All About The Lips

Hi beauties! We’re nearing yet another massive product launch this week and all I can say is: lipstick fans will be very very happy!

Leading up to this huge launch in a few days, I thought I’d do a post on lip care. From the simplest at home remedies and customized DIYs to luxurious product options, soft and luscious lips are super easy to achieve…

All About The Lips

The skin on our lips is actually more sensitive than we think. Weather changes, sunburn, a bout of the flu or even the much loved matte liquid lipsticks can take their toll on our lips causing the skin to flake, crack and look dry and wrinkled.

Exfoliation to remove dry/dead skin followed by a good balm to moisturize is key to keeping lips healthy and looking their best. Here are my personal tried and tested favorites:

TWO-STEP WONDER

The easiest and possibly the most effective way to exfoliate and moisturize lips is by using a face towel or a toothbrush followed by good old Aquaphor. A face towel with slightly rough fibres or a soft bristle toothbrush (one dedicated to lips only of course) is the best way to slough away dry skin.

Face towel: wet the towel with warm water, compress over the lips for couple of minutes to soften the dead skin. Gently wipe the towel over the lips in circular motions til all the dead skin comes off.

Toothbrush: gently brush over the lips in circular motions to loosen and remove dead skin. Using a toothbrush also helps massage the lips which increases circulation making the lips appear fuller.

Aquaphor: I LOVE Aquaphor! It’s my go-to magic potion for dry skin and I always keep a tube in my handbag. Aquaphor is great in locking in moisture and hydrating throughout the day which makes for a great lip balm.

THE PRODUCTS

There are so many amazing lip scrubs and balms, however, there are two brands in particular that I’ve been using on and off over the years. Fresh Sugar and Sara Happ line of lip scrubs and balms are not only delicious but they also contain moisturizing blend of oils to treat the lips at the same time.

Check out Fresh Sugar lip products here and Sara Happ lip products here

Sara Happ Cocoa Lip Scrub

THE DIY OPTIONS

If you love lip scrubs and prefer to make your own, the options are endless. So, instead of giving you one recipe, I designed the chart below so you can pick and choose your favorite ingredients. The chart is divided into 3 sections:

Scrub – which is the base of your recipe. Brown or white sugar make a great base for lip scrubs as the gritty texture helps break down the dry skin on the lips. If you have sensitive skin, ground coffee is a great alternative as it’s more gentle. If you don’t want to stop at one or the other, you can mix the sugar and coffee together for a delicious concoction.

Soften – a balm or oil formula is great to bind the sugar/coffee together to make a paste; and it’s also great for moisturizing and softening the lips. I usually use Aquaphor for this step but depending on your personal preference, any of the oils or butters listed below works just fine. For block butters such as shea or cocoa, you will need to melt them down to mix through the scrub. 

Taste – this is the part where you can go all out! Honey is a delicious option and it has softening and anti bacterial qualities. Vanilla paste is another alternative as some pastes contain the beans which add to the exfoliation factor. And then there’s the essences. From sweet vanilla and almond, cooling peppermint to fruit essences like strawberry or citrus, you can add a touch of delicious to your custom mix.

Depending on how much scrub I make, I typically use 1tsp of each ingredient and adjust the taste portion according to how strong I want the scent to be. You can certainly adjust the recipe to your liking. Organic ingredients perform better and can be found in health stores.

Last but not least: Aquaphor (or your preferred unscented lip balm) mixed with a few drops of organic cinnamon oil makes a great DIY lip plumper. Cinnamon oil boosts circulation which plumps up the lips and the slight burning sensation gives the lips a natural flush of color. Note: Cinnamon oil can be quite potent so start off with couple of drops and increase the amount depending on the intensity you can handle.

What would be your custom lip scrub mix from the chart? Let me know in the comments :)