Several ways to stop winter getting the best of your lips!

Winter is perhaps the biggest culprit when it comes to dry and cracked lips. Do you feel pain and irritation?  An inability to wear your favourite lipstick?  Not wanting to smile in case your lips bleed?

Well enough is enough, here at VIVA we have put together top picks for products and tips, to ensure that winter does not get the best of your lips.

1. Starting off we have the PROJECT LIP, a brand new matte lip primer which is designed to prime and plump your lips simultaneously. It uses natural ingredients to also help keep your lips hydrated throughout the cold winter days whilst also providing a perfect canvas for any lip look. PROJECT LIP is also proud to be born in Manchester, and is unisex and cruelty-free! -£6.95

Consultant Dermatologist at The Harley Street Dermatology Clinic, Dr Marie-Louise Daly, has some tips to keep your lips healthy:

How do harsh environments dry the lips, and how can this be prevented?

Harsh environments (e.g. cold weather) provoke a local inflammatory response in the lips.  This inflammation promotes moisture loss and leads to cell damage in the lips.  In turn, this makes the lips look
scaly and fissured.  One of the best ways to prevent this is to create an artificial barrier with an emollient preparation.  This helps to protect your lips from the ‘elements’.

What role does lip hydration play in preventing cold sores?

When our lips become depleted in moisture (dehydrated) they become scaly, fissured/chapped and may look slightly enlarged.  The scaly red change can affect the lips and may extend to the skin above and below
the lips.  Well, hydrated lips are less likely to have fissures and cracks.  This reduces the risk of transmission of the cold sore virus.

How do seasonal changes affect the appearance and health of lips, what can be done to counteract these changes? 

Our lips have an increased propensity to become inflamed, dry and chapped in extremes of temperature.  Seasonal variation in weather can bring about lip inflammation, dehydration and sun damage.  It is
important to counteract these changes with the regular application of a lip therapy such as Prevasore and careful use of SPF products.

 

2. Not only do the Winter months bring with them the threat of chapped and sore lips, but for some even worse, cold sores. Prevasore gel formula helps from dry cracked lips to cold sore sufferers, by creating a hydrating barrier on the lips to increase moister and aid healing. Research shows that as many as 45% of the population is reported to suffer from recurrent cold sores, but Prevasore’s formula helps to heal cold sores and prevent their reoccurrence with also the added protection against harsh environments.  -£6.95

3. Jack Black Intense Therapy. Enriched with superior skin conditioners and antioxidants, this emollient balm soothes and relieves dry, chapped, irritated lips. Unlike waxy sticks, it penetrates quickly to provide instant relief. It also offers broad-spectrum sun protection with an SPF of 25 and guards against windburn and temperature extremes. -£7.25

 

4. Divine Lip Lipsticks named after Queen of Glamour Joan Collins Timeless Beauty, has a unique range of lipsticks designed to give you a touch of Hollywood with each shade named after each of her on-screen appearances. Each lipstick is formulated to apply a beautiful colour with lasting power, and actively hydrate lips so they are fuller, softer, and more luscious. A lipstick that doesn’t just protect but also keeps up with your appearances too. Available at M&S, JoanCollinsBeauty.com, QVC and Urban Retreat Harrods. – £18

 

5. Palladio butter me up! A sheer colour balm that is luscious and buttery, and protects the lips. It contains nourishing, vitamin-rich oils and botanicals to maintain moisture balance and prevent dry, flaky or chapped lips. With four bold and buildable colours to choose from, it will nourish your lips while simultaneously making you look your absolute best! -£9.00

 

6. Cult lip care brand Lypsyl, launches an exciting collection of luxurious balms that contains a rich, hydrating blend of natural Shea and Cocoa butter, Avocado Oil, Beeswax, Aloe Vera and Vitamin E. These high-quality ingredients gently hydrate, soothe and smooth delicate lip skin. The result is a scented coat of amour for your lips to help protect and hydrate them all year round.  -£1.89

7. Last but certainly not least, is the Skyn ICELAND’s product Berry Lip Fix, packed with potent skin-conditioning ingredients, such as Wintered Red Algae, Shea Butter and a unique Arctic Berry Complex, all of which actively soothe and moisturize dry, chapped lips. Skyn ICELAND products are inspired with natural resources of Iceland and aim to treat damaged and stressed skin, with also the added extra of being vegan, cruelty –free, and all natural ingredients. – £12.00

 

Lisa de-la-Plain, professional beauty therapist and co-founder of the online beauty site Beauty Flash, also has some brilliant tips and tricks to prevent against winter lips!

 

1. Apply lip balm before you feel your lips getting dry. Obviously, when your lips start cracking everyone reaches for their lip balm.  But if you take steps to nourish and protect your lips at all times, you might prevent them from chapping at all. Avoid lip balms with petroleum jelly as that only tends to make your lips drier.
2. Don’t lick your lips. It is so tempting to lick dry lips because you would assume saliva to be moisturising, however, this is not the case. The enzymes contained in saliva break down your food so saliva is actually dehydrating your lips.
3. Drink lots of water. The first sign of dehydration is being thirsty, then parched, then your whole mouth is dry, including your lips.  Stop this at the first signs of thirst by drinking around 2-3 Litres of water per day.  If you don’t like the taste of plain water, try adding fruit to give it some natural flavour.
4. If you find your lips getting dry at night, try a humidifier. This helps to bring some of the moisture back into the air overnight.
5. Wear sunscreen on your lips and make it a high SPF. The biggest cause of lip dryness is sunburn.
6. Stay away from hot or salty foods. These foods only work to dry out your lips.