The Winter Nightmare that are Dry Lips + My Favorite Lip Treatments

Those of you who suffer from chronically dry lips (like me)  that sometimes crack, peel or even bleed, know just how stubborn of a problem it can be. 

Suffering from dry lips also doesn’t always stem from the fact that you don’t take care of them- it can be a sign of vitamin deficiency, dehydration or a side-effect from certain meds. Dry lips have always been an issue for me, but Accutane took it to a whole another level. When you mix all of the above and add cold weather and dry air… well, the results ain’t pretty.

While my dermatologist suggested I use Aquaphor, I find that while it does help with minor dryness, it doesn’t do enough.

Bite Beauty Agave Lip Mask and Lano Lips 101 Ointment were among some of my favorite products of last year. The Agave Lip Mask has a sticky, thick formula that can sometimes be difficult to apply as it can tug on my lips when they are dry to the point of bleeding/cracking. At the same time though, it’s one of the only products that actually helps in healing the dryness and it does so in minutes. What I like to do is “roll” the tube in my hands to warm the product up a bit and, instead of rubbing the mask into my lips, I dab a generous amount all over. It’s one of my favorite treatments to use at night.

Lano Lips 101 Ointment has a lighter formula that’s a bit easier to work with. It’s formulated with medical grade lanolin and I already talked about about it at length in this post. It also brings instant relief to any dryness and leaves a delicate glossy finish.

Most (and by most I mean pretty much all) of my favorite lip treatments come in tubes, which is unfortunate as they aren’t perfect to use when I’m on-the-go. Thing is, with formulas like those, it’d be hard to have them come in a different packaging. This is why Chanel Rouge Coco Baume never leaves my handbag. It has a light, hydrating, glossy (not goopy or sticky) formula that reminds me of the 101 Ointment. I think it’s one of those lip products that’s very much worth the splurge and doesn’t leave any waxy/greasy residue on lips.

Few of my other favorites are Glossier’s Balm Dotcom (Rose is my favorite + get 20% off your first Glossier order right here), Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour Cream and the Pout Protector Vanilla Lip Mask from Complex Beauty.

If you’re looking for something plumping and glossy, then you’d love the Perfect Pout Lip Mask + Lip Balm Duo from Kaplan MD.  It’s a nice duo for exfoliating, plumping and hydrating, but I’d caution you to stay away from anything that’s “plumping” if your lips are peeling badly and/or bleeding as it’ll only irritate them further. In other words, learn from my mistakes, unless you want your lips to feel like they’ve been set on fire.

Some lip balms can cause the dryness to worsen. That’s most likely a sign of a reaction to an allergen or irritant (like fragrance) that the balm is formulated with. Beeswax, Lanolin and Vitamin E are some of the most common lip-balm ingredients and if you notice that despite constantly reapplying your lip balm your lips get even more dry and irritated, chances are you might be allergic to one or more ingredients it contains. Just something to keep in mind.

Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour Cream, Bite Beauty Agave Lip Mask, Lano Lips, Glossier Balm dotcom, Complex Beauty Pout Protector Lip Mask, Chanel Rouge Coco Baume, Kaplan MD Lip 20 Balm. 

Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour Cream, Bite Beauty Agave Lip Mask, Lano Lips, Glossier Balm dotcom, Complex Beauty Pout Protector Lip Mask, Kaplan MD Lip 20 Balm. 

One more thing: dry winter air also makes your lips (and skin) very dry, so get your hands on a humidifier if you don’t already have one. It makes a huge difference, especially if you’re prone to having dry skin and lips during colder months. Drink plenty of water and remember to stay hydrated.