Everyone has memories from their childhood of that one kid with overly dry and inflamed red lips. Remember? It looked like he or she was wearing those big wax red lips all the time.
Maybe that kid was you (we won't tell).
Either way, dry skin on your lips is no fun.
Your lips are very delicate and contain several sensitive nerve endings. When the skin breaks from cold sores, fever blisters, injuries, or dry skin, it's hard to get the pain off your mind – it's almost omnipresent.
Fortunately, you don't need to use bitter-tasting conventional treatments on your lips or anywhere else (and you really shouldn't) because nature provides plenty of plant-based – and effective – solutions.
What's Causing Your Dry Skin on Lips?
It's important to figure out what's triggering your flare ups. This isn't exactly easy, and it might take quite a bit of trial and error. Doctors aren't sure what causes eczema, but you can identify what triggers your flare ups.
The skin on your lips and eyes is much thinner and more delicate than skin elsewhere on your body. As a result, these areas are much more susceptible to infections, blisters, and dry skin.
Some possible triggers:
- Cleaning products and industrial solvents
- Allergens like dust mites and pet dander
- Allergens from food
- Extreme hot or cold temperatures
- Prolonged exposure to either dry or humid environments
- Metals like nickel or silver in jewelry
- Stress
- Infections
- Factory-derived antibacterial ingredients like isothiazolinones, neomycin, and bacitracin
- Factory-derived fragrances
- Harsh chemicals in lotions, soaps, and shampoos
Why You Should Use Natural Products and Remedies for your lips
As you can see from the list above, many over-the-counter products might contain ingredients that could exacerbate your eczema on the lips.
Fake fragrances, lotions, and antibacterial ointments often contain chemicals that can make eczema worse. That's why using natural products for eczema – especially in delicate areas like your lips and eyes – is so really worth a try.
Plus, conventional treatments don't have the same multifunctional properties that natural substances do. Since natural ingredients work with the body instead of in spite of it, they help from several angles:
- Anti-inflammatory
- Antibacterial
- Antifungal
- Antiviral
- Antimicrobial
- Anti-aging
Natural Remedies for Lips
Mānuka oil is one of the only substances to contain all the properties above – but other natural ingredients are potent, too (especially when combined with mānuka).
Here are some of the best natural solutions for relief. Yes, all of them are safe to use on your lips. If you experience some stinging with neat (undiluted) essential oils, simply dilute them a bit with a carrier oil like coconut or sunflower oil.
- Mānuka Oil: Mānuka has high levels of triketones – 20 to 30 times that of tea tree oil. These enzymes are what give mānuka its powerful antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, antiviral, anti-aging and antifungal properties.
- Coconut Oil: Coconut oil contains healthy fats and has antimicrobial properties – both of which make it excellent for soothing dry skin on your lips.
- Sunflower Oil: This oil has skin-healing vitamin E and plenty of omega-fatty acids to work with your body.
- Lavender Oil: Lavender is known for its potent wound-healing capabilities. It's also great for relaxing the mind and body because lavender helps sooth irritated skin.
- Geranium Oil: Geranium is one of the best essential oils for your face. Its antiseptic properties can help reduce inflammation and pain from eczema.
- Cocoa and Shea Butters: Use these substances as carriers for your favorite essential oils like manuka. They're excellent for hydrating chapped skin.
- Beeswax: Beeswax acts as a protective barrier to lock in moisture and keep out microbes. Not to mention, beeswax has natural antibacterial properties.
ManukaRx lip balm is being launched to the market. There's nothing quite like it, we have been able to remove the mānuka fragrance but keep the antibacterial activity, it's really something worth a try.