Summer time means beautiful weather, balmy nights and finally not needing 3 layers every time you head out the door. It’s the season to enjoy being outdoors and soak in the sunrays, but it’s definitely not the time to slack on your skincare – and lip care! The sudden and drastic change in temperature is quite detrimental to the health of our lips.
UVA/UVB rays are harmful all year long, but it is especially damaging during the summer months when our exposure levers are higher. UV rays are extremely damaging for our skin, and our lips are no exception. Since they have fewer melanocytes in them, our lips are more prone to sun damage caused by UV exposure. It affects the production of collagen in our lips in the long run, which may damage their health and appearance.
image via pinterest
Lindy Lloyd, founder Ena Products shares her top tips for protecting your pout and keeping your lips luscious and healthy during the summer.
Protect from the inside out
Keep hydrated
It goes without saying, drink lots of water! Drinking up to 12 glasses of water a day keeps your body and lips hydrated. It also helps stimulate the blood circulation of the skin.
Eat well
Foods that are high in essential fatty acids (EFA’s) are a great way to feed your skin from the inside. Foods high in Omega 3 & 6 (fish, vegetable oils, nuts and seeds) are known skin foods. Eat plenty of green vegetables and fruits, as fruits rich in vitamins help in increasing your water intake too.
Things to avoid
Avoid too much alcohol and caffeine (if you can!)
Caffeine and alcohol dehydrates your body. Try substituting with herbal tea or decaf options.
Avoid direct sunlight
If you can, avoid direct sunlight on your lips. This could mean always wearing a hat that covers your lips during the hottest part of the day. Additionally, air conditioning can affect skin moisture levels so be sure to keep your lips well moisturized throughout the day to avoid dry and chapped lips.
Avoid licking your lips
We have a habit of licking our lips when they feel dry. Instead, use a hydrating lip balm regularly throughout the day to keep them moisturized and hydrated. Switch to lip balms enriched with jojoba oil (which mimics the skin’s naturally occurring sebum, making it easily absorbed into the skin), beeswax (known to lock in moisture and stay on your lips longer in comparison to thinner balms and glosses) and orange essential oil (known for their natural protection and skin conditioning properties), and use SPF protected lip balms to reduce harmful exposure to UV rays.
Lip care tips
Lip care routine
Maintain a regular lip regime in the evening. It can be as simple as massaging your lips to increase the blood flow, and placing slices of cucumber on the lips for a few minutes to hydrate and condition. Apply a generous amount of lip balm before bed to keep them moisturized throughout the night.
Gently exfoliate your lips
Exfoliation is as important for the lips as it is for skin. If your lips become dry and start to peel, apply a sugar and olive oil scrub using a toothbrush once a week to get rid of the dead skin layer.
Use an SPF lip product
Wearing your favourite lipstick with a minimum SPF 30 is a great habit to get into.
Lip burn remedy
If you do get your lips burnt, apply a cold compress using a soft wash cloth soaked in cold water to take away the heat. Apply your favourite lip balm to sooth. Aloe vera gel is a cure all for any skin conditions, particularly burns.
