Dry Lips / Lip balm

[coltrane]

I have extraordinarily dry lips. I think part of the problem is that I lick them too much. Nevertheless, I've tried everything - coconut oil, beeswax, petroleum jelly, etc. - and while they help, nothing seems to work long-term. Any suggestions?

thanks....

[RRM]

Maybe there is no long term solution, and the help is all you need. (in as much as you need to protect your skin against excessive sunexposure)
Lips often get dehydrated due to dry air in heated buildings (and therefore often occurs in winter),
or due to dry air in the sahara (which applies if you are a touareg )
and licking your lips gets them dehydrated too.

[Wintran]

I think part of the problem is that I lick them too much.

Yes, I think so too. For me, I can get very dry lips if I lick them often, especially when outside (even worse if the wind is blowing). In that case I'd rather let them stay dry than trying to wet them all the time (which only makes it worse). If I'm indoors I allow myself to wet my lips sometimes, but I try not overdo it. It feels like licking the lips can easily become a bad habit, like biting your nails.

It's probably important to drink enough water/OJ as well.

[Oscar]

Aside from not getting enough water, it could have something to do with water retention (excess (dirty) protein and/or salt). If water is drawn away, then one would need far more water to keep their lips moist, I suppose.

[meao]

Yeah, licking your lips makes them dry as when the saliva evaporates it will take some skin from your lips with it, so its best to not lick you lips.
The reason that balms and such do not work on your lips is because there is dry skin build up on your lips, and the lip balm can not moisturize your lips through all the layers of dead skin cells.
So in order to get rid of dry skin on lips, take a toothbrush and buff your lips with sugar and olive oil.
Then you can apply lip balm or whatever which can then hydrate your lips =)!
Meao x

[johndela1]

Yeah, licking your lips makes them dry as when the saliva evaporates it will take some skin from your lips with it, so its best to not lick you lips.

Why do you believe this to be so?


I'm wondering how drying liquid can take away skin? The whole concept of distilling is based on the the fact the things like this don't happen, right?

[meao]

Haha , sorry I meant it evaporates moisture from your lips not skin.
x

[RRM]

Maybe its the saliva that 'attacks' the skin, since it contains the enzymes to do so.

[MJ]

I found this all natural lip balm that not only has very few ingredients, but also the ingredients listed all have lower Vitamin E than Olive Oil according to Wai's list of oils.

http://www.wildernessfamilynaturals.com ... atural.htm

[dionysus]

Looks good

[WaiWay]

What do you guys recommend for Chapstick? I have this one from "Chap Stick" that's all natural. Do you think it's alright? Do you think perhaps applying an oil would be a better solution?

[RRM]

Vaseline will do.