The Perfect Pout: Lip Care Tips & Advice

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For many of us, our lips are a conundrum. 

On one hand, they’re a source of discomfort. Sore, cracked lips can be surprisingly painful – and also incredibly distracting. When your lips are struggling, you’re reminding of this fact with almost everything you do: eating, drinking, talking – there’s simply no escaping the issue. 

On the other, lips can be a source of great joy, and play a crucial role in elevating our sense of style and self-expression. Seemingly every few weeks there’s a new odd-but-strikingly-beautiful lip trend to try, and there’s the permanent joy that a labret piercing or simply experimenting with different lipstick colors can bring. 

The problem, then, is clear: in order to enjoy the best of your lips, you need to negate the potential downsides – and this is best achieved by adhering to the following lip care tips… 

#1 – Hydration is essential

There’s a lot to be said about lip care – as we will soon discuss – but all subsequent tips can only succeed if this one is maintained. One of the main reasons that lips dry out and become cracked and sore is due to dehydration, so ensuring that you drink plenty of water (there are debates regarding how much water is necessary per day, but eight 8oz glasses is a good general recommendation) to keep your lips in tip-top shape. 

#2 – Use SPF 

Lips can be damaged by UV light, just like any other area of skin, so wearing SPF is essential. Thankfully, this is relatively easy to do: many lip balms and lipsticks have at least an SPF of 15 (check the packaging to find out for sure), with some specialist brands offering up to SPF50. 

#3 – Exfoliate, but very gently 

Exfoliation can help to improve comfort when your lips are chapped and is also just a generally good inclusion in your regular routine. However, the skin on the lips is very sensitive, so exfoliation should be as gentle as possible. It’s usually best to use a product that is designed for this specific purpose, and avoid homemade options – these tend to rely on sugar to help exfoliate the lip surface, which can actually do more harm than good. 

#4 – Use lip balm beneath lipstick 

Admittedly, this tip does have a substantial downside: your lipstick will not last as long. However, a few reapplications are usually worth the effort, thanks to the increased comfort. Apply lip balm around 10 minutes before you intend to use lipstick, then blot as dry as possible with a tissue before applying your preferred color. 

#5 – Apply lip balm generously at night 

Lips can often dry out overnight – especially as it’s impossible to keep drinking water, given that you’re asleep – so apply a very generous coat of lip balm before going to bed. It’s helpful to spread the balm a little further than you would during the day; go over the lip line rather than staying within it.

In conclusion

By following the above tips, you should be able to take care of your lips and achieve a pout that is absolutely perfect – enjoy!