How to Create a Lip Care Routine, According to a Dermatologist

Why You Should Have a Lip Care Routine

Keep in mind that caring for your lips is not purely for aesthetics; the skin on the lips is not like the rest of the skin on your face, which is why it requires special care. 

“The skin of the lips is thin and delicate, and it does not contain oil glands like the rest of the skin, so this makes it particularly prone to drying out,” says Dr. King. “This gets exacerbated during the winter because the humidity in the air decreases, so more moisture evaporates from the skin into the air. Exposure to wind makes this worse as well.”

How to Take Care of Your Lips in 5 Steps

Step 1. Gently Exfoliate

There is a fine line between exfoliating the lips and causing more damage to this already fragile area. “Don't over-exfoliate and don't pick or peel the skin [on your lips],” says Dr. King. “This delicate skin won't heal if the dry parts are continually picked off, and the dead skin needs to stay on until the new skin underneath is ready to be exposed.”

Instead of harshly buffing away flakes and dead skin, wet the corner of a clean washcloth and use the terry texture to lightly buff the surface of your lips to remove any dryness. And as Dr. King advised, do not pick at the skin or peel it off. 

Step 2. Apply an Occlusive Lip Balm

While it’s important that your lip balm feels comfortable on the lips, that’s not the only benefit it should provide. “Make sure you are using a lip balm that contains emollients and occlusives,” says Dr. King. “Lip balms that contain only humectant ingredients, such as hyaluronic acid and glycerin, can actually make lips more dry because they attract moisture — and if the air is very low in humidity, they can pull moisture out of the skin.” 

“Humectant ingredients need to be combined with emollients and occlusives to be effective,” explains Dr. King. “Emollients such as ceramides support the skin barrier, and occlusive ingredients, such as petrolatum, bee's wax and coconut oil, create a physical barrier to prevent moisture loss. Humectants attract moisture and the occlusives keep it from evaporating.”

In short, look for a lip balm with ingredients, like hyaluronic acid, ceramides and petroleum jelly, to cover all your bases (more on that later). “Without the occlusives, the moisture pulled out by the humectants will evaporate from the skin and the lips will be left drier than they were before.”

Step 3. Avoid Licking Your Lips 

We all do it, but this can actually lead to more dryness. “This may temporarily feel soothing, but it will only dry them out more,” says Dr. King. “The saliva evaporates quickly and leaves your lips drier than they were before.”

Step 4. Reapply As Needed

Lip balm is something that needs to be regularly applied throughout the day to maintain hydration. There’s tons of different formulas so you don’t have to sacrifice your makeup look for lip hydration, you can simply just find a formula that does both. For this reason, it’s important to have a few lip balms in your makeup bag; one for pure hydration, one for easy reapplication throughout the day and one with color to complete your makeup look. 

Step 5. Be Wary of Certain Ingredients 

Salicylic acid is a great exfoliator for oily skin, but not so much for the lips. “Salicylic acid can be irritating in a lip balm,” says Dr. King. “It is sometimes added as an exfoliant to help remove dry, flaky skin from the lips, but the lips are sensitive and repeated use will likely lead to irritation.” 

“Also avoid menthol, camphor and phenol as ingredients in lip balms because they can dry out the lips.” According to Dr. King, plumping lip products with ingredients, like cinnamon oil or peppermint oil, can also lead to irritation, hence why they usually cause a burning or stinging sensation. Try a plumping mask, like the Vitamasque Cherry Vegan Collagen Lip Mask, to get fuller lips without burning or discomfort. 

The Best Skincare Products to Include in Your Lip Care Routine

Kiehl’s Buttermask For Lips

Cap your nightly lip care routine with this overnight treatment that’s infused with coconut oil and mango butter to act as a nourishing blanket for your lips while you sleep. Apply a thick layer before bed and wake up to visibly soft and pillowy lips.