What Is Lip Balm & How Can It Help Your Lips?
Lip balm has been around for a long time now. Even before the rise of the daily skincare routine, lip balms were already a staple for most people.
It is easy to use and serves a simple purpose.
Though, it may look like a simple product, it may be doing a lot more for your lip than you might think.
Not to mention, there are multiple formulas on the market that cater to different lip concerns and treatments.
In this blog post, you'll get a quick walk through what lip balm is and all the ways you can use it to help keep your lips looking young and supple.
So, what is a lip balm?
A lip balm is a butter, salve, or wax like material that protects your lips. It does so in these 3 main ways:
- Moisturizes the lips and keeps it hydrated
- Helps the lip to heal
- Protects the lip from sun damage
Lips balms are made from hydrating ingredients that help moisturize and nourish the lips.
The lip balm's hydration then helps the dry, chapped skin in healing faster.
Depending on the lip balm, there are a variety of formulas that go beyond this basic function by adding shine, color and even SPF to the product for an additional boost of color and/or sun protection.
Is it OK to put on lip balm everyday?
The short answer is yes! However, as with most other products, too much of anything is never good.
Advantages
Of course, the first and foremost, the lip balm is a fast-absorbing product that assists the natural moisture of the skin barrier on our lips. The high concentrations of hydrating and nourishing ingredients do the trick here.
Lip balm helps the lips to heal faster. According to the National Library of Medicine, healing is best done in moist environments as opposed to dry environments. In the case of our lips, dry, chapped or cracked lips heal faster when lip balm is applied rather than when it is allowed to heal on its own.
In the recent years, lip balm has also been used to protect the lips from sun damage. We all remember to protect our face and bodies with sunscreen but neglect the lip. Sun exposure cause fine line and wrinkles in our skin and our lips are no exceptions. A SPF protected lip balm can even be the key to healthy, younger-looking skin.
Lastly, applying lip balm can give the lip a plumped look. Just like dry skin usually leads to dull skin, hydrated skin gives way to plump, supple skin. Similarly, lip balms prevent the lips from drying out and shrinking and keep lips looking fresh, hydrated and plump.
Disadvantages
Make sure to watch out for any allergens or harsh chemicals like phenol, menthol, and salicylic acid. Allergens can cause rashes and harsh chemicals can dry out our lips, thereby undoing the purpose of using a lip balm.
There is also the risk of infection. Make sure the lip balm remains clean, and remember to switch out lip balms from time to time.
Lastly, there is an idea going around, that the lips will stop producing its own moisturize and become lazy, in a sense, if lip balm is applied frequenlty. While, there are some who calm this is a myth and that the harsh chemicals are the problem not the frenquency of application, others stand strong on the idea that too much can actually reduce the lip's natural moisture production.
To stay on the safe side, use it in moderation (once or twice a day)!
What ingredients should you look for in a lip balm?
Glycerin, mineral oil, aloe, lactic acid or sorbita are generally great ingredients to look for. Beeswax and vitamin E are also great but do be careful if you have sensitive skin.
An SPF-based lip balm is another useful option to have in your lip kit!
Avoid product that contain ingredient such as phenol, menthol, and salicylic acid to prevent drying out your lips. Avoid fragrances and parabens as well.
What is the difference between lip balm and ChapStick?
As we wrap the blog post up, we wanted to put one of the most frequenlty asked questions to rest and reveal the secrect!
There is NO difference between lip balm and ChapStick. One is a type of product while the latter is a brand of the aforementioned product.
Final Thoughts...
The lip balm is a great moisturizing, hydrating, nourishing, healing, and protecting product that is ideal for everyone to own - men and women alike!
Make sure you read the label and know what is in the product and as with most things in life, use it in moderation and you'll be set!
Thank you for taking the time to read this - feel free to browser over to our website for more skincare insight and picks! Happy hydrating!
How The Article Was Curated
There are many options on the market with many different ingredients. It can be overwhelming trying to figure out what product is best for you.
We've taken the guesswork out of it for you and brought all the facts together.
Before you leave, don't miss out on your chance to try the best lip balm - click below now and lock in your perfect pout!
Next Up: CeraVe Lip Balm
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