A smile, a kiss, a selfie or simply when speaking – our lips are the focus of attention. Who wants to “shine” at an important appointment or on a date with dry or chapped lips? But this can happen very quickly if lip care is neglected.
Our lips are one of our most sensitive organs and the very thin skin reacts accordingly to external influences or disturbances such as cold, heat or even rain and wind. Too little water intake also damages the sensitive lip skin. Here are 5 tips for beautiful, well-groomed lips.
5 simple tips so that nothing stands in the way of beautiful lips:
- A gentle and careful exfoliation helps to get rid of annoying dead skin cells. Natural products, such as olive oil and sugar, or a soft toothbrush are also available for this purpose. Once the dead skin cells have been removed, apply a slightly moisturizing and nourishing lip balm or honey.
If you choose honey, apply about a teaspoon of honey to your lips and leave it on for a few minutes. If you like it less sticky, you can use a lip balm. Also practical for on the go.
2. natural “aids” are not always to hand in everyday life. It is therefore advisable to use take-away products with a moisturizing and lipid content and to apply them regularly to the lips. Care should be taken to use natural ingredients. These include, for example, high-quality natural oils such as safflower oil, jojoba oil or shea butter from controlled organic cultivation.
In the past, Stiftung Warentest has repeatedly reported unhealthy product ingredients. Mineral oils, parabens and silicones should be deliberately avoided. Kerosenes in particular have the property of covering the lips like a film and not being absorbed. The skin underneath is therefore rather sealed and not supplied with nourishing ingredients.
It is therefore always important to ensure that the skin under the products used is sufficiently supplied with oxygen. Otherwise, an optimal basis for the multiplication of viruses and germs is created under this airtight layer. Consequently, concealing cosmetics or lipstick should only be used if the products used support this.
3. sometimes it is simply daily routines that stand in the way of well-groomed lips. Drinking too little water, an unhealthy diet, smoking or simply repeatedly nibbling or licking the lips can be the cause of dry and chapped lips. This is because anything that dries out the sensitive lips or puts additional stress on them makes it difficult for the skin’s natural protective barrier to maintain it.
Ideally, the skin should be supported in its functions and not put under additional strain. This also includes drinking enough fluids throughout the day. Simple methods that do not require much effort in everyday life include exercise in the fresh air (don’t forget UV protection!), creating a sufficient balance to stress and a healthy diet to strengthen the immune system.
Because the natural protection provided by a strengthened immune system is the best protection against dry lips.
4 Whether in summer or winter, the sun’s UV rays must be taken into account at all times of the year. A sun protection factor should therefore always be taken into account when applying lip care, as lips dry out quickly without sun protection. Fine lip lines become visible more quickly as a result. Supplementing with collagen-promoting ingredients is therefore recommended.
5 If the sensitive skin is cracked and brittle, bacteria and germs have an “easier time”. This is because the protective barrier is impaired, making it easier for pathogens to penetrate the skin and cause infections. It is important to be particularly careful here. Many people are prone to herpes infections.
And anyone who has already had an infection can be affected again and again. Risk factors such as sun exposure, disgust, stressful situations or illnesses, such as a cold, can weaken the body’s own defenses and thus reduce protection against a possible viral infection. Mostly always when you don’t need it.
Lip care with protective and regenerative properties is recommended here. Ingredients such as the microalgae active ingredient Spiralin®, for example, create a kind of protective film with a variety of protective, nourishing and regenerative properties on the herpes-sensitive lips. Viruses are prevented from penetrating healthy cells and forming new viruses. A germ-inhibiting property also protects against bacterial infections (1,2). Spirularin HS lip care is based on plant-based ingredients, is colorless, tasteless and as inconspicuous as a lip balm.
Any questions?
Feel free to email our experts at info@ocean-pharma.de or browse through our ocean pharma expert tips on lip care and skin care.
(1) Prof. Dr. Dr. h.c. Otto Pulz, Potsdam: OM & Nutrition, European Journal of Orthomolecular and Related Medicine, No. 131, 09/2010
(2) Prof. Dr. med. Kristin Reich: Cosmetic Medicine, Volume 32, 2011, Issue 2.11
Image source: ocean pharma GmbH
Experten-Tipp entstand in Zusammenarbeit mit:
Patrick Günther
Patrick Günther completed his pharmacy studies in Hamburg and, after obtaining his licence to practise, worked for several years in marketing and sales in the pharmaceutical industry. In 2003, he took over ocean pharma, the company founded by his father in Reinbek near Hamburg in 1978. Together with his business partner, he patented the important processing and standardisation process for the microalgae active ingredient Spiralin® and developed a wide range of medical cosmetics and foot care products based on Spiralin®.
