A sure sign of winter and dry air, chapped lips are a seasonal frustration to many people. Winter winds, low indoor moisture and other factors are the largest contributor to chapped lips.

Chapped lips aren’t always caused by dry, winter weather however. If you find you have them throughout the year or if they are very severe, you may want to consider other reasons. Many lip products contain the substances propel gal late and phenyl calculate which can irritate the skin on the lips. Other irritants like guaiazulene and sodium lauryl sulfate are found in toothpastes. Try using products free of these ingredients and see if the problem improves.

Other possible causes of chapped lips include autoimmune disorders, hypothyroidism, and gum disease.

The lips are made of several thin layers of skin and they dry out more quickly than the rest of the skin on your face. Exposure to saliva makes the skin on the lips dry out even faster. As tempting as it is to lick your lips when they are dry, it’s best to avoid it and use lip balms instead.

Prevent Chapped Lips

A humidifier can add wetness to the air and prevent lips from drying and cracking as often.

Drink plenty of water and stay hydrated. Dehydration causes and worsens chapped lips and can lead to cracking and bleeding.

Use a high-quality, all-natural lip balm. Purchase only all-natural balms or make them yourself out of natural substances. A good lip balm seals in moisture and protects skin from wind and dry air. Lip balms that contain perfume or synthetic colors will likely irritate the skin and cause more problems. If you find yourself having to reapply a balm more than a few times a day, chances are it contains and ingredient that is further irritating your skin.

Scrub the lips every day. A sugar scrub is a great way to remove dead skin. I use a little coconut oil and a couple of drops of honey mixed with raw sugar. I mix it to form a paste and then use that mixture to cleanse my face and scrub the lips. The sugar exfoliates, the coconut oil moisturizes, and the honey feeds dry skin. After you scrub applies a deep moisturizer or some more coconut oil before turning in for the night. This will repair cracked lips as you sleep and keep them from chapping as badly the following day.

Treating Chapped Lips

Don’t use Vaseline. Many people believe this is a “natural remedy” but it isn’t. Vaseline is a petroleum byproduct that does nothing to heal the lips. All it does is put a coat of grease on top of them. The best oil to coat the lips is coconut oil, which has many nutrients and healing properties.

A slice of cucumber rubbed on the lips can provide healing, cooling relief. Apply a healing balm afterwards.

Create a healing lip balm using the recipe to the right. It uses only 100% natural substances. Don’t add flavorings or colors. Both can have chemicals that may further irritate the lips and some tastes motivate licking which worsens chapped lips.