Why are my lips so dry? 7 common causes and how to avoid them
If you're wondering: why are my lips so dry you're very much not the only one. Google has seen a breakout in searches for “lips constantly dry” throughout January – proof that dry Jan isn't just targeting our alcohol intake.
It's no surprise, in winter our lips seem to have a mind of their own and switch from super smooth to dry and cracked in what seems like hours. But, it's worth knowing there are a few key causes of dry lips – as well as a couple of bad habits that exacerbate them, which the majority of us are guilty of doing on a daily basis.
It's also important to understand that the skin on our lips is much more fragile than our skin elsewhere (so if you're moisturising your face and body daily but missing out a step dedicated to your lips, you're missing a trick).
We asked the experts “why are my lips so dry and what's the cause?” Here's what they had to say…
How is the skin on our lips different to elsewhere?
“One of the main differences between the skin on our lips and the rest of the body is that it is much thinner, typically consisting of 3-5 layers in total compared to as many as 16 on the face,” explains consultant dermatologist Dr Justine Kluk. “Our lips also lack the upper layer of epidermis, known as the stratum corneum, which serves a protective function, prevents dehydration and combats UV radiation,” she adds.
“Another key difference is that our lips do not contain the glands found elsewhere on our skin," continues Dr Kluk. “They are therefore more likely to get dry and chapped as they don’t have the same natural oils to keep them soft and smooth,” she says.
What causes chapped lips?
There are a number of reasons you could be experiencing dry lips and one of them comes down to a very common habit.
It stands to reason that in order to have hydrated lips, you need to keep your body hydrated. One of the easiest things you can do to keep your lips looking and feeling healthy is to ensure you're drinking plenty of water. If you're feeling dry, start there. Keep a large refillable water flask by your desk and sip regularly throughout the day.
“Licking your lips can very quickly lead to dry and dehydrated lips,” says Rupert Kingston, MUA and co-founder of Delilah. “While it may seem like a natural way to moisten your lips it can in fact make them drier as saliva evaporates pulling the moisture content from the lips. Saliva also contains digestive enzymes which can be very harsh on the delicate skin,” he says.
Exposure to the elements is another trigger. Whether it’s a change or drop in temperature, air conditioning or UV rays, they can all lead to chapping and dryness. "Cold, harsh temperatures and reduction in humidity due to central heating can contribute to drying them out,” confirms Dr Kluk.
You may find that your skincare routine is contributing to the problem of chapped lips more than helping it. For instance, if you're using a highly fragranced lip balm or products containing harsh ingredients (more on that below). “If your lips are very sore or sensitive, avoid heavily flavoured or fragranced products as this may sometimes aggravate things further,” says Dr Kluk. You may even have an allergy to the lip products you're using and she notes that using scrubs, soaps, or foaming cleansers could also be behind excessive dryness on the lips.
As well as the most common cause of chapped lips, which is dehydration, friction from talking, eating, drinking and facial expressions can contribute to skin damage and chapping, especially if they’re already vulnerable.
Vitamin deficiency could also be to blame and B2 (found in eggs and lean meat) is especially important as it’s essential for cell function and in turn, healthy lips. Zinc and iron deficiency have also been linked to dry lips, so load up on your greens to help keep things balanced.
You may want to rule out a medical condition too. “If your symptoms aren’t improving with lots of lip moisturiser, you may have something like eczema and should seek advice from a GP or dermatologist about the appropriateness of prescriptions and patch tests,” Dr Kluk tells us. Dry lips, particularly around the corners of the mouth can also be an indicator that your body is producing too much yeast and that you have an infection. If you have been suffering for a while, you might need to visit your GP in case you need a course of antibiotics to clear things up.
Do chapped lips mean you have an infection?
No, but if you have chapped lips it could increase your chances of getting an infection. This is because when the skin is cracked or broken it allows bacteria to enter the lower layers which can lead to an infection.
What are the best ingredients for healing chapped lips?
Ideally you want to think about prevention not the cure but if you do need an SOS, look for a product that’s rich in both oil and water to hydrate and moisturise, continues Rupert. “Emollient based products or those containing fatty acids enriched with skin healing ingredients are a good idea. Things like argan oil, castor seed oil, shea butter and jojoba oil," he says. Also keep an eye out for hydrators and nourishers like hyaluronic acid, glycerine, ceramides and peptides.
Are there any ingredients you should avoid?
Petrochemical based products like petroleum jelly may provide a temporary barrier on the lips but while short term they feel ok, they don’t actually help speed up the healing process as they don’t actively moisturise or hydrate the lips.
And, as we mentioned above, it's worth watching out for heavily fragranced lip products, and certain ingredients. Lip plumpers that use ingredients like menthol and chilli powder to inflate lips can also lead to them drying out.
Can you use a lip scrub on chapped lips?
Over exfoliating or scrubbing can lead to more damage in the same way it would on your skin but once lips are no longer sore and on the road to recovery, using a gentle lip scrub or polish can help remove the remnants of flaky, dry skin.
Why won’t my chapped lips heal?
This could be down to a vicious cycle and subconscious habits like licking your lips because they feel dry. If you can’t avoid the external elements, that won’t help either so you need to make sure you have a plan of action in place like using lip balms with SPF and keeping hydrated by guzzling down as much water as you can. If you’re still struggling, Rupert suggests looking at what else you’re eating or using too as it could be something else that’s causing irritation, inflammation and sensitivity.
Scroll down for our fave lip balms to protect your lips...
