Are You Addicted To Your Chapstick?
I was with a group of friends last night and we were passing around a chapstick, as we do here in this high altitude land of Peru because the dry air makes our skin and lips dry out a lot. And then when it was offered to a friend of mine, he said No thanks.. And dont you all know that these things make your lips even dryer??. Oh.
Im addicted to my chapstick. I confess, Im completely addicted. I love the way it smells, how luxurious it feels on my lips, and I love how certain brands can make my lips look all shiny and glossy. But I think my friend was right, I think that chapsticks do in fact make your lips dryer in the long term.
If youre a chapstick addict like me then youll know what I mean. If you ever go out and forget your chapstick then you start freaking out and wonder how youre going to get through the next few hours without it. But after the initial hour or so of feeling a little uncomfortable, Im sure youll agree that you soon forget and your lips are perfectly fine without it. In fact your lips end up looking after themselves and losing their dryness.
How does this work? Well our body is great at healing itself .. if your lips or skin are dry then it will try and remedy the problem. By using a chapstick too much on your lips then youre tricking your body into thinking that it has enough moisture in that area so it doesnt need to produce any more. The result is your lips do not get the natural moisture that they need so you end up with lips that are unusually dry whenever youre not using the chapstick. Most chapsticks are also quite occlusive which means they are unable to soak into the skin to actually properly moisturize and hydrate it. Instead they just sit on the surface a little like cling-wrap and prevent any real moisture from coming in or out. This is also why your lips can look extra beautiful and shiny for a while after you use the chapstick because the product really is just sitting on the surface of your lips.
Im not saying that you need to throw out your chapstick because in reality sometimes our lips do get super dry so sometimes a little help is actually needed. But I am saying that getting into the habit of using it on a regular basis is a bad idea. If youre using your chapstick several times a day then you are likely just making the problem worse. Now is a good time to cut right back and let your lips natural oil balance out again. Remember, our body does such a good job at healing itself so lets support it in doing that.
Licking your lips will dry them out even more too
Have you ever used the water only method to wash your face? Have you noticed that it makes you skin a little too dry and tight? Its the same kind of thing with liking your lips with saliva in an attempt to keep them moist and hydrated. Saliva only dries out your lips so by licking them youre in fact making the situation worse. Good tip here no matter how tempted you are do not lick your lips to try and keep them moist.
How to keep your lips hydrated
Keeping your lips hydrated is done in the same way as keeping the skin on your body hydrated. Number one make sure youre drinking plenty of water. You need to be drinking at least two liters of water per day (even more is better!!). Number two eat plenty of good fats like young coconuts, avocados, olives and raw oils. Number three avoid excessively licking your lips. Number four avoid sunburn!
Then if your lips are still super dry, use a natural raw product such as straight cacao (which is my absolute favorite!!) or coconut oil. You could even use something a little simpler like jojoba oil (especially if youre a jojoba oil addict like me).
Similar Posts:
- BIGGEST Dieting Mistake (and how to fix it!)
- How to Make Capsicum Extract
- Characteristics of a Bad Ginger Root
- Hydration and Kids
- For Some Going Offline is Worse Than Giving Up Booze and Cigarettes
