Why You Should Use a Lip Scrub To Fight Aging

Premature aging may cause excessive dead skin and dryness on the lips. If you want a young-looking face, you need to focus more on lip care. The absence of sebaceous (sweat) glands in the lips is the cause of aging lips. Because sweat glands help keep the skin hydrated, lips tend to dry out quicker than other parts of the body. Without sweat glands, your body will not be able to cool down, detox, or freshen up. 

In addition, lips don’t create sebum, which keeps the rest of our skin moisturized. As a result, aging might make your lips dry and lose pigment, making them look dull. Therefore, it is recommended to use lip scrubs or moisturizers that contain hyaluronic acid and vitamin E to keep your lips hydrated. When your lips are free of flakes and dead skin, the natural color shows up more clearly. Lip scrubs are also available with colored tints, allowing you to enhance your natural skin tone. Lip scrubs play an important role in combating dry lips caused by aging. They exfoliate the skin and pave the way for new skin cells to form by adding moisture and plumping your lips as well. 

What Is a Lip Scrub?

When it comes to lip scrubs, you’ll find a mixture of an exfoliating agent and a “scrubby” texture, similar to sugar grains. Using these lip scrubs gently removes dry skin layers to reveal soft and supple lips. In addition, hydrating substances like plant oils and butter are often included in the lip scrub’s non-exfoliating base. This implies that, in addition to removing dead skin cells, they also provide much-needed hydration to delicate skin present on your lips. 

Sugar is a common ingredient in lip scrubs. Sugar is a gentle exfoliate for lips, yet it works well to remove flaky skin that builds on the lips over time. Together, the emollient and exfoliator will hydrate and make the lips smooth. While there are many commercially available lip scrub products, a lip scrub may be prepared at home using natural ingredients. One easy recipe includes sugar as an exfoliator and olive oil for hydration, some people also use honey for taste and anti-bacterial properties. Baking soda is sometimes used as a scrubbing agent, with water. Whether using a commercial or homemade product, it is important to always exfoliate the lips gently, since the skin in that region is the thinnest and most delicate on the body.

Lip scrub is applied all over the lips and gently rubbed in a circular motion before completely washing. Lip exfoliation is typically safe to include in a daily cosmetic regimen if the product includes natural components.

Lip Scrubs We Love

Benefits of Using a Lip Scrub to Fight Aging

Our lips lack sebaceous glands, which produce sebum and help keep the skin supple and hydrated. Cold and dry weather may exacerbate the problem of chapped lips. Conditions that are very dry, such as those that are particularly hot or windy, may also cause chapped lips. Lip scrubbing or exfoliation has some lip-loving benefits that you must try for your dry lips. Firstly, exfoliating your lips will eliminate dead skin and restore the shine and softness of your lips. As a result of the exfoliation and removal of dead skin cells provided by a lip scrub, moisturizing ingredients penetrate more deeply into the skin.

The skin on your lips is quite delicate. Because of this, you’ll need to take proper care of them. Lip scrubs with coconut or almond oil function as a natural SPF (Sun Protection Factor), protecting your lips from sun damage. Keeping your lips well-protected from UV damage is critical for their long-term health. Lip scrubs have a propensity for softening lips. This is because they remove the dead skin that accumulates on the surface of your lips, resulting in a softer feel. Lip scrubs also include oils that keep your lips moisturized, important in different climatic conditions.

Also, if you want your lips to look more plump and full, then a lip scrub is a natural way to do it. This is mainly because of the sugar that exfoliates them promoting blood circulation and making them appear larger. Lip scrubs also contain anti-aging properties, another advantage of using them. It helps to reduce the risk of lip skin aging prematurely. Lip thinning is a common occurrence in both sexes due to premature aging of the lips. Lip wrinkles are another side effect of dry lips. Lip scrub helps preserve your lips in good condition, which prevents them from aging too quickly and in an unwelcome way.

Regular use of a lip scrub may help boost the staying power of lipstick, lip liner, or lip stains, and preserve the look and texture of lips.

What Causes Dry/Chapped Lips?

