Step By Step lip-care guide for flawless lips

Earlier the only lip-care that most people followed was applying petroleum jelly whenever lips got dry or chapped. Now with the existence of a variety of lip-care products in the market, most people have switched to using these lip-care products. The hard part is to choose the right products for your lip-care routine.

Here is a step-by-step guide for achieving flawless lips. This guide covers everything you need to know about lip care, from choosing the right products to effective home remedies, plus a few extra tips for your daily routine.

Before you start the lip care guide, familiarize yourself with some common lip problems that people often face.

1. Chapped Lips: Dry, flaky, and sometimes cracked lips, often caused by dehydration, cold weather, or wind.
2. Cold Sores: Small, fluid-filled blisters caused by the herpes simplex virus, often appearing on or around the lips.
3. Lip Infections: Bacterial or fungal infections that can cause redness, swelling, and pain.
4. Lip Burns: Burns on the lips from hot food, drinks, or sun exposure, leading to pain, redness, and peeling.
5. Angular Cheilitis: Inflammation and cracks at the corners of the mouth, often caused by fungal or bacterial infections, nutritional deficiencies, or drooling.
6. Allergic Reactions: Redness, swelling, itching, or hives on the lips due to allergens in foods, cosmetics, or medications.
7. Darkening of Lips: Discoloration of the lips, often due to smoking, sun exposure, or use of certain lip products.
8. Excessive Lip licking: Habitual lip licking can lead to dryness, irritation, and chapping.

Now that the most common lip problems are highlighted, we can move towards the Lip-care guide that can help prevent these common issues from occurring and you all know that “Prevention is the best cure”.

Achieving flawless lips requires a dedicated lip care routine that nourishes, protects, and enhances your lips. Follow this step-by-step guide to keep your lips looking their best.

Step 1: Exfoliating

Why should you exfoliate ?
Exfoliating removes dead skin cells, making your lips smooth and ready for hydration.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     

How to Exfoliate:

1. Choose an Exfoliator: Use a lip scrub or make a DIY scrub using sugar and honey.
2. Gently Scrub: Apply the scrub to your lips using a circular motion for about 1-2 minutes.
3. Rinse Off: Rinse with warm water and pat dry with a soft towel.

Step 2: Hydrating

Why should you hydrate ?
Hydration keeps your lips soft, plump and prevents chapping.

How to Hydrate:

1. Apply a Lip Balm: Choose a hydrating lip balm with ingredients like shea butter, coconut oil, or beeswax.
2. Reapply as Needed: Apply throughout the day, especially after meals and before bed.

There are a lot of lip balms available in the market today which makes it hard to find the right one for you needs.

Here are a few lip-balms we recommend for your lips:

• Top Lip-balms on Nykaa .
• 10 hydrating lip balms recommended by Vogue India .
• Best lip balms across multiple categories recommended by Vikatan.
• Best lip balms recommended by Dermatologists on Dralpana .
  
  

Step 3: Protection

Why should you protect?                                                                                                          

Protecting your lips from the sun and harsh elements prevents damage and aging.

How to Protect:

1. Use SPF Lip Balm: Apply a lip balm with SPF 15 or higher during the day to shield your lips from UV rays.
2. Avoid Licking Your Lips: Saliva can strip moisture from your lips, leading to dryness.
   
   

Few recommended Lip-balms with SPF 15 or higher

• Top 8 best Lip-balms with SPF recommended by Vogue India .
• Lip-balms with SPF on Purplle .
  
  
  

Step 4: Moisturizing Overnight

Why should you moisturize overnight?

An overnight treatment helps deeply nourish and repair your lips while you sleep.

How to Moisturize Overnight:

1. Night Lip Mask: Apply a thick layer of a nourishing lip mask or a generous amount of lip balm before bed.
2. Seal in Moisture: Choose products with ingredients like lanolin, hyaluronic acid, or glycerine for intense hydration.

Step 5: Healthy Habits

Why should you follow healthy habits?

Healthy habits contribute to overall lip health and prevent common issues.

How to follow healthy habits:

1. Stay Hydrated: Drink plenty of water to keep your lips hydrated from the inside out.
2. Healthy Diet: Eat foods rich in vitamins and minerals, such as fruits and vegetables, to promote lip health.
3. Avoid Harsh Ingredients: Steer clear of lip products with alcohol or fragrances that can dry out your lips.

Step 6: Enhancing Your Lips (Optional)                  

Why?

Enhancing your lips with the right products can make them look even more flawless.

How:

1. Lip Primer: Apply a lip primer to create a smooth base for your lipstick.
2. Choose the Right Lipstick: Opt for moisturizing lipsticks or glosses. Avoid matte formulas if your lips are prone to dryness.
3. Lip Liner: Use a lip liner to define your lips and prevent lipstick from feathering.
   
   

Here are a few recommendations for High Quality Lipstick:

1. Muscari Liquid Lipstick (3ML & 1.5 ML) – Even the matte shades keep your lips hydrated. (Non-Toxic & Vegan Friendly)
2. Best organic Lipsticks in India recommended by The Times Of India
   
3. Top Lipsticks recommended by Nykaa .

Above are the six easy steps that you can follow to achieve flawless lips that make heads turn. Let’s move to a few home remedies that you can try.

Home Remedies

1. Honey and Sugar Scrub: Mix 1 tablespoon of honey with 1 tablespoon of sugar to create a natural lip scrub. Gently massage onto lips and rinse with warm water.
2. Aloe Vera Lip Gel: Apply aloe vera gel to soothe, calm, and moisturize lips.
3. Banana and Honey Lip Mask: Mash ripe banana and mix with 1 tablespoon of honey to create a nourishing lip mask.
4. Turmeric and Milk Lip Mask: Mix 1 teaspoon of turmeric powder with 1 tablespoon of milk to create a paste that helps remove pigmentation and stains.
5. Cucumber and Mint Lip Mask: Mash cucumber and mint leaves together, apply to lips, and leave on for 15 minutes to hydrate and cool lips.

Extra Tips:

1. Keep your lips hydrated: Apply a lip balm or lip moisturizer throughout the day, especially before bed.
2. Protect from the sun: Apply a lip balm with SPF to prevent sun damage and darkening of lips.
3. Avoid licking your lips: Saliva can dry out your lips, so try to break the habit.
4. Stay hydrated: Drink plenty of water to keep your lips and skin hydrated from the inside out.
5. Avoid harsh products: Steer clear of lip products containing alcohol, camphor, or menthol, which can dry out your lips.
6. Don't over-wipe: When removing lip makeup, gently wipe with a damp cloth instead of rubbing harshly.
7. Eat a balanced diet: Consuming foods rich in vitamins A, C, and E, like fruits and leafy greens, can help keep your lips healthy.
8. Don't bite or pick: Refrain from biting or picking at your lips, as this can cause irritation and dryness.