(See: How to Strengthen Your Skin Barrier to Prevent Irritation and Sensitivity). For example, when it's humid, they can pull it from the air around you. Aloe vera gel and juice come from the aloe vera plant help smooth the surface of your skin and hair. A lot of the glycerin in makeup is made from soybean and sugarcane. Beeswax prevents moisture loss, while SPF 15 protects your lips from the sun. buy now. That's why these types of ingredients work best together. Although the balm is a light pink, it morphs on your lips to create an individual color using what Dior calls "Color Reviver Technology." Best Healing Ointment: Avne Cicalfate Restorative Lip Cream, $18. Our fashion, beauty and lifestyle coverage is equal parts informative and inspiring, and at once aspirational yet attainable. Pictures and symptoms of the red, scaly rash. The best part? This $18 Heavenly Body Oil Claims to Improve Skin Winter comes with its fair share of beauty problems, and chapped lips are right up there with static-shocked hair and those itchy red dry spots you get around your nose from blowing too much. It immediately relieves dryness and soothes chapped, cracked lips, and provides long-lasting moisture to them. Dr. Penzi recommends this moisturizing lip balm that's formulated with mineral filters titanium dioxide and zinc oxide to . Jack Black Intense Therapy Lip Balm SPF 25. hydrocarbon portion), allowing the overall molecule to be polar enough to attract water. Beeswax is an effective Occlusive that comes from bee honeycomb and is often used in lip balms and creams that require a thicker consistency to keep them from separating. This lip balm is so gentle, it can be used on areas other than your lips. For a moisturizing, slightly glossy finish, Dr. Gohara recommends this UV Lip Color Splash. Vanicream Lip Protectant SPF 30. "It's SPF 30 with broad-spectrum coverage protecting your lips from UVA . It also promises to improve the wear of lipsticks when layered underneath them. Editorial Head of Lake Forest College's literary magazine, Real Simple is committed to using high-quality, reputable sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts in our articles. Because they can't produce their own oils or hold in moisture for very long, Dr. Ugonabo recommends patients always give their lips a little extra TLC by regularly reapplying balms or ointments. After using this lip balm, I don't have that problem anymore. In general, however, the effects include relief of dry skin, reduction of thickened skin, and strengthening of the skin barrier. LIP BALM 3 PACK - You get 3 classic CocoMe lip balm tubes. Best lip oil. Its free of potentially skin-drying alcohol and irritating colors or fragrances. We know what youre probably thinking, Thats good to know, but whats the difference? Therefore, a lip balm approach to increase occlusivity of the lips is generally used to reduce water loss. If your dryness isn't responding to a change in lip balm and you still have painful dryness after a week, you might want to see a dermatologist. Shop: Balm Dotcom, $12 Credit: Glossier Infused with skin-protecting petrolatum and squalene, soothing aloe vera, and nourishing vitamin E, this simple balm will leave lips feeling softer in no time. Hazelnut oil also happens to be chock-full of Vitamin E which, combined with rose oil, soothes while it hydrates. A "holy grail skin saver," according to reviews, this lip balm for chapped lips is ideal if you're dealing with wounded skin because its key ingredients hazelnut oil and jasmine wax have antibacterial properties. It has peppermint in it so it tastes fresh but can only be used on intact skin. Previously, she's held beauty roles at Harper's Bazaar, Marie Claire, SELF, and Cosmopolitan; her byline has appeared in Esquire, Sports Illustrated, and Allure.com. While an emollient will provide some occlusive effects, the primary function is to help soften the skin. This will actually make things worse since that moisture will also evaporate and leave you feeling drier. How Viagra became a new 'tool' for young men, Ankylosing Spondylitis Pain: Fact or Fiction, American Academy of Dermatology Association, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK545171/, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/labs/pmc/articles/PMC5908267/, https://www.aad.org/public/everyday-care/skin-care-basics/dry/oily-skin, https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31945604/, https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23521561/, https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s13555-021-00611-y, https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22525567/, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/labs/pmc/articles/PMC5849435/. Sometimes, health issues could be the cause of dry skin and rashes, dry hair, or even hair loss., American Academy of Dermatology Association: DRY SKIN: OVERVIEW., Clinical Medicine & Research: The Role of Moisturizers in Addressing Various Kinds of Dermatitis: A Review., Dermatoendocrinology: Hyaluronic acid: A key molecule in skin aging., Harvard Health Publishing: Moisturizers: Do they work?. Hyaluronic acid and glycerin are examples of humectants. The humectant will draw in moisture while the occlusive will lock in that moisture in, and the emollient will keep the skin soft and smooth. Emollients come in the form of creams, gels, lotions and ointments and work to help the skin feel more comfortable and less itchy. Here