The lips are often overlooked as part of daily skincare routines, but it’s important to give them the care they need to stay healthy. While it’s easy to skip over the lips during your daily skincare routine, there are many reasons why it’s important to prioritize lip care. In this blog, we’ll talk about the reasons why lip care is so important, as well as provide information about some of our top dermatologist-recommended lip care products.
Why Lip Care is Essential
By looking in the mirror, you can see that the skin on your lips looks a little different from that on the rest of your face. That’s because the skin on the lips is thinner and more susceptible to damage. For that reason, specialized lip care is an essential part of your daily routine. Lips need to be protected from sun, wind, and pollutant damage that can cause them to become chapped and dry. In addition to applying protective skincare products, it’s important to apply hydrating skincare products. Because the skin on the lips is thinner, it’s more likely to crack, allowing moisture out, so it’s essential to apply moisturizers like lip balms and oils throughout the day.
Choosing the Right Product for Your Lips
It’s important to look for skincare products that meet your unique needs. If you have dry lips, you’ll want to choose ultra-hydrating products. Sensitive skin means you need gentle products. If you’re outdoors frequently or for prolonged periods, ensure you use lip care products that contain ingredients with a sun protection factor (SPF) of 15 or higher. One of the easiest ways to choose a hydrating lip care product is to take a quick peek at the ingredients list. If alcohol is the first ingredient, the skincare product is likely to be drying. Look for hydrating ingredients like vitamin E and protective ingredients like beeswax to lock in moisture.
Featured Lip Products
Like the rest of the skin, the lips require unique care, so it’s a smart idea to work with a dermatologist to develop a personalized skincare routine. However, you can explore some of our most dermatologist-recommended lip products below:
- Pavise Lip Defense SPF – One of the best moisturizing sunblocks formulated for lips. This hydrating lip oil works to keep lips looking and feeling plump. It’s even recommended for use after lip filler treatment to prevent filler migration and keep lips looking full and lush longer. In addition to helping lips maintain fullness, the sun protection ingredients keep skin safe from UVA and UVB waves as well as blue light. This unique formulation is dermatologist-recommended for daily use, especially for those who are looking to achieve or maintain a full appearance and lip rejuvenation.
- Revision Skincare YouthFull Lip Replenisher – If you’ve noticed your lips look thinner, have deep lines, or show other signs of lip aging, this is the lip care product you need to boost your routine. This product replenishes lip fullness and smoothness. Antioxidants protect lips from sunlight, pollutants, and other environmental stressors. Hyaluronic acid offers an immediate moisture boost, and it continues to attract moisture to the lips all day, delivering a plump, youthful appearance. Even the applicator of this product was meticulously designed. Made from cooling ceramic, applying Revision Skincare YouthFull Lip Replenisher is like a soothing massage. Once applied, the product is formulated to stay in place to lock in benefits, maximizing the efficacy of the high-quality ingredients.
- SkinCeuticals Antioxidant Lip Repair – This lip-healing product is designed to protect the lips, allowing them to heal and preventing any additional environmental damage. It contains emollients, which are the type of moisturizer that creates a lasting seal over the skin, creating a solid barrier to trap moisture. In addition to creating this emollient barrier, a blend of antioxidants and skin conditioners go to work hydrating and healing skin. This is an ideal product for the dry winter months or for individuals who struggle with chronically dry, chapped lips.
- EltaMD UV Lip Balm Broad Spectrum SPF 36 – This is an SPF lip balm, but the thick, creamy consistency makes it ideal for those who are outdoors for long periods. It’s especially beneficial for people who have sun and wind-chapped lips as it provides deep hydrating ingredients combined with an SPF 36 broad-spectrum sunscreen. While the formula is rich and thick, it still absorbs quickly and fully, so you won’t see any white, chalky residue or greasiness after application.
- Colorscience Sunforgettable Lip Shine SPF 35 – You may be noticing a theme at this point. The majority of our top dermatologist-recommended lip products contain SPF and/or antioxidant ingredients. The thin skin of the lips is susceptible to damage from the sun and other environmental aggressors, so choosing a product that protects against this kind of damage is essential. Colorscience Sunforgettable Lip Shine SPF 35 is a sun protection lip gloss, so it gives your pout a light, glossy sheen with or without a soft, natural-looking color while hydrating and protecting against sun damage.
Tips for Daily Lip Care
In addition to finding the best products, some additional tips for maintaining beautiful, healthy lips include:
- Don’t skip the exfoliation – One of the reasons why lips can look and feel dry and chapped is that dead skin cells aren’t being removed quickly enough. Exfoliating lips can help to remove dead skin cells and promote skin cell turnover.
- Moisturize – Apply lip balms, oils, and other moisturizing products daily and reapply liberally to keep skin supple and hydrated.
- Protect from the sun – Apply sunscreen daily, especially if you’re going to be outdoors for an extended period of time.
- Stop bad lip habits – Don’t excessively lick lips, bite lips, or peel dead skin. This can cause damage and make it harder to keep lips whole and healthy.
The Importance of SPF in Lip Care
You may be surprised to hear this, but your lips can be damaged by the sun. The symptoms of sun damage on the lips aren’t the same as other areas of the skin. Unlike sunburn and tan on other parts of the body, the lips tend to look dry or scaly when they receive sun damage. Lips are also susceptible to precancerous and cancerous lesions. For these reasons, it’s important to protect skin from potential sun damage by using a lip balm or other products that contain SPF to keep skin safe from sun damage.
Protect Your Pout with Consistent Care
The lips are neglected too often in skincare routines, and many people even think they just have to live with their lips being chapped and dry at some times during the year. With proper care, lips can stay soft, supple, and smooth all year long. Don’t neglect your lips this winter. Pamper and protect your pout for kissable lips.
Maintain the Ideal Lip and Skincare Routines
Ready to achieve the perfect pout? Explore our collection of top-rated lip care products and pamper your lips like never before. You can also explore the Derm Skincare site to learn more about our dermatologist-recommended skincare products and get tips from our knowledgeable team to boost your skincare routine.