10 Best Lip Scrubs to Buy in 2019, According to a Dermatologist

PREVENTION posted "10 Best Lip Scrubs to Buy in 2019, According to a Dermatologist" featuring Dr. Purvisha Patel and Visha Skincare .

The article includes Dr. Patel's expert commentary on why our lips have the tendency to dry up and crack and the best ways to combat it.

Zero: That’s how many oil glands your lips have, which is why you constantly feel like you're having to reapply your lip products. To help, exfoliator and lip balm are a pair just like shampoo and conditioner—one cleanses, the other conditions for a smooth, shiny finish.

When your lips are dry, the skin can crack and leave open fissures that can get easily irritated or even infected, explains Purvisha Patel, MD, a Tennessee-based dermatologist and founder Visha Skincare. “We are constantly moving our lips when talking and eating, so cracks can happen more easily in non-exfoliated skin,” she says. Alas, you need to exfoliate!

How to choose and use the best lip scrub or exfoliator Read the label: Natural granules, like salt and sugar scrubs, can be gently used to buff away dry skin. However, Dr. Patel warns against artificial microbeads due to their environmental impact. In addition, “crushed shells such as walnut and apricot pits could actually cause more micro-tears on the lips, and therefore are not recommended.”

Ingredients like coconut oil, jojoba oil, avocado oil, beeswax, lanolin (unless you’re vegan), and pure petrolatum help coat and protect exfoliated skin, she adds.

Use the right technique: “The muscles of your lips go around the mouth in a circular fashion, so lip exfoliation is usually done in a similar circular motion, following your pout and moving outward,” says Dr. Patel. “A back and forth motion can also be done when exfoliating the upper and lower lips separately.”

Using cold or warm water is fine, but stay away from super-hot temps. “Hot water causes vasodilation and increased circulation to the skin of the lips, which can lead to inflammation and swelling after exfoliation,” says Dr. Patel.

Read the full article here.



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