With all the eating, drinking, talking and yawning we do (amongst other things), our lips are constantly at work, which is why they require ongoing care. And it seems consumers are catching on – in 2010 the Australian lip care category was worth $24.2 million*.
And just why do lips need care? The soft tissue of lips is different to normal skin,” points out Courtney Sims, product manager for . Lips do not contain sebaceous glands and consequently the tissue cannot retain water as can other skin. Their only natural source of moisture is saliva; therefore, lips are more susceptible to dehydration and chapping.”
And, given lip balm was beautydirectory’s most-searched keyword last quarter, we rounded up the latest and greatest lip care products on the market, fixing everything from peeling skin and cold sores, to plumping them up and providing sun protection.
Lip Balms
Preventing common lip problems can be as simple as maintaining moisturised lips by keeping a lip balm on you at all times.
Ultra Conditioning Lip Balm – This is clinically proven to offer four hours of long-lasting moisturisation, providing more butters and less wax than other balms.
- Lip Smacker wins the award for cretivity in lip balms. The perfect gift for just about any 12-year-old girl, these gorgous lip balms are available in four flavours. Plus, for the sweet tooth, check out the the brand has on offer.
– According to Annie Yuen, regulatory affairs officer for NIVEA, it contains jojoba oil, which has moisturising and skin-protecting properties due to its revitalising nutrients, helping to lock moisture in.
Shea Butter Lip Balm – Pocket-sized and infused with plant extracts and natural waxes, it’s perfect for guys and girls.
– Lip Repair is derived from the same product as Oleogel, known as a healing gel, so it’s perfect for inflamed, dehydrated, cracked or flaking skin.
– This little gem contains more than double the amount of Paw Paw than the leading Paw Paw Ointment and is completely free from petrochemicals.
Guinot Vital Lip Care - This product has 56 active ingredients, originally developed in a hospital in France to assist burns victims with tissue regeneration.
Vegan
Beeswax, lanolin and honey may be incredibly effective in treating lips, however more and more consumers are chasing vegan alternatives.
Botáni Healing Lip Balm – Olive squalene and olive butter provide lasting hydration, while evening primrose oil and calendula alleviate chaffing and repair dry, cracked lips.
Sukin Nourishing Lip Treatment – Sukin, steadfast in its vegan positioning, has developed this pocket-sized treatment of calendula flower and jojoba oils, as well as cocoa and shea butte to offer ongoing hydration.
– Did you know up to 64 per cent of mainstream lipsticks contain lead?** Well, this one is a little different, instead containing natural shea butter and jojoba oil to moisurise and protect lips.
SPF
Lips don’t have melanin, which means they are at a higher risk of getting burnt,” explains Sims. If you are heading outdoors I would avoid putting on a lip product that does not contain SPF.”
– Containing shea butter, vitamin E and aloe, this one covers all bases with the inclusion of SPF 15. Better yet, the brand is launching the product in a Sheer Pink Tint shade in October 2012.
– providing superior protection from extreme weather conditions, Outdoor remains water resistant for up to four hours.
Lip Therapy SPF15 – Affordable, contains SPF 15 and helps protect and soften chapped lips. It’s a no-brainer.
Plumpers
Pert, full lips are symbolic of youth, which is perhaps why so many Hollywood stars turn to surgical procedures to achieve them. Luckily, many brands are offering much more realistic options for the everyday consumer.
Molton Brown Pep-rich Lip Booster – With extracts of African mango, papaya and peptides, this Lip boosted helps combat the appearance of fine lines and dryness around the mouth, making lips appear fuller.
– It’s formulated with bioactive ingredients including oligopeptide, shea butter and vitamins E and C to plump and fill in lines in the lip area over time.
La Prairie Cellular Lip Lining Plumper – This lip plumper utilises a purified repair enzyme, skin-identical ceramide complex and soy extract to help repair DNS damage and reinforce the skin’s protective barrier.
Dermaquest C-Lipoic Lip Enhancer – This vitamin C-based lip treatment contains alpha lipoic acid and palmitoyl oligopeptide to moisturise and increase the appearance of lip volume.
Lip health
No matter how healthy your lips are, we’re all susceptible to the odd cold sore. Herpes simplex virus (HSV) type 1 is the main cause of cold sores – it often enters the body in childhood and remains inactive in our body until it is woken up”. While more than 70 per cent*** of Australian adults carry the HSV-1 virus, only a fraction of them experience cold sores.
Propovir Cold Sore Ointment – This natural-based treatment reduces the pain associated with cold sores and may prevent secondary infection. The ointment effectively targets all stages of the cold sore from the initial tingle or blister right through to the healing period.
Pretorius Cold Sore Relief L-Lysine – Containing an effective dose of the amino acid L-Lysine, the formula interferes with cold sores to stop them multiplying, helping them heal faster and reduce outbreaks.
Nature’s Own Cold Sores Complex – These capsules contain lysine to help reduce the frequency and severity of cold sore outbreaks, and also relieves their associated symptoms.
Treatments
To give your lips some serious love, turn to one of these specialised lip treatments, which promise to make them feel as good as new.
has combined two of their lip products into a cute little kit called Lip Emergency”, which includes the to smooth away rough, peeling lips, and , which cushions them in rich moisture.
– contains miniature beads that gently, yet effectively exfoliate dead surface skin exfoliates dead surface skin cells that cause lips to appear dull and lifeless.
*Source: Euromonitor international
**Cosmeticsdatabase.com
***Cunningham A et al, Sex Transm Infect 2006