Winter can be extremely rough on our lips. Keep them smooth and hydrated, especially if you’d like to wear lipstick.
Repair the damage with some of my top tips for winter-ready lips.
Note: For severe and chronically dry or cracked lips, a visit to your dermatologist might be warranted to diagnose and treat any underlying medical cause.
For everyone else, here goes:
Step 1: *EXFOLIATE*
Removing dead skin cells reveals fresh smooth skin, helps treatment products penetrate better, and creates a smoother canvas for lip color!
One option I like is MAC Lip Scrumptious, or you can simply go with Vaseline / Aquaphor / Lanolin (Yes, same stuff as for breastfeeding woes!)
Let the product sit for a few minutes and then gently scrub in circular motions with a soft toothbrush. Make sure to immediately re-hydrate and be super gentle! You don’t want to irritate or break the delicate skin!
Step 2: *HYDRATE*
There are loads of really good emollient lip products out there! I personally love the Laneige Lip Sleeping Mask [mentioned previously here] but you can also go with Vaseline / Aquaphor / Lanolin (Yes, the same items you used to exfoliate.)
Put on a generous amount before bedtime and anytime you aren’t wearing lip color. Just remember to wipe off before lipstick etc.
Step 3: *BODY HYDRATION*
Make sure to drink/hydrate your body properly, use moist air/humidifier and limit environmental dry heat as much as possible. Use an emollient lip product nightly before bed. Wear a scarf around your face to protect from wind/extreme weather, etc.
Step 4: *PREP*
Before a simcha, Shabbos, or sitting in my makeup chair, load up on the emollients and avoid the drying stuff for DAYS before! Remember that emollient products limit lip color wear-time, so wipe off before using any lip color!
Step 5: *SWITCH FROM A LIPSTICK TO A BALM*
When all else fails, simply use a tinted lip balm/gloss for some gentle emollient color!
Laneige Lip Glowy Balm is my personal favorite for everyday wear – alone or as a lipstick topper! Some more balm/gloss picks I like include Makeup By Mario Lip Serum and Dior Addict Lip Glow at the higher end, and ChapStick, Labello, Burt’s Bees, and Honest Beauty at the lower end.
Miryam! Any advice you give me I follow!!! Ty! Always works
Be aware any flavouring or balm should be not made of animal fat or triefa colouring… and the company Mary Kay has a wonderful lip set of a balm and exfoliating cream.
You can look up most products on ou or star-k website or Rabbi blumenkranz pesach book has year round kashrus info too.
Anyone know if the Laniege product is ok to use?
Please be aware that Aquaphor generally has pig fat and should not be used on the lips.
How do you know Aquaphor has pig fat, who can i verify with?
Next we need an article HOW TO PREVENT AND REPAIR DRY OR CRACKED SKIN IN WINTER
A drop of coconut oil several times a day is easy and inexpensive
same question
wondering if these products were confirmed ok to use on the lips?
Please be aware that Lanolin is not kosher and may not be consumed, according to a lot of poskim. BCP, you are a Jewish site and your readers will automatically assume that whatever you post is ok. Please, at add a disclaimer!
Another helpful tip: have a moisturizing lip balm in each of your bags. So you will always have it on hand. And also, don’t forget that lip balm can be applied to the cuticle to moisturize it. After all, often the skin of the hands also dries in the cold seasons.
I am not paskening for anyone, just posting what I found on Star K’s website:
We are familiar with the Torah law prohibiting one from eating non-kosher food. This halacha only prohibits the consumption of non-kosher food. One may, however, derive benefit from non-kosher food.3 The “minhag haolam” (custom) is to include in this category the application of non-kosher cosmetics to the skin.4 For example, it is permissible for one to apply facial creams or lotions containing animal derivatives. One may even apply non-kosher ingredients to one’s lips (e.g. lipstick, lip balm). This is true even though one may inadvertently swallow traces of lipstick that mix with food. These trace amounts of lipstick are batel b’shishim (1:60 or less).5
If there is no intention to swallow a non-food product (e.g. toothpaste, mouthwash, floss), one need not worry about the ingredients.6 Nonetheless, it is a hiddur to use kosher products if they might inadvertently be swallowed. If a product is intentionally swallowed (e.g. breath spray and breath freshener strips), the product requires kosher certification.7