Searching for a lip care routine? Keep reading to find out how to keep your lips smooth and wrinkle-free this season.
As we age, our lips go through an aggressive physiological change. We’re used to hearing about the skin on our face sagging and getting more wrinkled, but the lips, in particular, can age you drastically. The orbicularis oris is a set of muscles that surrounds the lips and circles around the mouth. This muscle gets affected significantly during aging as it starts to atrophy, leading to sagging, drooping and increased fine lines and wrinkles. As with the rest of the face, we see a loss of subcutaneous fat and collagen which causes once voluminous lips to draw inward and deflate.
Also, the lips don’t have an oil producing epidermal layer like that of the face so the only real moisture it can get is from a routine that hydrates them properly. To combat these signs of aging, you need to have a consistent routine that will target the various different layers of complexity that comes with age.
Here’s a sample routine to get you started:
Exfoliate
It’s time to start exfoliating! Exfoliation is natural process, and just as we need to do so for our face, the same goes for your lips. Especially in the winter! Once the colder weather hits, it’s a battle to avoid constant chapped lips. When the lips age, they tend to droop and move downward and studies suggest circulation can help to delay this trend and exfoliation is a great way to get the blood moving.
The Unpa Bubble Lip Scrub is perfect for this because it’s formulated with sclerotium gum and a blend of switch hazel, papaya, peach, and grapefruit extracts. This formulation helps to exfoliate the lips all while leaving behind a lasting moisture. It works well for travel too! Just pop it in your bag and you’re good to go. Remember, you don’t want to exfoliate too much as this can lead to irritation and ultimately, the dreaded chapped lips. We suggest doing so at least one to two times a week to keep them looking smooth and hydrated.
Treat
Masks are not just for your face anymore. Once in awhile, it’s worth it to give your lips an extra boost. The Unpa Bubi Bubi Lip Mask is a night mask that works to infuse your lips with a mix of four antioxidants. The addition of jojoba oil works wonders since it’s extremely moisturizing.
Pro-tip: Try to use your anti-aging serums on your lips as well, especially those that contain peptides to help to stimulate collagen production. Adding those peptides into your routine will help to combat the loss of elasticity that leads to sagging. Check out The Plant Base Time Stop Collagen Ampoule, which is a highly concentrated serum packed with peptides and mushroom extracts. These all work together to deeply nourish the skin, helping to smooth out fine lines as well as improve elasticity.
Moisturize + Protect
After all that exfoliation, you’ll want to moisturize to keep your lips smooth and protected from environmental and sun damage. If you want a little shine, go for the Em Cosmetics Morning Dew Crystal Lip Gloss in Quartz works like a hydrating gloss, packed with vitamin E. It also comes in chic packaging that you won’t mind pulling out to re-apply throughout the day.
If you prefer, you can combine moisture plus SPF protection in one. At The Klog, we’re always preaching about the benefits of sun protection and your lips are no exception. It’s important to use a lip balm or lip tint with SPF included so you can protect them from sun damage. Lips are often overlooked during your normal SPF application, but ignoring this vital step will leave them exposed, which helps them age faster.
If you’re looking for a typical lip balm, the Sun Bum Mineral Sunscreen Lip Balm SPF 30 will work wonderfully. It’s packed with a hydrating blend of vitamin E, shea butter, and jojoba that help to strengthen and protect your lips from premature aging. The addition of SPF 30 will help to create a barrier against damaging UV rays that destroy necessary collagen.
Bottom line:
Your lips are just as important as the rest of your face and you should be taking care of them as such. This routine will help to keep them smooth, hydrated and protected, ensuring that they look as youthful as possible. Plus, following this routine has helped to make my favorite matte lipsticks apply easier and keep my lips hydrated all day long.
+What is your lip care routine? Let us know in the comments below!
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