How to Have Luscious Lips in the Fall and Winter

The fall and winter months can do a real number on your skin. One of the most sensitive areas of your body, your lips, may react to wind and colder temperatures by becoming dry and chapped. But you can take many steps to ensure your lips appear healthy, luscious, and kissable by using some of these effective techniques:

1. Drink lots of water.

Your body requires a considerable amount of water to make it through an average day. Consume at least 64 ounces daily to keep your lips and body hydrated.

2. Use lip balm daily.

Find products that contain shea butter or other soothing ingredients for your lips. Even when you're staying inside, applying lip balm throughout the day helps to combat cracked, dry lips.

Chanel Rouge Coco Baume Hydrating Conditioning Lip Balm

3. Obtain a humidifier.

Most furnaces keep you warm by blowing warm or hot air, which is not conducive to keeping your lips moist. Therefore, using a humidifier will counteract your furnace's deleterious effects. Many furnaces now have built-in humidifiers, but if yours doesn't, you can purchase a small appliance humidifier that you fill with water each day. Your lips will thank you.

4. Keep those lips covered.

When you're outdoors, your lips are exposed to elements that can chap them, like cool air, frigid temperatures, and gusty winds. Holding your gloved hand over your lips when you're scurrying from your car into work provides a bit of protection for them. Also, consider wearing a winter muffler that you can pull up over your lips as a safeguard against the lip-damaging elements.

5. Apply a lip primer before putting on lipstick.

Primers not only aid your lipstick in staying on longer, they provide much-needed moisture for your lips. Primers are the bomb, use them.

6. Buy lip products that contain UV protection.

Even though it's fall or winter time, the sun is still shining through. And that sun might be aging your beautiful lips. Keep the sun's damaging rays off your lips by applying some UV protection.

7. At night, apply petroleum jelly.

Petroleum jelly provides a thick protective coating over your lips that guards against further drying and chapping and lasts all night. When you wake up in the morning, you'll be pleasantly surprised by how smooth and moist your lips are.

8. Avoid licking your lips when you're outside.

Wetting your lips outdoors means your lips will become drier and more chapped when the cold and wind hits them.

9. Seek lip products that nourish skin.

Evaluate ingredients listed on any balms or lipsticks you use to ensure you're protecting them. Look for Vitamin C and E in the ingredients list.

10. Keep your lip products handy.

Place a salve on your nightstand and end table in the living room. Stash some lightly hued lipstick in a kitchen cabinet or drawer. Always have an extra chubby stick or lip salve in your briefcase or bag. When you have your lip balms everywhere you are, all you have to do is apply them. The more you do, the healthier they'll be.