Medically reviewed by Minimalist Health Specialist - Written by Devanshi Singh (Beauty Expert) on 06th Feb 2021
Daily Lip Care Tips for Dark, Dry & Dull Lips
LLips are, without a doubt, the first thing that a person notices when you meet them or talk to them. And that is why people with dark, dull, and dry lips sometimes feel shy and underconfident. However, if you are one such person, we have two things for you in this article today.
Firstly, we want you to be aware that you are beautiful no matter what kind of lips you have. And secondly, don't worry about your lips anymore. In this article, we are here to discuss and talk about daily lip care tips and tricks that will help you get rid of dark, dull, and dry lips.
Why do you have dry and chapped lips?
As per some studies, chapped lips result from several factors like excessive lip licking, weather, dehydration, and even medications like Vitamin A, chemotherapy drugs, and retinoids.
Let's discuss three major factors behind this:
1. Dehydration
The most crucial factor that leads to dry and chapped lips is dehydration, or you can say lack of moisture.
You may not know this, but lips don't have oil glands, unlike your other body parts. Due to this reason, the chances of your lips drying out are way more than you expect them to be.
2. Weather takes a toll on your lips!
There are people whose lips get chapped only during the winter season or any other specific time of the year. This happens because your environmental conditions are dry, causing your lips to dehydrate.
3. Lip Licking!
Some of us have the habit of licking our lips, due to which they end up getting dry, chapped, and dull lips. This happens because the more you lick your lips, the more moisture gets stripped away from them. All thanks to your saliva.
Thus, if you are one of such people, then you must immediately stop.
How to treat dull and dark lips?
If you have dull and dark lips, then here is a list of things you must try to get rid of them.
1. Exfoliation is the key!
Exfoliating your skin and not your lips is a huge mistake that many of us make in our daily self-care routine.
If you do not regularly exfoliate your lips, you will not get rid of the dead cells and the dry outer layer.
Ways to exfoliate your lips!
- Rub your lips gently with your toothbrush to eliminate dead cells and enhance blood circulation.
- Scrub your lips regularly.
Some scrubs that can be helpful to treat dry and dull lips:
- Sugar-based scrubs: Mix some powdered brown sugar with coconut or olive oil to scrub your lips.
- Baking Soda Scrub: Mix baking soda with some amount of water to form a soft paste. After using baking soda scrub, make sure to moisturize your lips by applying a lip balm, as this scrub does not hydrate your lips.
- Honey-sugar scrub: Mis 1/3 honey and 2/3 sugar and form a soft paste. Apply it directly to your lips in a circular motion. You can use your hands, a soft toothbrush, and even a cotton swab.
- Vaseline scrub: Apply Vaseline to your lips using a soft toothbrush to get rid of dead cells and dry the outer layer.
Some other ways to exfoliate your lips!
- Make use of lemon juice - Mix lemon juice with either castor oil or glycerin, and then apply it to your lips. Let this paste stay for an hour or so, and then gently wash it off. Do not forget to moisturize your lips with a lip balm afterward.
- Use Oatmeal - Oatmeal has a grainy texture, and that is why it magically exfoliates your skin and even your lips. Mix 1 spoon of oatmeal with three spoons of milk or warm water to a paste. Rub this mixture on your lips for a minute or two and wash it off.
- Use Rose petals: Using rose petals to exfoliate your skin not only gives you soft, luscious lips, but it even adds a little color to them. Take some clean rose petals and soak them in raw milk for about three hours; after soaking, crush or mash the petals to make a paste. Then use this paste on your lips.
- Use a premade exfoliant - Lip scrubs are a common thing nowadays. If you also use such premade lip scrubs, make sure your scrub contains essential hydrating components like shea butter and aloe and not harsh chemicals like salicylic acid. If you experience any irritation after using a lip scrub, make sure not to use it again.
Tips for dark, dry, and dull lips!
Below are a few important tips and tricks that you must keep in mind and follow if you have dark, dry, and dull lips.
- Use your sunscreen wisely - Not all of us use sunscreen correctly. But that is not a good thing. Sun protection is not just important for your skin but your lips also. After all, they are also a sensitive part of your body. That is why, next time whenever you go out to buy yourself a lip balm, make sure to buy one that contains SPF 15 or more. Apply it daily to save your skin from harsh sun rays.
- Hydrate both internally and externally - Hydration is important inside-out. Properly moisturize your skin to avoid dehydrated lips. One of the perfect ways to hydrate and soothe your lips is to use aloe vera gel on your lips. Also, make sure that you drink an ample amount of water to keep yourself hydrated.
- Use of essential oils like Vitamin E - Take a Vitamin E capsule and extract its oil. Apply it on your lips directly as it helps increase your blood circulation and the regeneration of new cells. Also, it prevents fine lines.
- Never forget to prime your lips - There is one thing that most of us fail to do before applying lipstick, and that is to prime our lips. You do not need to do something fancy. Just use a layer of almond or coconut oil on your lips before applying lipstick. This layer will act as a protective barrier and prevent your lips from getting dry.
- Quit smoking - One of the major side-effects of smoking is that it gives you dark lips. Thus, if you want your lips always to remain pink and luscious, then you surely need to quit smoking.
FAQs about dark, dry, and dull lips!
1) How frequently/often should you exfoliate your lips?
Exfoliating your lips daily is not at all a good habit. If you do so, you will end up damaging your lips. Thus, you must exfoliate your lips 1-2 times a week.
2) How can someone treat their dark lips?
Using a great lip exfoliant can help you positively treat your dark lips. The easiest way is to use some lemon and sugar mixture to exfoliate your lips and make them soft and luscious.
3) What is a healthy and organic alternative to lip balm?
Lip balm is not a must. The mandatory thing is to moisturize your lips, and lip balm is not the only way to do it. There are several other natural ways to do so. Like you can use almond oil, coconut oil, and shea butter to hydrate your lips.
