Harsh winter weather brings a host of health issues, from cold and flu season to uncomfortably frigid temperatures. Your skin tends to get drier as the weather gets colder, but have you noticed your lips chap more easily as well? Cold winter air can’t hold as much moisture as the warm summer air. During the coolest months of the year, your skin and lips aren’t getting the natural hydration they need. Plus, cranking up the heat in your home can actually make the air drier. Add direct exposure to harsh winter winds, and you have the recipe for cracked, dry lips. Check out our guide below for tips on lip care in winter.
5 Winter Lip Care Tips
1. Apply Lip Balm Regularly
A good lip balm will hydrate your lips while locking in moisture. However, it’s critical to choose the right balm. When browsing, look for damaging ingredients, including eucalyptus, salicylic acid, menthol, and lanolin. These ingredients can irritate the lips and delay healing. Additionally, steer clear of any product that makes your lips tingle or burn. Instead, look for products that contain moisturizing ingredients, including shea butter, white petroleum jelly, or mineral oil. Make sure to apply lip balm throughout the day and before bed for moisturizing results.
2. Drink Plenty of Water
Staying hydrated will keep your lips and skin smooth and healthy. Be sure to drink plenty of water every day. The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine recommends about 11.5 cups of fluid per day for women and 15.5 cups for men.
3. Avoid Licking or Picking at Your Lips
It’s a natural instinct to pick at or lick your lips when you feel them cracking or peeling. This can actually irritate and dry them out further. Make it a habit to apply lip balm when the urge arises to properly smooth and moisten the lips.
4. Don’t Wash With Hot Water
A long, hot shower sounds extra tempting when it’s cold out. You can still take a nice warm shower, but keep it short and lukewarm. Hot water dries the lips and skin, and so does showering for too long. Try to keep showers under 10 minutes. When you’re washing your face, avoid using hot water.
5. Humidify Your Home
Although it’s common practice to have a warm, cozy home during the winter, blasting the heat makes indoor air even drier. However, that doesn’t mean you need to settle for a chilly and uncomfortable home. When using the heat, run a humidifier to release some much-needed moisture into the air when you’re warming up. Consider placing separate humidifier units in the rooms you most frequent in your home, and make sure to avoid placing the humidifier in naturally moist areas, such as the kitchen or bathroom, to avoid premature breakdowns.
Canopy humidifiers promote hydration throughout the home. Our original humidifier is perfect for spaces 500 square feet, and our large-format Humidifier Plus promotes soft, healthy skin in spaces up to 1,000 square feet. You’ll get the benefit of clean, moisture-rich air that softens your lips. With smart sensors that keep it going until the unit is completely dry, you’ll never have to worry about mold growth. Get ready to breathe easy and hydrate effortlessly year-round.
