Would you kiss these lips?
With our tropical island being such a humid place, it comes as a surprise to many that skin dryness and dehydration is a rather common ailment in Singapore. While we may not get harsh winters or scorching hot sun, long exposure to the
drying airs of air conditioners in our homes or in the office removes moisture from our bodies. Many of us recognise the harmful drying effects of airconditioning on our face, around the eyes and on our hands (wrinkles!) and are well-equipped with moisturiser for these areas. Unfortunately, the lips tend to go neglected.
The skin on our lips are thin
and, compared to other exposed skin on our body, are more prone to drying out and cracking. Though women have the
tendency to apply a lipstick or lip gloss to the lips at the start of the day, such
products may not have sufficient moisturizing properties, especially when one works in the air-conditioned office all day long.Having dry lips not only looks unappealing, it also feels uncomfortable, and can be a painful experience as it can result in your lips cracking and bleeding. Applying a lippie over cracked lips can look ugly, it is comparable to having cakey foundation on your skin. More importantly, chapped lips is a sign of dehydration and can lead to health complications if not looked into.
To reduce dehydration in the office, have a cup of water at hand, not for drinking, but simply to keep the air moistured
It is important to always have your eight glasses of water a day! In the office, make sure you drink lots of water. Are you so engrossed with your work that you don't touch your mug of water even if it's just next to your keyboard? Here is a tip. Set an hourly alarm on your phone, loud enough for you to hear but not to disrupt your colleagues. Each time your phone buzzes, drink a glass of beverage. By the end of a typical day in office, you should have drank almost eight glass of water! Do also supplement your diet with fruits and soups as these contain water content.
Good habits to keep your lips soft and smooth:
1. Exfoliate.
Yes, exfoliate the lips but not with a facial scrub. Lips are delicate and may feel sore and even bleed after a round of scrubbing.
Exfoliating the lips removes dead skin cells, allowing your lips to
absorb the moisturising properties of your lip balm more effectively.
A DIY lip scrub is easy . Using your toothbrush, gently rub your lips with it. You can also mix coarse sugar with a little honey and Vaseline to form a sticky paste and rub it over your lips. Not only is this a sweet treat, but honey itself has many healing properties that can benefit the lips.
A DIY lip scrub is easy . Using your toothbrush, gently rub your lips with it. You can also mix coarse sugar with a little honey and Vaseline to form a sticky paste and rub it over your lips. Not only is this a sweet treat, but honey itself has many healing properties that can benefit the lips.
2. Moisturise.
Use your favourite lip balm to maintain
the moisture in the lips. Both men and women should have a lip balm at hand, and touch it up throughout the day whenever necessary, such as after meals. If you
suffer from extremely dry lips, you can try products such as Vaseline that can
be found in a drugstore near you. Another product that is renowned for its
moisture retaining and healing properties for the lips is the Elizabeth Arden
Eight Hour cream lip stick. It is a colourless lip balm that can protect your
lips from even the coldest winter while repairing the cracked portions of your
lip.
Other
lip balms that work for me include the Lip Smacker range that can be found in
Watsons or Guardian and the Baby Lips lip balm by Maybelline.
3. Colour
Up! For women, don’t forget to add some colour to your lips with either a
lipstick or lip gloss. There is an increasing number of lipsticks that also function as lip gloss. These
serve a two in one purpose, moisturising while making your lips look beautiful.
Flaky lips with matte lipstick colour.
If your
lips are prone to dryness, avoid matte lip colours as this will only make your
dry lips look even more obvious. Go for glossy colours instead, and stick to lipsticks that have rich
moisturizing properties in them.
Remember, looks may not be everything, but physical appearance reflects on the condition of your health. Don't neglect it!
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