How to Keep Lips Moisturized: 8 Tips to Avoid Dry Lips

When the skin on your lips gets too dry, it can crack and peel in a condition called “chapped lips,” which may become painful and even cause bleeding. In severe cases, chapped lips can lead to infection.

Unlike the rest of your skin, your lips don’t have oil glands, which means they can’t moisturize themselves and quickly become dry. Here are eight ways to keep lips hydrated and healthy:

1. 1. Apply a moisturizing lip product regularly. To prevent chapped lips, apply a high-quality lip product every few hours and before you go to sleep. Look for dermatologist-approved lip balms or lip moisturizers that are fragrance-free and contain oils (like castor seed oil, jojoba oil, coconut oil, or hemp seed oil), shea butter, ceramides, beeswax, or petroleum-based ingredients. For a deeper lip treatment, consider a nourishing ointment or thick emollient like white petroleum jelly.
2. 2. Choose products without flavors or fragrances. The skin on your lips is more delicate than the rest of your skin, which means it’s extra sensitive to products and chemicals. Avoid flavored lip balms with citrus, peppermint, menthol, or eucalyptus and steer clear of ingredients like lanolin and camphor—these can further irritate the skin and increase dryness.
3. 3. Keep from licking, biting, or peeling your lips. It may seem intuitive to lick your lips when they’re flaking or feeling dry, but your saliva isn’t moisturizing and as it evaporates it can make your lips even more dehydrated. Avoid biting or peeling your lips, too—you will irritate the skin even more.
4. 4. Drink enough water. The top cause of dry lips is dehydration, so drinking enough water throughout the day can help alleviate chapped lips.
5. 5. Exfoliate your lips. If you have flaky lips, you should exfoliate to help remove dry or dead skin cells. Use a soft toothbrush or chemical-free lip scrub—even a simple DIY mixture of olive oil and brown sugar will do the trick. Avoid exfoliating more than once a week since too much exfoliation can irritate your skin and make your lips drier.
6. 6. Increase humidity in the air. Dry climates and cold, dry winter air can aggravate sensitive lips. In severe cases of cracked lips, you may want to increase the moisture in the air of your home or office with a humidifier, which will create a less demanding environment on dry skin and help your lips retain moisture.
7. 7. Minimize sun exposure and use SPF. Just as you protect the rest of your skin from too much sun with sunscreen, you should protect your lips, too. Choose a mild lip balm with ingredients like zinc oxide and titanium oxide and at least an SPF 30 rating. Apply it before you spend time outdoors—even in the winter. In cases of sunburn or sun damage, compress your lips with a cool washcloth, treat with aloe vera products, and drink plenty of water.
8. 8. Steer clear of “plumping” lip products. “Plumping” lip glosses contain irritants meant to increase blood flow and make your lips look fuller. Opt for lip care items with moisturizing ingredients like vitamin E instead to get a plump, hydrated lip.

Individuals experience different levels of sensitivity to ingredients found in various skincare products. To prevent adverse reactions, consult a dermatologist before applying a new product to your skin. This article is for educational and informational purposes only, and is not a substitute for professional medical advice.

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