For years, lip balms have been used as moisturizers for the lips. Our quickest solution to dry or cracked lips is always to apply lip balms (or a more unhealthier route, licking our lips). But we should also understand that applying lip balm is not just to add moisture to our lips, it’s also to heal it.
Issues like hyperpigmentation and chapped lips, or cheilitis; a medical condition that could result in painful injuries on the lips are why we need balms. This is why it is important to see lip balms not just as moisturizers, but as healing ointments that protect the lips. But why is a lip balm important for healing the skin?
That’s what we are here to find out.
Why Are Lip Balms Important
As we mentioned earlier, lip balms are great for moisturizing the lips. But they also have other amazing benefits that we believe help with their overall health. Let’s have a look at them:
1. Helps to Heal Chapped Lips
Cheilitis is an issue that plagues a lot of people. This is because the lips have no sweat or oil glands on them, therefore making them prone to drying out easily, even when exposed to minimal air. Because of this, the lips get dried out easily and begin to crack, eventually leading to injuries.
This is why we emphasize the healing properties of lip balm because that’s what it’s meant for. Most balms contain soothing ingredients like menthol, camphor, mineral oils like eucalyptus, etc that are very effective in healing very dry lips. They also help to nourish the lips to keep them plump and look good always.
2. Protect lips from UV Rays
We know this sounds new, but yes, lip balms can also protect your lips from the sun. It’s not just your face that needs protection but your lips too.
Remember when we said the lips have no oil or sweat glands? This actually puts them at the disadvantage of being constantly exposed to the sun. This means the lips could suffer from hyperpigmentation because of constant exposure.
They help to shield your lips from UV rays by forming a protective barrier on them. Doing this also helps to deal with any hyperpigmentation and dullness on the lips because they now have time to regenerate and heal.
3. Protects Lips From Subsequent Damage
Your lips have a lot of elements to battle with. From dry air to the cold, to the sun; there are just a lot of things it has to deal with. It needs to be constantly protected to prevent damage from these elements. This is where the lip balm comes in.
It doesn’t just protect your lips for today, it shields them from further damage in the future. It’s like taking preventive measures against dry and unnourished lips today. You will be saving them in the long run.
Now that we’ve shown you why these portable lip salves are good for you, let’s show you some basic ingredients you should look out for that will give you what you need.
Basic Ingredients To Look Out For In A Lip Balm
- Mineral/Essential Oils
- Menthol
- Beeswax
- Camphor
- Honey
This list only mentions a few items, so if you want to get a good lip balm, make sure it has ingredients that focus on:
- Hydration/Moisturizing
- Protection
- Healing
Conclusion
People, regardless of gender or race need it to solve a universal problem, dry and chapped lips. However, it is good to know that it has other benefits for the lips. If you’ve been wondering why you should use lip balm when you can just lick your lips, here is your answer.