Best Way to Make Your Own 100% Natural Lipcare Products

When it comes to beauty regimes, lips are low in the pecking order. The following lip care treatments show how to combat the drying effects of wind, central heating, and sun.

Are you addicted to lip balm? Millions of us are. Lips are protected by the thinnest skin on the body, which makes them very sensitive to touch – and one of the key erogenous zones. Since lips do not have the sweat- or oil-secreting glands that other areas of skin contain, they tend to dry out very quickly. Moistening the lips with saliva merely contributes to the drying effects, as does the Saharalike environment created by central heating and air conditioning.

Regular application of lip balm helps prevent this dryness, which can lead to cracked and sore lips (leaving the skin on the lips prone to infection). Many conventional lip balms, however, are petroleum-based, and, in my opinion, this ingredient seems to enhance their addictive appeal. Interestingly, women who switch to a wax-based or a homemade lip balm do not appear to experience the same urge to reapply the lip balm again and again.

DIY Lipcare

Making your own lip treatments is simple. If you do not have time to make your own, make sure you study the ingredients list on any balm you buy, and avoid those that contain petrolatum or mineral oil. Instead, look for balms featuring high levels of wax (usually beeswax or carnauba wax).

Applied on top of your choice of lipstick or lip pencil, lip balm creates a glossy, sexy finish that not only protects but also helps lips retain their natural moisture.

Here comes the sun

During the summer, or at any time when the sun is prominent and there is little cloud cover, try to wear some sort of lip protection whenever you are outdoors. Research has shown that women are between 7-10 times less likely than men to develop lip cancer, and the fact that many women wear lipstick is thought to be the reason. Lip balm – unless it’s a commercial version, with an SPF 15 or more – will not offer the same level of protection as colored lipstick, in which the pigments (and titanium dioxide in the formulation) help create a shield for lips. Choose from one of the listed natural brands and your lips will love you for it.

Lip smoother

1/4 ripe papaya

With a fork, mash the papaya flesh into a juicy paste. Keep your hair out of the way by wrapping it in a towel or wearing a shower cap. Lie down on a towel and apply a generous amount of papaya pulp to the lips and skin around the lips. Leave on for 10-15 minutes. Rinse off with warm water and apply lip balm.

Because papaya contains skin-smoothing enzymes, this treatment can boost the appearance of the skin around the lips, which is prone to fine lines and wrinkles.