The result of a six-year mission to create the perfect lip balm, Balm Amour is one-of-a-kind. To get the root of dry lips, the formula is waterless – negating the effect of transepidermal water loss, which leads to dryness. Smoothing and moisturising the lips with phyto-collagen and vitamin E, its cooling ceramic tip gently dispenses the delicious French vanilla-flavoured formula.
Hate the greasy feeling of overnight lip masks? Look no further than Tatcha The Kissu Lip Mask – a leave-on jelly formula that gently melts into the skin overnight. With Japanese peach extract to help repair dry lips and Japanese camellia oil to nourish and lock-in the moisture, your lips will be transformed by the time you wake up in the morning.
Fenty Skin Plush Puddin’ Intensive Recovery Lip Mask
There’s nothing worse than an overnight lip mask that disappears before you’ve put your head on the pillow. A little goes a long way with Fenty Skin Plush Puddin’ Intensive Recovery Lip Mask. A thick formula enriched with nourishing coconut oil and vitamin C-rich Barbados cherries, your lips will appear plumper, softer and with wrinkles eliminated.
Starface Star Balm Starfruit Lip Balm
Can it get any cuter than this? Available in a variety of juicy tropical flavours – including Starfruit, Coconut and Mango – Star Balm is printed with Starface’s signature smiley face that beams up at you with every application. Even cuter, once you’re finished with it, it can be easily recycled.
When it comes to barrier repair, Byoma is unmatched. Putting its expertise into the Liptide Lip Mask, the blend of ceramides and peptides strengthen the skin barrier overnight while avocado fruit extract replaces much-needed moisture. You’ll have plumper and softer lips in no time.
Packed with shea butter and peptides, this is designed to give Hailey Bieber's trademark donut glazed ultra sheeny lips. But, it's a workhorse that does an incredible job of hydrating, so it's totally worthy of the hype.
Laneige Lip Sleeping Mask Berry
Overnight lip masks don't get more cult than Laneige. This is every beauty editor and insider's favourite formula and will make you want to use every last drop. It comes in a wide variety of yum flavours, feels so comfortable and allows you to wake up with smooth and hydrated lips.
The Inkey List Tripeptide Plumping Lip Balm
Working to bolster your lip's skin barrier this features a 6% Tripeptide Complex to boost lip volume as well as squalane to hydrate dry lips. An all round winner.
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Not only does this balm leave lips feeling beautifully silky and comfortable, the formula reacts with the pH on your lips delivering a personalised rosy tint in the colour your lips would naturally flush.
Balm Dotcom is the bomb.com, and Glossier knows it. Slather it on your lips, dry elbows, cuticles... hell, we'd bathe in it if we could. If you like a little tint from your tube, go for Rose or Cherry.
Burt's Bees Pink Grapefruit Lip Balm
We’d recommend just about every one of Burt’s Bees’ brilliant lip balms. We have at least a dozen scattered in every useful place, from coat pockets to desk drawers. This fruity flavour contains vitamin C and E from pink grapefruit seed oil.
One of the most luxurious lip balms on the market, and also one of the most effective, a light coat of Crème de la Mer’s Lip Balm will keep lips hydrated and smooth for hours. This little piece of luxury will make you feel special every time you use it, too.
By Terry Baume de Rose Lip Care
As huge fans of the Baume De Rose Hand Cream, it is no surprise we reach straight for the Lip Care when things get rough. Soothing & hydrating thanks to a mixture of shea butter, cermaides & vitamin E, it fortifies against any aging. A top tip is to smear this around the mouth as well, helping to prevent any fine lines.
Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour Lip Protectant
An OG skin soother, Elizabeth Arden’s original Eight Hour Cream has been used for generations to calm irritation, relieve dry patches and restore our skin to peak condition. This handy twist up balm offers a convenient way of applying that same nourishing action directly to lips.
Available in a series of beautiful, delicate shades (our favourites are Dolce Vita and Deep Throat), NARS’ Afterglow Lip Balms are infused with a monoi hydrating complex alongside a cocktail of protective antioxidants to soothe and hydrate lips while giving them a pretty, sheeny tint.
Hourglass No 28 Lip Treatment Oil
A deeply nourishing serum of 14 essential oils & vitamins A, B5, C & E, this Lip Treatment Oil improves both the aesthetic and health of your lips. It is conditioning and cooling (thanks to the gold applicator), making it the perfect pocket product.
Translated from French this means “honey dream”, which is exactly the type of concoction we want to envelop our lips in. Potent honey, plant oils, shea butter and grapefruit extract cocoon lips in long-lasting hydration. This works beautifully alone or under lipsticks and promises comfortable lips in a few swipes.
Charlotte Tilbury Hyaluronic Happikiss
Technically billed a lipstick, this isn’t your average iteration. This brings together all the best bits of a gloss, a lipstick and a balm. Hyaluronic acid and c-peptide leave lips intensely hydrated and fuller-looking and the shade range is dreamy (yep, Pillow Talk makes an appearance).
Clarins HydraQuench Moisture Replenishing Lip Balm
Containing essential rose wax and shea butter, this balm with a hint of pink is one of our absolute all-season must-haves. Whether you’re stranded in a storm or sunning yourself on a beach, HydraQuench will keep lips soft and kissable.
COSRX Full Fit Honey Sugar Lip Scrub
Helping you buff away any flakiness with sugar crystals and honey extract, this naturally leaves your lips feeling smooth, soft and anything but dry.
