The biting cold and dry breeze during winter not only steals moisture from your body but also your lips. Most of us end up licking our chapped lips for moisture, however, this drill barely works for a minute. Chapped and dry lips are synonymous with winter which makes it difficult to apply lipstick smoothly. As the skin of the lips does not contain oil glands, cold makes it dry and chappy.
As we are in the middle of the harsh winter, celebrity beautician Shahnaz Husain shares some DIY lip scrubs we can include in our day-to-day skincare routine to avoid chapped lips. According to Husain, vitamins A, C, and B2 are important for the lips, therefore, we should consume foods like lemon, oranges, ripe papaya, tomatoes, carrots, green leafy vegetables, nuts, whole grains, and oats, and milk products.
However, it is best to take your doctor’s advice before making changes in your diet, especially if you have any medical condition.
- Matte lipsticks should be replaced by glossy lipsticks and lip balm. When removing makeup, use a cleansing gel containing aloe vera to get rid of your lipstick. The routine should be followed by an almond cream or oil at night.
- Exfoliation during winter can be troublesome. However, a scrub can be gently used once a week. Then, after washing the lips, rub gently with a soft towel to remove dead skin. Apply cream of milk (malai) and leave on for an hour. If the lips have become dark, add a few drops of lemon juice to the cream of milk.
- You can mix honey with sesame seeds (til) and use them as a scrub on the lips, rubbing gently and then washing off with plain water. You can also mix honey with walnut powder and rub gently on the lips. Wash off the same way.
- Honey can also be mixed with sugar and used as a scrub for the lips. A little almond oil may also be added.
- Almond oil can also be mixed with sugar and used as a scrub on the lips.
- For winter nights, apply pure almond oil daily on the lips and leave on overnight. Almond oil, for instance, is very nourishing and also lightens skin colour over some time. Almond oil can also be used to remove lip makeup.
- Oils like Argan and Coconut oil also help to nourish the skin on the lips in winter. Argan oil is rich in unsaturated fatty acids and Vitamin E. The fatty acids also nourish and soften the skin. They improve skin texture and prevent chapping. Argan oil can be used directly on the skin. Use only a few drops directly on the lips.
- Argan oil or coconut oil can be mixed with a grainy substance, like sesame seeds, walnut powder, sugar, or ground almonds, and used as a scrub on the lips. But, remember not to exfoliate too often and always be gentle.