are a few of our favorites: If you're a regular ingredient list reader, you may notice a very popular type of occlusive is missing from the list: mineral oils, petroleum jelly, and petrochemicals. Without an occlusive to seal it in, this moisture can evaporate and leave your skin drier than before. "If your lips burn, sting, or itch after using a lip product, stop using that product," adds Dr. Maiman. DIY beeswax lip balm. I'm particularly fond of the not shiny yet never dull sheen the formula imparts. Bland, in the beauty balm world means, essentially, boring: no scent, no tint, and fewer ingredients. Moringa-based formula which feeds your skin antioxidants, instantly hydrates, and protects your lips. Some add more oil to the skin and hair, which can be helpful for those with dry skin. This is in comparison to an occlusive-only wax or jelly balm that merely coats the surfaceor shiny and plumping numbers that are there for aesthetic purposes only. Isaac Winter is a fact-checker and writer for Real Simple, ensuring the accuracy of content published by rigorously researching content before publication and periodically when content needs to be updated. Choose A Lip Balm With Humectants & Occlusives. Heres the thing: Humectant ingredients need to be offset by occlusive ingredients to work their moisturizing magic. The primary purpose of lip balm is to provide an occlusive layer on the lip surface to seal moisture in lips and protect them from external exposure. Some lip masks such as the ILIA Lip Wrap Overnight Treatment contain mild . "Panthenol acts as a humectant," explains Dr. Maiman. In the past, youve probably picked out moisturizers based on a specific brand name or the marketing claims made by brands. For example, those with oily or acne prone skin should avoid products with comedogenic emollients, such as coconut oil and avocado oil, and only use products with non-comedogenic emollients, such as jojoba oil, safflower oil, and squalane, to prevent clogged pores and acne breakouts. It's an all-purpose product in its truest . Best Luxury: Augustinus Bader The Lip Balm, $41. Below are the products we recommend that effectively combine these three ingredient types in their formulas. Upon application to the skin, this lattice enables silicones to form a film on the surface while still allowing skin to breathe. This is a molecule found naturally in the body, although the body makes less of it as you age. Now 19% Off. What you should look for in a lip balm. Your IP address is listed in our blacklist and blocked from completing this request. Examples include: petroleum jelly. SPF is also key, even in winter. What Ingredients Work Best for Chapped Lips? Because of this, it has a long history as a skin care ingredient. As tempting as it may be, the last thing you want to do is lick or wet your lips to try and find relief, explains Heidi Waldorf, M.D., founder of Waldorf Dermatology Aesthetics and associate clinical professor at the Icahn School of Medicine of Mount Sinai University. Some also claim it helps with other conditions. And don't worrythe belief that applying lip balm causes the body to stop generating natural moisture is just a myth. Our online classes and training programs allow you to learn from experts from anywhere in the world. One way you can help your skin and hair collect more moisture is to use products with humectants., Humectants are substances that attract water from the air or from deeper in the skin. Rachel Maiman, M.D., board-certified dermatologist at Marmur Medical counts the following ingredients as potential irritants for chapped lips. (Isn't it such a small joy to find an old favorite tucked away in a coat pocket?) Humectants hold on to water, and occlusives keep it from evaporating, explains Dr. Baumann. Glycolic acid comes from sugar cane, lactic acid from milk, and citric acid from citrus fruits., Aloe vera. Additionally, a 2021 research article notes that the humectant lactic acid can relieve rough, dry skin at concentrations up to 12%. And while new products are certainly exciting, they mean nothing without establishing the basics. You've probably seen it on Instagram, and it gets a derm's approval, too. Humectant emollients contain ingredients such as urea, glycerol, propylene glycol or lactic acid that attract and hold water in the top layer of skin. $4 at Amazon $26 at Walmart. Dry brushing is a way of exfoliating the skin using a bristle brush. Fix My Skin lip balm (or the larger balm) is ideal for irritated chapped lips because it contains 1% hydrocortisone, a mild steroid, to reduce inflammation, says Dr. Waldorf. However, individuals with oily skin or hair may find this unhelpful. Formulyst Super Hyaluronic Water Moisturizer This formula also helps the skin feel silky smooth thanks to safflower seed oil, jojoba oil, and squalane (all non-comedogenic emollients). Whether or not you should use an emollient moisturizer largely depends on what emollient ingredient is used in the product. In order to discuss the different types of moisturizers, well need a brief discussion on the structure and function of the skin barrier. If youve ever used an anti-acne product that made you break out, then you already know what we mean: Counterintuitively, some lip balms can make chapped lips worse by actually exacerbating dryness. These ingredients will provide some occlusive properties, but their main functions are to restore and soften the skin. It's great for the short term but