What Can’t A Simple, Homemade Lip Scrub Do?
Daily sun exposure and other outside elements can give anyone unpleasant dry, cracked lips. Once you understand what causes or worsens the condition, you can begin to remedy the issue. (so, keep reading)
Adding lip care to your skincare regimen will help keep your lips soft and kissable. And you don’t need to buy expensive beauty products to get started.
Creating a simple, homemade lip scrub can shed dead skin cells, allowing moisturizing ingredients to soak in faster and lipstick to last longer and go on smoother!!
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What causes extremely dry lips?
Unlike other areas of our skin, lips don’t contain oil glands (source). Therefore, dry, chapped, or cracked lips are a common skin issue. And several factors can increase your chance of having dry lips or worsen the condition, such as:
- Dehydration
- Frequent Sun Exposure
- Cold Weather (lack of humidity)
- Excessive Licking (eww)
Related: 24 Experts Share Their Skin Care Tips & Advice
Related: Making the Switch from Toxic to Clean Beauty
How do you get soft lips fast?
If you’re dealing with dry or cracked lips, you’ll want to soften them as fast as you can! For starters, if there are cold temperatures, wrap your mouth with a scarf when venturing outdoors. Drink more water and apply a lip balm.
Applying a lip balm throughout the day helps to moisturize the skin and decrease drying effects. Use my recipe for Lemon Chamomile Lip Balm to keep your lips soft and moisturized.
Secondly, by using the right ingredients, you can actually soften your lips quickly. Look for natural, healthy ingredients such as these in your lip balm or lip scrub:
Natural Sugar
Natural sugars such as coconut sugar, brown sugar, and pure cane sugar are a must-have for creating sugar scrubs. Sugar works well as a gentle natural exfoliant for the skin compared to coarse salts. It’s a key ingredient for homemade lip scrubs, as it contains glycolic acid, which helps condition and protects the skin.
Essential Oils
Often used for their scent, essential oils are packed full of therapeutic properties. Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia) in this recipe is likely one of the most popular and versatile herbs. From skin care products to relaxing routines, this herb can infuse many areas of your life.
Due to lavenders’ antibacterial and antiseptic properties are useful for dry cracked or peeling lips as it soothes pain and aids healing (Foster, 1993; McIntyre, 1996). Don’t miss my 10 must-have essential oils for home and beauty here.
Raw Honey
It’s not just another tasty, sweet addition to a lip scrub – honey is amazing for the skin! It’s antibacterial, a natural humectant that draws in moisture, and full of antioxidants! Use honey in homemade lip scrubs and lip balms to moisturize, soften and soothe dry lips.
Fresh And Dried Herbs
While fresh herbs are wonderful to create with, dried herbs are just as beneficial. So, if you don’t have a green thumb opt for dried herbs. If I’m not using herbs from my garden, I buy certified organic them from Pronounce Skincare. The lavender buds in this DIY lip scrub recipe work as an additional exfoliator.
Coconut Oil
Known to have antimicrobial benefits when used internally and externally (Mercola, 2016), coconut oil has intense moisturizing benefits for the skin. It is a saturated fat that melts and absorbs into the skin rapidly. All of which
Lavender Homemade Lip Scrub Ingredients:
2 tablespoons coconut oil
1 tablespoon pure cane sugar
2 teaspoons honey, raw
4 drops lavender essential oil
1 teaspoon lavender buds
How to Make Homemade Lip Scrub:
Add 2 tablespoons coconut oil, 2 teaspoons of honey, and 1 tablespoon granulated sugar to a small bowl. Mix with a fork until a scrub appears. Add 4 drops of lavender essential oil and 1 teaspoon lavender buds. Blend with fork and spoon into small lip scrub pots. Yields 4 lip scrub pots.
How to Exfoliate Lips and Remove Dead Skin with a Homemade Lip Scrub
Start by applying lip scrub to lips with fingertips. Gently rub in a circular motion to remove dry, dead skin cells. By exfoliating like this with a homemade lip scrub, you will slough away the top layer of skin.
All the while moisturizing and repairing the skin with coconut oil and honey. Wipe clean with a damp, warm washcloth, and pat dry. Then apply lip balm to lock in moisture.
Now, what’s stopping you from adding a homemade lip scrub to your skincare regimen? Whip up this recipe in less than five minutes for soft, kissable lips!
References:
Moore, Kristen. (2017, December). What Causes Chapped Lips. Retrieved from https://www.healthline.com/symptom/chapped-lips
Foster, Steven. (1993). Herbal renaissance. Layton, UT: Peregrine Smith Books.
McIntyre, Anne. (1996). Flower power. New York, NY: Henry Holt and Company, Inc.