them vulnerable to drying. Licking of lips is especially misleading as you only get temporary relief. As soon as the saliva dries, your lips are more dehydrated than before. The digestive enzymes found in saliva will also attempt to digest your lips. Stopping this habits will result in healthier lips.

Exfoliate Your Lips

Just as the rest of your body needs exfoliating, your lips need to be exfoliated to remove dead skin. An accumulation of dead skin on your lips may make them prone to drying and flaking. You can use a soft cloth or a very soft toothbrush to exfoliate your lips once a week. The process of exfoliating your lips increases blood flow and gives way to newer, smoother skin.

Eat a Healthy Diet

Nutritional deficiencies may also cause chapped lips. Ensure that your diet is rich in iron and foods containing Vitamin B. Also take multivitamins to supplement your diet. You should also try to make some healthy lifestyle changes. Stop smoking, avoid alcohol, and avoid coffee. These three dehydrate the skin at a very high rate. Replace cigarettes, alcohol, and coffee with fluids like water and fresh juices.

Lips have very sensitive skin skin on them, and this makes them vulnerable to dryness and chapping. Often they will feel painful if this occurs. One of the causes of chapped lips is deficiency of some essential vitamins. Eating and healthy diet,t takings supplements, or using topical treatments can help.

Here we will go over vitamins that lips need to stay healthy, and ways to get these vitamins.

Vitamin deficiency and Chapped Lips

Even though the most obvious reason for dry lips is over-exposure to cold or dry weather, vitamin deficiency can also be a reason for the dryness and cracking of lips. When lips are deficient of some vitamins, the skin becomes dry and damaged. Vitamins help in locking-in the moisture of the skin. When lips are not constantly moist they will crack. Some deficiencies will cause lip inflammation, cracking, and bleeding. When lips are deficient of some vitamins they fail to have the necessary antioxidants to guard the essential fatty acids on the lips, and give proper nourishment to the skin.

Vitamins B1 and B2

These vitamins are vital for the production of energy in the skin cells to keep the skin healthy. Deficiency of these vitamins results in skin damage. Beans, whole grains, and chicken, duck and turkey meat are foods that are rich in vitamin B.

Vitamin A

This vitamin hastens skin healing and cell regeneration. Deficiency of this vitamin causes the skin to become dehydrated, frail, and wrinkled. The chief suppliers of vitamin A are foods that come from animals like eggs, meats from the organs and dairy products. Juices from carrots, tomato and spinach are also good sources of Vitamin A.

Vitamin C

Vitamin C is important in the production of collagen. With elastin, collagen is needed to strengthen the skin tissues. Shortage of vitamin C causes lips to chap. Oranges, grapefruit and other citrus fruits as well as green turnips, broccoli and green leafy vegetables are good sources of vitamin C.

Vitamin E

Vitamin E is responsible for the production of healthy and moisturized skin. People who have a deficiency of vitamin E will have lips that are irritated and chapped. Many vegetables and fruits are packed with vitamin E. They include avocado, beet greens, guava, papaya and spinach.

Drink More Water

Since dry and cracked lips are signs of dehydration, doctors recommend a daily intake of 8-10 glasses of water. Water will help to carry vitamins to your skin as well.

Vitamin Supplements & Topical Creams

To be certain that one has enough vitamin intake, it is advisable to take vitamin supplements. They are readily available in the market. You can also find creams and lip balms that contain vitamins to repair your lips. Ascorbic acid is a good vitamin C supplement. The most active among vitamin E supplement is Alpha-tocopherol. B complex vitamin supplements are enriched with Vitamins B1, B2, and B6.

Normally, lips have a higher tendency to dry than the rest of the body. This is because they do not have the natural oils to keep them moisturized. After conception has taken place, the body goes through a lot of physical and hormonal changes.

One of the most common complaints is dry lips during pregnancy. The severity of dry lips varies from one expectant mother to another. For some, it may be a slight dryness while for others it may be cracked and bleeding lips.

Causes of Dry Lips During Pregnancy

There are many theories as to what causes dry lips during pregnancy. Some are pure myths while others are true. Hormonal changes in an expectant woman’s body are mostly to blame for dry lips. During pregnancy the hormones slow down the secretion of oils responsible for moisturizing the lips. Secondly, the body goes through increased metabolic activity which may cause dehydration, further leading to dry lips and skin. Another reason for dehydration during pregnancy is because of passing urine too frequently, resulting in loss of water which is responsible for keeping the lips and skin hydrated.

Ways to Take Care of Dry Lips During Pregnancy

Use Lip Balm – Use a good brand of lip balm that will not only keep your lips moisturized, but one that will lock moisture in. Lip balm containing beeswax is good as beeswax is a great moisturizer. Most people believe that lip balm should only be worn outdoors; it should also be worn when you are indoors as indoor weather may sometimes be as brutal as the outdoors. When buying lip balm, pick one that has an SPF of at least 15. If you are not able to get a lip balm immediately, Vaseline will work.

Drink More Fluids – To replace the water that is being lost through frequent passing of urine and a lot of sweating, an expectant mother should take a lot of water and fluids. Drink at least 10 glasses of water a day. In winter especially, the lips will lose a lot of moisture, which needs to be constantly replaced. Get into the habit of keeping a glass of water at your bedside, to constantly sip throughout the night.

Use a Humidifier – Use a humidifier in the office and at home, to increase the level of moisture around you. This will hydrate the lips and the rest of the skin.

Avoid Licking Lips – As much as you may be tempted, do not lick your lips. This will dehydrate them further, causing them to become chapped and painful. You should also avoid picking, peeling and overly scrubbing already dry lips as this may cause them to thin further.

Eat a Balanced Diet – Eat a well balanced diet to get all the necessary nutrients. This should include a daily serving of fresh fruits and vegetables.

Talk to Your Obstetrician – If dry lips during pregnancy are bleeding excessively, it would be wise to visit your obstetrician before buying any over the counter treatment. Your obstetrician should be able to prescribe something that will heal the dry lips without harming you or your unborn baby.

Cracked lips can be caused by a variety of factors. One of these causes is the dry weather in the cold winter months. This time is known for being harsh and causing dry skin. The skin on lips is very senstive so, they are very prone to drying out.

Here we will discus why the winter causes dry skin and lip, and ways to combat the problem.

Dry Conditions

During the winter time the air outside and the air indoors can be dry and harmful to our skin and lips. This is because the cold air outside cannot hold moisture, and indoors our furnaces and heaters are producing a lot of dry heat. No matter where we go, we are facing really dry environments. If you are skier or snowboarder, things can get even worse because the sun and wind gets added into the mix.

Fighting the Dry Winter

There are a number of things that you can do to help protect your lips from the these harsh conditions.

Lip Balm – The best thing to do is to keep your lips coated with a lip balm. This will ensure that you lips are protected from the dry and moisture is locked in. Your lips stay healthy and soft. If your lips are already damaged it will also help to quickly heal them and alleviate pain. If you are doing an outdoor sport like skiing or snowboarding then you can find some lip balms with SPF for sun protection as well.

Use a Humidifier – Even though the heater in your house is pumping out hot air, you can counteract it by getting a humidifier. Place it in the room where you spend the most time in. Most likely this will be the bedroom, or possibly a home office. This will add moisture the air which is great for your lips and skin. It can also aid in breathing, resulting in a better nights sleep.

Drink Water – Make sure you are drinking plenty of water to re-hydrate your skin from the inside. This is something a lot of people neglect in the winter time because it is not as hot outside and they do not feel as thirsty. Try to stay away from diuretics like coffee, tea, and soda. These will actually cause you to lose more water.