Drink consistently throughout the day, not all at one time. That’s not going to help your lips immediately!
If you feel the urge to lick or pick at your lips, immediately apply a lip balm instead. Reapply lip balm or ointment after drinking or rinsing out your mouth.
Look for a lip balm that contains beeswax, shea butter, coconut butter, almond oil, or other natural moisturizers - and not much else. Don’t choose a lip balm with an extra-long list of ingredients you can’t pronounce. A vitamin E or glycerin-based ointment containing other natural ingredients could also be helpful. [4] X Research source Avoid using lipstick to moisturize your lips. Lipstick can be drying - you need a protective ointment underneath. In some cases, you can develop an allergy to lipstick or red dye #40, which is included in many lipstick formulas. If this happens, the lipstick can make your lips very irritated or even cause a rash.
Coconut oil Almond oil Jojoba oil Olive oil Cocoa or shea butter Rosehip oil
Rubbing a cucumber slice on your lips daily for about 10 minutes is also known to be effective. Rubbing some aloe vera gel on your lips can be soothing. Rubbing a little honey on your lips will moisturize them and make them feel better. Slather on an unflavored lip balm that contains natural oils or butters, such as coconut oil or shea butter.
Be sure to always read the label, looking for fragrances or perfumes listed in the ingredients. These can burn or agitate your skin, potentially making your lips worse.
Refrain from eating salty foods, which increase the urge to lick your lips. A high salt diet and salty snacks are very drying for your lips! Similarly, stay away from caffeinated drinks, which urge you to lick your lips. Soda is especially problematic, as it contains both caffeine and salt. Choose another beverage, instead.
Dry, chapped lips can also be caused by breathing through your mouth when you have a stuffy nose. Try to clear your nasal passages so you can breathe through your nose as much as possible. Wearing a mouth guard, retainer or another device that causes your mouth to stay open could also be the culprit. If you can’t avoid sleeping with your mouth open, apply a good ointment before bed. If you often find yourself sleeping with your mouth open and you feel unrested, talk to your doctor to make sure you don’t have any underlying health conditions.
Don’t just treat sun damage after the fact! Do your best to prevent it by always using sun protection on your lips, such as a lip balm labeled for sun protection. Look for an SPF of at least 15. [10] X Trustworthy Source National Health Service (UK) Public healthcare system of the UK Go to source
Switch to a toothpaste that doesn’t contain sodium lauryl sulphate. Sodium lauryl sulfate is the foaming agent found in most toothpastes; it can also aggravate mouth sores or ulcers and chapped lips.
Diabetes. If you have diabetes or a history of the condition in your family, this may be a cause of your lip pain. Kawasaki Disease. A serious, but rare, blood disorder that is a cause of chronic dry lips. Sjogren’s Syndrome. A kind of autoimmune disease which can damage the tear ducts and similar glands. This causes dry eyes, dry mouth, and dry mucus membranes. It’s also a common cause of seriously cracked lips. Macrocytosis. A blood condition where the average red blood cell size is increased to dangerous levels. Sexually transmitted diseases. STDs, oral herpes HSV-1, HIV, and other diseases can be an underlying cause of chronic cracked lips.