Lips, unlike other areas of the skin, do not have oil glands. Consequently, the likelihood of lips drying out and getting chapped is increased. Lack of moisture may exacerbate the condition, whether it is caused by the weather or a lack of self-care on your part. During the winter season, dry air may lead to chapped lips. It’s also possible that summertime sun exposure exacerbates your problem. Lip licking is another prevalent cause of chapped lips. More dryness may be caused by saliva coming from the tongue. 

Additionally, irritant lipsticks or scrubs may result in chapped or dry lips. Non-hydration or inadequate lip moisturizing might also be a contributing factor. Moreover, lip chapping may also be caused by some vitamins and drugs. Lithium, vitamin A, and chemotherapy medications are a few examples. Ingredients in lip scrubs may cause skin irritation or dryness. These include menthol, salicylic acid, cinnamic aldehyde, and flavorings in lip scrubs. Even if you don’t have sensitive skin or allergies, utilizing these items might cause your lips to become chapped. Even though chapped lips may be unpleasant and annoying, the condition is rarely life-threatening but can cause cheilitis.

Lip inflammation, known medically as cheilitis, may occur in people with severe forms of the disease. Lips seem red, dry, scaling, and itching as a result of this disorder. In addition, the corners of your mouth and across your lips may have cracked skin.

How To Treat Chapped Lips?

The American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) recommends that people with chapped lips search for exfoliating lip scrubs that include therapeutic components. Castor oil, olive oil, hemp seed oil, petrolatum, shea butter, sun-protective compounds, such as titanium oxide or zinc oxide, and white petroleum jelly are all components that may help cure chapped lips. Look for lip scrubs that include these ingredients if you want softer lips. Put on an SPF 30 or higher non-irritating lip scrub before venturing out into the sun. Keep your lips sun-protected year-round, even in the winter. Dry and chapped lips are more susceptible to sunburn and, as a result, are more likely to develop cold sores. Finally, let go of your habit of licking, biting, and picking at your lips. While it may be instinctual to moisten dry lips by licking them, this might aggravate the situation. 

Additionally, using a good lip scrub helps protect your lips from harsh weather conditions. You should choose one with a high concentration of emollients. Petrolatum and dimethicone, two ingredients that help moisturize dry lips, may be found in the list of ingredients. The word “balm” doesn’t have to be the only word in the product’s name. Lip ointments are also a feasible alternative.

The best way to keep your lips safe is to exfoliate your lips with a lip scrub once a week or what suits you best. During the day, you’ll need six to eight applications, so apply it first thing in the morning, last thing at night, and roughly every two hours throughout the day. Moreover, drinking plenty of water has numerous health benefits. It prevents chapped lips that are due to dehydration.

DIY Lip Scrubs 

Apply one of the following home remedies to soothe, hydrate, and protect your chapped lips after exfoliating them.

Coconut Oil

It’s important to note that your lips are covered by a thin layer of stratum corneum and have poor skin barrier from dust and limited moisture capacity. As a result, your skin in these areas is more vulnerable to the environment than other regions of your body due to the wind, heat, and cold.

Moisturizing and protecting your skin are two of the many benefits of using coconut oil as an emollient. The anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties of coconut oil are also beneficial for chapped lips. You can easily apply coconut oil to your lips if they are chapped. You need to dab the oil on your lips with a cotton swab or your finger. A non-cosmetic moisturizing agent, emollients are used largely to preserve the skin from drying out. To get the most out of them, use them just after you’ve finished showering or bathing. It’s fine to use them throughout the day, particularly when it comes to your lips, which lose moisture more quickly than the rest of the body. In addition to being a great lip balm substitute, coconut oil may also be utilized as an overnight treatment mask.

Combining oil with a thicker protectant like honey is beneficial here. Mix honey and coconut oil in a ratio of 1:3 until a thick cream develops. 

Aloe Vera 

Aloe vera may be used for various things, but it’s best recognized as a sunburn cure. Chapped lips might also benefit from its anti-inflammatory qualities and soothing properties. Pure aloe vera may be used on delicate regions of the skin, such as the lips and beneath the eyes, without causing irritation. It also boosts blood flow to the region where it’s applied, thereby reducing inflammation. In addition, Vitamins A and C, which have antioxidant properties, may help mitigate the effects of environmental toxins.

