Get Your Smoothest, Softest, Sultriest Lips Ever

 

Lips. We don’t talk about them enough considering all they do for us. Because it’s winter and they tend to get dry and cracked this time of year, and also because it’s February, the month of love, we thought it would be a good time to give these sass cannons the attention they deserve.

 

First, let’s get to know lips on a more intimate level.

 

Lips are full of nerves, which is what makes kissing so popular. And what gives them their rosy hue is the fact that the thin skin of the lips means the blood vessels are closer to the surface and therefore more visible.

 

But the most important thing to know about lips is that skin here is different from the rest of your body. That seems obvious, but you probably don’t know exactly how it’s different. The stratum corneum (SC), the outer layer of skin, is nearly non-existent on your lips. Lips have no hair follicles, no sweat glands, no sebaceous glands, so they don’t have the protective layer of natural oils the help keep skin soft, smooth, and hydrated. Their low barrier function makes lips especially vulnerable to drying and chapping.

 

So how do you best care for your lips? It’s not with a lip scrub despite the fact that so many are readily available. Lips don’t need exfoliating. As much as we are proponents of exfoliating, this is where we draw the line. The thin skin of your lips will only become dry, flaky, and irritated through exfoliation.

 

Instead, drink plenty of water to keep hydrated. Avoid picking at any flakes on your lips. Don’t lick your lips. The saliva is drying. Eat plenty of foods rich in vitamins B and C and Omega-3 fatty acids to give your lips support from the inside out. And use a good lip balm religiously. Glycerin, petroleum, and lanolin are all good emollients for the lips.

 

For a plumping boost, try Vivant’s MaxiLip plumping balm with peptides to stimulate collagen and elastin production, oxygenating ingredients to increase blood flow and promote a natural, rosy hue, and petrolatum to moisturize and protect. Fuller, smoother, softer and more perfectly defined lips just in time for Valentine’s day.