Chapped lips is something that we all have experienced more than once to know that simple dryness can easily lead to unsightly, painful flaking. They can be caused by a variety of things from health, to poor hydrating lipsticks and even harsh weather.

Nowadays, cosmetic makers are promising lip balms and lipsticks that will provide long lasting nourishment to keep our lips hydrated. Believing the hype many of us spend our pennies on a few ounces of relief and though some might claim to be long lasting, the tiny tube of goodness usually isn’t. Dry lips can strike at any time but with the winter season upon us our lips might need a little more protection than a pretty cosmetic compound. So why not fight nature with nature and relieve dryness a healthy and natural way? Here are five amazing and natural ways to cure chapped lips any time of the year.

Coconut Oil

The best remedies are ones we haven’t thought of or ones that we have sitting around the house, in this case Coconut Oil. Coconut Oil is commonly used in tropical regions for such things as cooking but it doesn’t mean it can’t be found in your local grocery store when harsh weather has your lips sending out an S.O.S. The oil is known for its many healing properties which are primarily due to three acids found in it which include lauric acid, capric acid and caprylic acid. It is also contains antibacterial and anti-fungal properties that help with healing the raw skin that may be left after the dead skin has peeled away. Extremely dry lips frequently crack causing your lips to split but relief can easily be found with appropriate application. On cold days, chapped lips can be avoided or even treated by applying a small amount of Coconut Oil to your lips several times throughout the day. Be sure not to lick your lips after the application as this can worsen the issue. Coconut Oil is honestly a great investment for your dry lips as it not only heals but returns moisture to your lips leaving them hydrated and pain free.

Honey and Sugar

If you’re of the belief that your body is a temple, then surely you’d be all for being sweet to your troubled lips. Honey, despite its sticky nature is actually a great moisturizing agent while sugar crystals are strong yet delicate enough to be used for exfoliation. It goes without saying that mixing the two makes a sweet combination and more importantly a natural scrub to help combat chapped lips.

Honey has been used for years for various different treatments because just like Coconut Oil it contains antibacterial and anti-fungal abilities that help heal parched lips. Sugar on the other hand, though it has no such abilities, it does rid your lips of the dead skin that causes chapping as well as leaving your lips feeling blissfully soft. For this application, mix a pinch of sugar with a teaspoon of honey for a good consistency before applying it to your lips. After a complete cover, it’s best to use a wet washcloth to gently scrub the mixture before completely washing it off, preferably with cold water.

Water

Drinking water is probably the easiest and equally less time consuming natural way to treat dry lips. Our bodies are made up of 70% water so it would only make sense for us to have a need to consume it. Though weather may play a role in our chapped lips a big part of the issue is from dehydration that can be caused from the constant licking of our lips or even the type of lip balm we use. Keeping the body hydrated is not only important t for your health but it also is important to keep moisture in your skin and lips. Six to eight glasses is the doctor recommend consumption of water daily and when not heeded, it can sometimes be the cause of not so soft lifts. Though water alone won’t keep your lips from getting chapped once in a while, it is a great precursor to follow ups such as lip balms.

Cucumber

We have all heard the saying “food for thought” but what about “food for healing?” Cucumbers can certainly be seen as a staple in the natural beauty world as there has been a bevy of cosmetics from lotions to facial creams that boast cucumber somewhere in its name. We have all seen the stereotype of them being laid over the eyes of women in the spa along with their face masks but, cucumbers have a lot more to offer than reducing puffy eyes.

We all know that water is good for us and our body is 70% of the stuff but it comes short of the cucumber as it contains 90% water. Not only that, the beauty fruit has a heaping dose of ascorbic acid, otherwise known as Vitamin C, which stimulates collagen. Just like the honey and sugar mixture, a slice of cucumber upon the lips is a double dose of goodness as you are both hydrating your lips as well as encouraging fullness. Simply take a slice of cucumber and rub it across your lips for a simple yet effective natural remedy.

Aloe Vera

Much like the cucumber, Aloe Vera is a reoccurring ingredient in cosmetics that work as a moisturizer so it is only logical that it would be amongst our list of natural treatments. Aloe Vera is known for its moisturizing and soothing capabilities which make it ideal for cracked lips guaranteeing immediate relief. Such relief comes from the water based plant’s Vitamin E richness along with the healing benefits that make it effective. Instead of getting a lip balm with Aloe Vera, try using an Aloe Vera gel in order to avoid additives that may be found in lip balms that can cause irritation.

When we have chapped lips our first instinct is to grab for the nearest lip balm but, sometimes that can be just as bad as wetting our whistle as your lip balm might not be hydrating your lips as well as you think. Instead of covering up the problem, try actually healing them. Dry lips are one of our body’s natural ways to let us know that we are becoming dehydrated and our lips have lost their usual moisture. It goes without saying that it is best to be heeded unless be faced with embarrassing chapped lips. So the next time your lips are feeling a little parched, try out one of these natural remedies to rehydrate and re-energize your lips.

Do you have a secrete way of warding off chapped lips? Let us know in the comments!