won't help chapped lips heal. Best food forward: Are algae the future of sustainable nutrition? Beeswax has lubricating, softening activities and reduces trans-epidermal water loss from skin 1. It consists of corneocytes (dead skin cells) held together by a lipid matrix composed of ceramides, cholesterol, and fatty acids. Its super nourishing due to its blend of plant oils, including: castor seed, grapeseed, avocado, wheat germ, apricot, jojoba, and more. Here, 10 uses for beeswax. It calms and soothes dry skin and reduces the scaly and flaky appearance. It's not the most exciting option as far as best lip balms for chapped lips, but it does exactly what a lip balm product should do. Thanks to frigid temps and less humidity in the air, any natural moisture in your lips simply evaporates, leaving you with dry skin, flaking, or even painful cracks. Lip moisturizers can . Without occlusives, the moisture will evaporate and your skin will be left drier than it was before. If your lip balm contains both humectants and occlusives, and you're still experiencing perpetual dryness, you may need to look more closely at the ingredient list. "Some lip balms also contain allergenssuch as lanolin, parabens, phenol, or salicylic acidwhich can often be irritating to certain people's skin," says Dr. Nussbaum. They can add hydration without the use of heavier ingredients. "Emollients have a tendency to spread on the skin and increase the rate of skin barrier restoration," says Dr. Schmid. Vanicream Lip Protectant SPF 30. Iranian Journal of Medical Sciences: The Effect of Aloe Vera Clinical Trials on Prevention and Healing of Skin Wound: A Systematic Review., Michigan State University: Cosmetics Exploring humectants., The Journal of Clinical and Aesthetic Dermatology: Moisturizers for Acne.. NYC-based dermatologist Dr. Hadley King, M.D., FAAD, likes lip masks because they typically have a higher occlusive content than lip balms.Occlusives are hydrating ingredients that form a protective barrier between the lips and elements that prevent moisture loss, similar to slugging for the lips.. In that case, you could have an actinic keratosisa precancerous skin condition caused by excessive sun. A lip balm that contains SPF can help protect you from harmful UV rays. 2 tbsp. And balms that are able to achieve this can do so because they use a blend of humectants, emollients, and occlusive ingredientslike in mindbodygreen's lip balm. Older research from 2012 states that hyaluronic acid helps speed up wound repair and reduces scar appearance. This is why humectants should really be paired with occlusives and emollientseither in the same formula or layered together. The former one is common for oils and waxes and it means that it sits on top of the skin hindering water to . Know when to see a doctor: If you have just a patch or spot of chapped lips that is persistent, dont assume it is just dryness, cautions Dr. Waldorf. Learn about skin types and how to identify them here. And balms that are able to achieve this can do so because they use a blend of humectants, emollients, and occlusive ingredientslike in mindbodygreen's lip balm. Theyre often added to food products as anti-caking agents. In hair care, humectants perform a similar function. 2009 - 2023 MindBodyGreen LLC. The final outcome is a balm that nourishes with every swipe and leaves you satisfied throughout the day. Walmart. In addition, the large molecular size and volatility of silicones also dispels the claim that these ingredients can clog pores and cause acne. It seals lips well overnight, she says. Best Drugstore: Burt's Bees Beeswax Lip Balm (4-Pack), $10. Truchliski J, Sembratowicz I, Gorzel M, Kietyka-Dadasiewicz A. Allergenic potential of cosmetic ingredients. Unlike other moisturizing agents, such as humectants and . These ingredients feel thick and heavy after application since they are not absorbed into the skin. Alexandra Engler is the beauty director at mindbodygreen and host of the beauty podcast Clean Beauty School. Please note that if you purchase something by clicking on a link within this story, we may receive a small commission of the sale. STYLECASTERs mantra is Style To The People and our mission is to be an accessible, inclusive, ahead-of-the-trend destination for millennial and Gen Z women who want to live with style and substance. Harwood, A., Nassereddin, A., Krishnamurthy, K. StatPearls, StatPearls Publishing, 2020. . If you prefer a treatment that will rejuvenate dry, chapped lips as you snooze, you have to try this agave-based recovery lip mask from Bite Beauty. Thus, one type is not necessarily better than the other. What is the difference between skin hydration and moisture? In addition to her broad network of beauty experts, she uses her family's background and training in skin science and cosmetic chemistry to differentiate between effective skincare formulations and marketing jargon. Even the sun protection is natural, non-micronized mineral zinc, a rarity given that many lip products use chemical sunscreen ingredients. For chapped lips. Vaseline is an occlusive emollient thanks to its main ingredient . Beeswax protects lips and retains lip moisture. Goes on very smoothly and hydrates the lips very well.". You may think a good lip balm is simpleand while it should be effortless to use, the formula itself is often a bit complex. Here, expert-approved and top-rated options that will take your lips from dry and chapped to smooth and supple.