Goodbye ol' chap: with straight-from-the-earth ingredients and the right regimen, you're sure to revive winter-worn lips

Natural Health, Feb, 2005

Who can turn the world on with her smile? No one with chapped lips, that's for sure--they make even the slightest change of expression painful. "Lips dry out easily since they lack a barrier of protective cells and have a thinner layer of skin than the rest of the body," explains Charles Zugerman, M.D., associate professor of clinical dermatology at Northwestern University. Also, since lips lack oil or sweat glands, they can't stay moist on their own and are vulnerable to chapping, cracking, and flaking. Here's how to give such lip woes the kiss off--quickly and naturally.

pale lips

Just like everything else at this time of year, our lips appear paler than usual. "When the weather gets colder, blood flow to the lips constricts, making them look dull," says Zugerman. To add brightness, opt for super-hydrating glosses or lipsticks. "These formulas allow moisture to fill in the cracks, making lips smoother," declares Mel Rau, a New York City makeup artist. Tinted lip balms also do double duty. "Using lip color in the winter not only adds moisture, but its pigment shields the skin from the elements," says Rau.

Colors that condition: (1) L'Occitane Rose Bonbon Lips ($10; loccitane.com), offering both the shiny, smooth color of a gloss and the skin-soothing benefits of a balm; (2) Jurlique Natural Hydrating Lipstick ($25; jurlique.com), loaded with soothing ingredients like shea butter and calendula oil; (3) Pur Minerals Lip Plumping Gloss ($16.50; purminerals.com), made with natural minerals, and dye- and fragrance-free to prevent irritation; and (4) Almay Pure Tints Protective Lip Care SPF 25 ($4.95; at drugstores), with cucumber, chamomile, and green tea to calm redness.

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chapped lips

Because enzymes from saliva break down the moisture barrier even more, avoid licking your lips; also, seal in moisture with products that are just for lips--those made for the body can cause irritation and stinging. Choose balms with an SPF of at least 15, since snow and ice can reflect more than 80 percent of the sun's damaging ultraviolet rays. "Sun damage, even in the winter," says Zugerman, "can cause the lips to dry out even more and become inflamed."

Balms to try: (1) Kiehl's Lip Balm SPF 15 ($7.50; kiehls.com), made with wheat germ oil; (2) Jason C My Lips SPF 15 ($8; jason-natural.com), with zinc to clear up cold sores fast; and (3) Clarins Moisture Replenishing Lip Balm ($22.50; clarins.com), chock-full of exfoliating vitamin A, along with shea and mango butters to restore suppleness.

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flaky, scaly lips

Exfoliation is a must. "This process also helps prevent fine vertical lines where lipstick tends to settle, and it increases circulation and blood flow to the area," says Zugerman. Because lips have skin that's thinner than skin elsewhere, use a gentle exfoliator; follow up with a vitamin-rich lip treatment to restore moisture.

Conditioners to consider: Gently rub on (1) Benefit Dr. Feel Good Lipscription ($28, benefitcosmetics.com), with jojoba microspheres to naturally slough off dead cells, or (2) Comfort Zone Lip Blooming Scrub ($19.50; 866-328-4637). To seal in moisture, try (3) Therapy Systems Rx for Lips ($28.50; 800-733-8606), with sweet almond oil and soothing chamomile, or (4) DDF Therapeutic Lip Treatment ($18; sephora.com), with lanolin to form a barrier and wheat germ to condition.

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