Tips for Lips During Lock-Down and Beyond
We often forget the skin on our lips in our beauty regime which can spoil an otherwise well-cared-for face. The skin on our lips is super thin, and lips tend to decrease in size as we age due to the loss of collagen, which changes the overall appearance of our countenance. Including these lip tips in your personal skincare routine may help stave off the ageing process.
During lock-down we do not need to use sunblock because we are getting very little sun exposure. However, I would advise using wearing a cap or visor when you do go out during this time, because sunlight depletes the collagen in the lips, but ensure your arms are exposed to any sunlight available because our Vitamin D needs to be sufficient for a robust immune system and to help prevent Vitamin D related health issues such as cancer, autoimmunity, heart disease, depression, and osteoporosis. All kinds of weather (cold temperatures and wind particularly) affect lips that are not protected leading to dry, cracked, and chapped lips.
Tips for healthy lips:
- Drink sufficient fluids throughout the day to stay hydrated, clean water is best, and sip rather than gulp. The lips are one of the first areas to suffer when we are low on fluids.
- Beneficial foods include healthy fats such as olive and coconut oils, plus nuts, seeds, and oily fish; eat a rainbow of vegetables daily, mineral-dense foods like seaweed and seafood, and good sources of protein: legumes with a whole grain like brown rice, fish, chicken, liver, and grass-fed beef and lamb.
- Exfoliate, nourish and protect, just like you care for the rest of the skin.
Home Recipes for Lip Tip routine:
First gently exfoliate to remove dead skin cells. Buy a small jar of honey, empty it into a ceramic bowl and mix in 6 tablespoons of sea salt, 1 tablespoon of coconut oil, and 1 teaspoon of olive oil add 1 teaspoon of organic coffee grounds (fresh or used today). Make sure it is well blended. Using a soft toothbrush or a soft cloth, take approximately ½ teaspoon of the mixture and using a circular motion, gently rub all over the lips.
Continue for 10-20 seconds, rinse thoroughly and pat dry. Store your blend in the honey jar (wash and dry beforehand), in the fridge and use twice weekly. Keeping it cool will help preserve it. While the coarse ingredients help to remove the dead skin cells, the honey nourishes and the oils lubricate. Coffee grounds can be replaced by finely chopped dark chocolate (use a rolling pin to gently bash it up) both of which stimulate circulation and have antioxidant effects. The more blood moving into the lip area the more nutrients delivered and wastes removed.
Second, moisturise with unscented whipped shea butter. If you’re inclined, you can make a more luxurious lip balm using unscented whipped shea butter mixed with beeswax and coconut oil, gently heated and whisked together once melted (very low heat, should not be rushed!), remove from the heat and continue to whisk while adding an essential oil like peppermint, lavender or frankincense. To store you can pour this liquid into used (thoroughly washed and dried) lip balm dispensers and stand until hardened.
Finally, protect by applying your balm regularly throughout the day or use natural organic lipstick.
Lisa is a qualified Nutritional Therapist. She has been practicing nutrition for 16 years across a broad spectrum of health conditions. She has a special interest in Rosacea, and her research, together with experience, led to the writing of her thesis entitled “The Nutritional Management of Rosacea”.