To utilize aloe vera, you may either purchase it in a gel form or apply it fresh off the leaf of an aloe plant. Using a leaf from the plant, split it in half and scoop out the gel within. Keep the gel in a bottle and use your fingertips to apply it to your lips as required. Using aloe vera more than twice a day might cause minor exfoliation, so you’ll want to restrict your usage. Aloe Vera in lip scrubs is a great ingredient that offers various benefits. Because of its slick texture, aloe is rapidly absorbed by the skin, but it does not remain on the lips to provide protection from the environment. If you’re seeking to create your DIY lip scrub, consider using beeswax, coconut oil, and mineral oil in addition to aloe.

Avocado Oil

Beta carotene, vitamins A, D, and E, and other antioxidants abound in avocado oil, making it an excellent choice for moisturizing your lips. These antioxidants protect your lips from the sun’s harmful rays while boosting collagen formation. Avocado oil is a favorite component in many lip oils and balms since it absorbs quickly. Beeswax and petrolatum, which lay on top of the skin, are common ingredients in traditional lip treatments. Unlike avocado oil, which can truly permeate the skin and provide health benefits. 

Mistakes To Avoid While Using a Lip Scrub

Who wouldn’t want their lips to be super plump and smooth with zero flakiness? A lip scrub is an answer for that perk. However, improper use of a lip scrub might damage your lips more than good. Following are the common lip scrub blunders that you should avoid.

Over Exfoliating

It is not suggested to use a lip scrub more than three times each week, since excessive exfoliation may leave your lips rough and sensitive, potentially causing bleeding. Because the aim of scrubbing your lips is to remove dead skin, you must let a day or two for the skin to regrow. Gently clean your lips every other day to maintain their smooth, full, and supple appearance.

Lip Scrubs We Love

Scrubbing Bruised Lips

If you have any scrapes or bruises on your lips, you must avoid using a lip scrub. Scrub particles may rip the injury open more, resulting in bleeding or stinging. If you have sunburned lips, wait a few days before applying a lip scrub. While exfoliating sunburned lips might cause redness and irritation, the scrub will be more efficient at eliminating the layer of dead skin after a few days.

Lip Scrub With Toxic Ingredients 

When selecting a lip scrub, it is essential to avoid hazardous substances such as alcohol and parabens, since they may irritate the skin. Everyone understands that scrubs are supposed to hydrate and nurture the lips. As a result, it may seem counterproductive to include chemicals that irritate and dehydrate the skin. 

Lip scrubs have exfoliating ingredients like phenol and menthol, which create a tingling sensation when applied to the lips. However, rather than protecting our lips from the surroundings, these products irritate the skin and remove the outer layer, exposing our sensitive lips to the environment. Instead, you should look for ingredients like mango butter and essential oils, full of fatty acids and natural anti-oxidants.

How To Use a Lip Scrub

All you actually need to do is massage the scrub around your lips with your finger for a minute or two. If you want to go all out, you may get a lip scrub application tool. However, use caution while applying the scrub. If you scrub too vigorously, you may wind up removing the layer of skin behind the dead skin cells, which may hurt and perhaps cause you to bleed. Use only products with mild ingredients. Also, don’t scrub too frequently, once a week or so should be plenty. 

After you’ve scrubbed your lips, rinse them and apply a high-quality moisturizer to keep them nourished. Consider investing in a lip mask as well for extra moisture. These masks may be worn overnight to effectively keep in moisture. However, no matter how meticulously you use your moisturizing lip treatments, cold air, dry weather, and other environmental factors will cause your lips to become parched again. So keep a lip scrub on hand in your care regimen, and you’ll never have to put up with that bothersome effect for long.

Final Thoughts

Throughout the day, your lips are exposed to the environment and sun. They don’t get a respite from being exposed. As a result, it’s essential for lip care regularly by keeping them moisturized and supple by using a lip scrub and lip balm. If you overlook or avoid applying moisture to your lips, they may quickly become chapped and even break and bleed. It’s impossible to dispute the aging effects your lips have on your appearance.

Too much exposure to the sun and poor maintenance can quickly cause them to shrivel and develop creases and wrinkles over their surfaces. This may hasten the aging process. With proper care of your skin and body, they will return the favor by retaining their young, healthy appearance. Therefore, you should start using a lip exfoliator to help your lips retain their moisture for a longer period and give a young-looking appearance.