Everything You Need To Know About Using A Lip Scrub
Get gorgeous, naturally plump, and smooth lips with the help of a lip scrub. There are many on offer. Study which ingredients and methods are the best for you. Don’t forget about your lips!
1. Check the Expiry Date
Like all products, a lip scrub has an expiry date.
These dates are particularly important for your lip scrub, as these products are used right near your mouth.
Even natural, organic products can become infested with bacteria when water, skin cells, and air are introduced to them.
Best before and expiry dates are there for your benefit. Pay attention to them.
2. Natural Work Just as Well
Although high-end beauty brands sell expensive, luxury versions, smaller and organic brands sell great options. Plus, you can easily make a lip scrub at home with ingredients in your kitchen.
Apply lip balm, honey or oil to your lips; use a small amount of sugar on your finger to disperse the grains and gently massage your lips in a clockwise fashion. After 20-30 seconds, lick (only if it’s sugar!) or clean off with water. Apply a second coat of balm to moisturise.
Alternatively, use a wet washcloth or dry toothbrush to gently slough away dead skin cells.
Do not apply a lip scrub to dry lips; this will do more harm than good.
3. Choose What Works for You
Different ingredients work for different people, and not everyone has the same skin.
Remember that your lips are an extension of your skin, and a lot more fragile. Be delicate, and use ingredients that you know work well for you.
A lip scrub works best when used before bed. This gives your lips time to calm down, and reduces any redness that could occur. After scrubbing your lips, always remember to apply a generous layer of lip balm to condition the new and remaining skin.
Like skin, exfoliating the lips can be done with a chemical and physical method. Chemical methods use ingredients that will work to dissolve the cells without abrasion, whereas physical exfoliating is the ‘scrubbing’ action.
Although both work well, using chemicals that close to the lips is not advised. Choose a sugar scrub, toothbrush or washcloth for safe exfoliation.
As lips cannot contract acne, use only rich, hydrating products. There are no pores on your lips, so no need to worry about clogging them!
4. Always Wet your Lips
Using a sugar scrub, or even a dry toothbrush can lead to more damage than intended. Prevent this by wetting your lips.
Apply a lip balm as well, to prevent removing any valuable skin.
Exfoliating your lips should only be to remove dead skin, or increase the blood flow—which leads to a plump pout.
5. Watch Out for Harmful Ingredients
Although your lips are still skin, they do not get acne.
Think about the acne fighting ingredients you use on your skin, and steer clear of these when working with your lips.
Ingredients like salicylic acid and tea tree can be harmful and poisonous. Always be mindful that any ingredients you are using could easily be transferred into your mouth.
6. Stop Using When…
A lip scrub does not need to be used every day.
Once a week should be enough during warmer seasons, whereas cooler seasons may require the use of a lip scrub twice a week.
Adjust how often you use a scrub according to your lip’s needs. Do not exfoliate cold sores and open wounds.
Cut and bruised lips should not be exfoliated!
