While reading the Taste For Life magazine August issue, I came across an article called “the abc’s of lip care” which contained some surprising and useful information. We might not often consider what we put on our lips to be important as it seems like a relatively small amount, but shockingly enough, an average woman will ingest approximately four pounds of lip products over a lifetime.
This means that a careful selection of lip products is necessary for maintaining healthy, beautiful lips while minimizing (or eliminating) the amount of unnecessary chemicals being absorbed into the body. For example, it’s best to avoid lip products with petroleum or mineral oil as these can dry and irritate the skin.
Try opting for better ingredients or pure items such as those listed below:
- Beeswax (which is great for keeping in moisture)
- Aloe Vera (you might even have a plant of your own)
- Cocoa Butter or Shea Butter (try to find this extracted without the use of chemical solvents)
- Jojoba Oil (which is very similar to the oil humans produce)
- Calendula (actually promotes growth of new skin cells)
- Vitamin E (you can locate this oil at health stores)
For other natural lip care ideas such as olive oil and honey (yum!), check out this site.
In addition to topical products, you can also maintain healthy lips by drinking plenty of water and getting sufficient omega-3 fatty acids through foods such as flaxseed oil, albacore tuna, salmon, and walnuts. Protecting lips from the sun is also important- coconut oil can help protect agains short-term damage, but lip products with an SPF are a good idea for extended exposure.
