Lipcare routines used to be as ~basic~ as it gets. It involved whipping out a single, simple lip balm whenever we had dry, cracked lips. Then and only then. But with skincare routines now showing off with their double-digit steps to prevent all kinds of skin woes, lipcare has had no choice but to up its game.
You still need a lip balm, sure, but you’re going to need a lot more than that if you want the perfect pout free from dry flakes, fine lines and wrinkles, and sunspots. Because what’s the point of having the most beautiful, glowy, clear skin if your lips are a total hot mess that’ll steal all the attention anyway? The answer: literally no point. At all. To make sure your lipcare routine is giving the same energy, here’s how to build one that’ll give your skincare routine a run for its money.
PROVIDE ANTIOXIDANT PROTECTION
Free radicals are unstable atoms that are missing an electron. To balance themselves out, they’ll steal an electron from another molecule, which can cause damage and premature ageing as a result. Providing your lips with antioxidant protection as part of your lipcare routine will help to neutralise free radicals and minimise the signs of ageing that often first appear in the lips. Not today fine lines, not today!
TRY: SKINCEUTICALS ANTIOXIDANT LIP REPAIR 10ML - £40.00
Protect your pout and reinforce its free radical defence with powerful antioxidants vitamin E and silymarin derived from milk thistle to reverse and counteract the signs of ageing. Allantoin helps to soothe and ease dry, chapped lips, while sodium hyaluronate, a smaller form of hyaluronic acid that reaches deeper layers of skin, hydrates.
REGULARLY EXFOLIATE
Every time you go to exfoliate your skin, you should exfoliate your lips too (that’s 2-3 times a week, FYI). Exfoliating aims to remove dead skin cells and dry flakes from the lips, whilst improving product absorption. A build-up of dead skin cells and dry flakes can cling to the lips and make them appear dryer than they really are. They can also prevent your other lipcare products from penetrating deep into your lips and delaying the healing process.
Plus, if your lips have a habit of creasing when wearing any kind of lipstick, exfoliating also helps to soften cracks and texture to get rid of those lumps and bumps which cause creasing.
TRY: IS CLINICAL LIP POLISH - £32.00
This exfoliating Lip Polish by iS Clinical gently, yet effectively melts away dead skin cells and flaky patches. Infused with sucrose and rich botanical butter, it instantly soothes and hydrates those soon-to-be luscious lips of yours. For antioxidant protection, you can thank additional vitamins such as vitamins C and E.
SPF, SPF, SPF!
The next time you go to skimp on sun protection for your lips, think again. The skin on the lips is thinner than the skin on the rest of your face and more likely to experience sun damage such as burning, fine lines and wrinkles, and sunspots. To give you more of an idea, the skin on your face can be up to 16 cell layers thick, while your lips are typically no more than 4 cell layers thick.
TRY: IS CLINICAL LIPROTECT SPF35 - £20.00
Brand new to the iS Clinical family, this SPF 35 lip balm is one of our favourite lipcare products for sun protection as it goes the extra mile to protect your precious pout. Rich in antioxidants to prevent free radical damage, vitamin E and coconut oil to hydrate and repair, and elderberry extract and linoleic acid to defend against environmental aggressors.
KEEP THEM MOISTURISED
The lips are more prone to dryness as they don’t contain sebaceous glands. Sebaceous glands produce a naturally moisturising oil to provide and lock in moisture, they’re found everywhere on the body except the lips, palms, and soles of the feet. So, it’s pretty much up to us to keep them moisturised. With great lips comes great responsibility.
TRY: IMAGE SKINCARE ORMEDIC BALANCING LIP ENHANCEMENT COMPLEX - £23.00
More than just your average lip balm, this ultra-hydrating, polypeptide formula combined with avocado oil and vitamin E works to relieve dry, chapped lips and plump up your pout with a load of moisture for natural fullness and lip contouring. With more volume in the lips, you can also expect fine lines to appear softer. Leaving a clear or pink sheen across the lips, you can make them pop that lil’ bit more.
TRY: IS CLINICAL YOUTH LIP ELIXIR - £52.00
If you spend most of your life with dry, chapped lips, you’ll want to get your hands (and lips) on iS Clinical Youth Lip Elixir. Hyaluronic acid, vitamins B5, C, and E, shea and cocoa butter combined with extremozymes deliver instant, long-lasting moisture to plump and nourish the lips whilst buffing away dead skin cells and reducing signs of ageing.
