[dropcap]I[/dropcap]t’s the middle of January. The temperature is twelve degrees below zero (fahrenheit!). You wish school would just be cancelled, but guess what? It’s not. So outside you go. The horrible winds can end up drying out your already chapped lips more than you can imagine. It’s only 8:32 A.M. and you’re applying your favorite lip balm for the 7th time already. Why does it seem like your lip balm has stopped working?

So what does lip balm actually do?

Most lip balms create an outer protective layer over your lips for protection. This often means that the lip balm will not be able to soak into your lips and fully moisturize your whole lip. They become unable to keep moisture by themselves because they are so dependent on the lip balm. Overusing lip balm could form an addiction, and eventually your lips will not be able to moisturize themselves on their own.

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Many lip balm companies try to convince people that lip balm will solve all your dry lips problems. They say that lip balm is moisturizing and good for your lips. This is not necessarily true because of the addiction that your lips will form.  Chapstick® says that their lip balm “softens the skin to restore suppleness to the lips” yet this is only a temporary effect. Over time, your lips will become too reliant on the moisturization and it will not be worth it because your lips will be even more dry when not moisturized.

[perfectpullquote align=”right” bordertop=”false” cite=”” link=”” color=”” class=”” size=””]Eventually your lips will not be able to moisturize themselves on their own.[/perfectpullquote]

Using lip balm one time isn’t necessarily bad though. A single use can moisturize and soften your lips. The problem is, your lips can become addicted very quick and lip balm use becomes a habit that seems necessary in keeping your lips moisturized and preventing chapping.

There are many alternatives for using lip balm. It’s best to not get caught in the “vicious circle of lip balm application” as Rebecca Fu from the University of Texas says, so creating good habits would be better.

What to do instead

Drinking water would be the #1 solution for chapped lips and it helps prevent them being dry in the first place. One of the main reasons for lips being chapped is dehydration, so stay hydrated and you won’t have to excessively use and become addicted to lip balm.

Licking your lips is also a horrible habit that creates dry lips. Wikihow says that your saliva will only irritate your lips further by removing any natural oils, causing more chapping.

Breathe through your nose. Breathing through your mouth will make your lips more dry. If you have a cold, use a decongestant such as vaseline to help with decongesting your nose so you won’t have to breathe through your nose. And for when you go to bed, use a humidifier for more decongestant of your nose, and it helps chapped lips too. According to Carly Ledbetter from the Huffington Post, as long as you clean a humidifier often and don’t let bacteria build up, it can work wonders for your nose and therefore helping your lips too.

Cover your lips with a scarf to prevent further chapping! Image by StockSnap

Avoid going outside! When it’s hot and sunny, overexposure to the sun may dry out your lips more. If this happens, using an SPF lip balm would be fine, just try to not go outside all the time and then have to use lip balm all the time. When it’s cold and snowy, the cold air can make your lips more chapped as well. If going outside in winter isn’t preventable, wear a scarf over your mouth to protect from the cold wind. The skin on your lips is so much thinner than anywhere else, so they are much more sensitive to the harsher conditions of the outside than any other places.

Which lip balm alternatives actually work (if you’re really desperate)

There are some lip balms out there that are okay to use every once in awhile and are probably better for you than brands like carmex or chapstick, according to Joshua Zeichner: “These formulas create an artificial barrier to lock in moisture, but when overused, can cause lips to become lazy because the skin doesn’t have to work to maintain its own hydration level.” Zeichner is a dermatologist from Mount Sinai Medical Center talking on behalf of RealSimple.

Beeswax is another ingredient that does more harm than good. Michelle Villett from Beautyeditor says, “The issue is the propolis that gets mixed in with the beeswax. Propolis is a kind of ‘glue’ that bees make from tree and plant resins to fill in the spaces in their hives.”

She also says that SPF lip balm can be another cause of chapping, so only use this in times where you’ll be out in the sun for a long time. Dr. Pilang from Cleveland Clinic says that your lip balm should have an SPF of at least 30. Sometimes, having no sunscreen/SPF on your lips while in the sun can be even worse than using it.

Every so often you may need to use lip balm. Most doctors recommend using more natural products on your lips, if anything. Dr. Cybele Fishman, a dermatologist in New York City says that shea butter, glycerin or natural oils such as almond and coconut oil are the best ingredients for your lips.

[perfectpullquote align=”left” bordertop=”false” cite=”” link=”” color=”” class=”” size=””]“These formulas create an artificial barrier to lock in moisture, but when overused, can cause lips to become lazy.”[/perfectpullquote]

Products like vaseline that are made with petroleum jelly are also a commonly known form of moisturizers that prevent dryness. Yet just like other lip balms, the petroleum creates a seal over your lips, keeping the moisture in, which can be good until you have to go without it. Your lips can become addicted to it and will dry out without it if they become too dependant on it.

According to RealSimple, Joshua Zeichner says that “checking the ingredient list and staying away from products that contain fragrance, camphor, menthol, or salicylic acid” is important because it “can irritate the fragile skin on and around the lips.”

Along with ingredients that are just bad in general, there are also common allergens or irritating ingredients in lip balm that can cause inflammation and/or loss of hydration when you overuse it.

So is lip balm bad?

Overusing lip balm can create bad habits and makes your lips too dependent on it. Only use it when it’s absolutely necessary. Most lip balms just create a protective layer over your lips, so the best products to use are probably shea butter, glycerin, and almond or coconut oil. But when you’re in the sun, using an SPF lip balm would be better than not using lip balm The best to do in preventing chapped lips is drinking water and avoiding bad weather.

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