Follow up your lip scrub with a moisturizing formula, such as lip balm or lip butter, to help restore hydration and give you healthy & youthful looking lips ASAP.
Wipe off any excess exfoliator with a clean tissue or soft cloth, then follow up with a moisturizing lip balm or lipstick.
In order to heal dry, chapped lips, you need to repair that barrier, not scrub it off. When you use a scrub, you're removing the protective outer layer of the lips, leaving them even more compromised."
How long do you leave lip scrub on? To get the most out of your lip scrub you don't want to apply it and take it off right away. You will want to wait between 1-2 minutes before wiping it off, so your lips will be completely softened, smooth, and all the dead cells will be removed.
After scrubbing lips, it's important to follow up with a repairing lip balm⁵. Pure petroleum jelly seals in moisture to soothe, soften, and rehydrate skin's outer layer, and facilitates sealing in moisture.
Step 4: Using the Lip Scrub
Before each use, let the scrub sit out and adjust to room temperature to soften up before applying to your pout. Using a generous amount, apply the scrub to your lips in a circular motion. Let it sit for 1-2 minutes and then remove with a warm washcloth.
Long-term, frequent lip-scrubbing can cause micro-tears on the skin's surface, leading to frequent dry, chapped lips. Essentially, when a person scrubs their lips, they further irritate the skin, which prolongs the presence of dead skin and cracks on the lips, leading to a vicious cycle.
Just-exfoliated lips need to be hydrated and protected, so the next step after rinsing off your lip scrub is to moisturize. Because many lip balms contain petroleum, which is a barrier, you need to use a product that actually restores hydration first. The same moisturizer you use for your face may suffice.
Say Goodbye To Chapped Lips
You should exfoliate your lips no more than twice a week, otherwise, you may end up doing more damage than good.
First, wet lips (wetting them prevents abrasive friction). Then, apply your store-bought lip scrub or homemade mixture directly onto damp lips. The American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) advises using small, circular finger motions for about 30 seconds before rinsing off with lukewarm water².
Tips on exfoliating your lips
Over-exfoliation could make your lips suffer into worse condition - more chapped, dried, and sore lips. 💋Follow up with your favourite lip treatment to moisturize after you exfoliate - that's also an effective way to prevent your lips from aging!
The best times to use a lip scrub are at night or before applying lipstick. At night, you can clear away those dead skin cells and use a lip mask for deep moisturizing benefits. When you wake your lips will be supple, smooth, and ready for makeup.
You can also leave this scrub on overnight if you wish. After you apply the scrub, put a strip of paper towel on your lips and lightly push it down – this will keep the scrub from getting all over your bedding and face.
Over-Exfoliating
It's easy to use a lip scrub multiple times a week, however, we recommend only using a lip scrub 1 to 2 times per week to avoid over-exfoliating your lips. This can cause more harm by scrubbing too many dead skin layers off your lips and leaving your lips overly sensitive and irritated.
Apply Moisturizers
if you just finished exfoliating your face, or any other body part, the most important thing to remember is to stay moisturized. While one exfoliation won't completely strip your skin of all of its oil, it will remove most of it, leaving the surface dry.
According to the AAD, it is best to apply Vaseline to slightly damp skin. As such, the best time to apply it is after having a shower or washing the face.
“Lip scrubs are different from lip balms because they remove the layers of flaky, dead skin that cause lips to look and feel chapped,” explains Heather Marianna, skincare expert and founder/CEO of Beauty Kitchen.
For some, immediately after use, the dead skin that is ripped away can cause redness, irritation, or bleeding. Long-term, these abrasives can cause damage through micro-tearing which prolongs your suffering with dry, chapped lips.
Lip scrub is an exfoliating product designed to help release dead skin cells clinging to your lips. The biggest reason why someone might want to do this is because dead cells are not capable of absorbing moisturizer/lip balm and passing that moisture down into deeper layers of skin.
Use A Mask
If you want to go the extra mile and lock in hydration, then apply a mask just after washing off your scrub. This'll help add moisture to your skin and protect it from any external factors. Once you wash off the mask, you can complete the routine with a moisturiser.
According to the American Academy of Dermatologists, Vaseline can trigger outbreaks if you have acne-prone skin. Don't put petroleum jelly on your face if you're having an active breakout. There are plenty of other moisturizing options if you have acne-prone skin.