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Despite living in Singapore where humidity levels are at an all-time high, most of us still experience dry, chapped lips. It isn’t just a sign of dehydration, though. Turns out, there are several other factors at play, which can zap moisture from your lips and even cause them to crack.

Unlike the skin on other parts of our body, our lips don’t contain any oil glands. This is why they’re much more susceptible to drying out and becoming chapped. However, knowing the triggers can help prevent your lips from feeling parched.

Ahead, we’ll share seven surprising, often overlooked things that cause dry lips, as well as a simple way to keep them soft and moisturised no matter where you are or what you’re doing.

Pssst! Read till the end to find out how you can win a Dermal Therapy hamper, which includes the Dermal Therapy Lip Balm and Dermal Therapy Lip Balm SPF50+!

Licking your lips

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Licking your lips might leave them temporarily moist, but it’s one of the worst things you can do for lips that already feel parched.

That’s because saliva is comprised of enzymes that are meant to break down fats, proteins, and carbohydrates, which can be found in the top layer of your skin. Over time, your saliva will leave the lips more vulnerable to dry air, and your skin can even split and bleed.

Lip-licking can be a hard habit to break. So when you catch yourself doing it, try applying a nourishing lip balm instead.

Salty and spicy foods

dermal therapy lip balm salty snacks

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Big fan of potato chips and a piping hot bowl of mala? You’re not alone. Unfortunately for us, these foods could be the reason for dry, peeling lips.

Foods that both contain salt and are covered in salt can pull and absorb water from the lips and dry them out. At this point, you may be tempted to lick your lips to get rid of the salt, but we already know what happens when you do that.

Another food trigger? Spicy snacks and dishes. These not only encourage water loss, but they can also cause skin irritation and inflammation, making matters worse. If you can’t lay off salty and spicy foods, consider wiping your lips with a cloth or tissue dampened with water, and then swiping on some lip balm.

Related read: 20 best lip balms for daily use that cater to every concern and budget

Cold and dry environment

dermal therapy lip balm air conditioning

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Though we aren’t travelling to colder countries any time soon, most of us work in an air-conditioned environment, which can replicate the same drying effects of a cooler climate.

While air conditioning offers sweet relief and stops us from sitting in a pool of sweat, it also lowers humidity in the air. This can rob your skin of moisture and dry it out. And since our lips are extra sensitive, they’re one of the first areas to feel taut and zapped of moisture.

Medications like Accutane

dermal therapy lip balm medication

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Certain medications can easily cause dry, peeling lips. This is a common complaint amongst those who are on acne medications, such as Accutane (a.k.a. isotretinoin). Accutane works by shrinking the oil glands in the skin, making your overall complexion feel tight and dry.

If you aren’t on Accutane, you may want to speak to your doctor to check if the other medications you’re taking could cause dry lips. If that’s the case, and you can’t stop taking your medication any time soon, make sure to apply a moisturising lip balm to combat the side effects.

Eczema

dermal therapy lip balm eczema

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Eczema, also known as atopic dermatitis, is a frustrating skin condition. Those with eczema have a defective skin barrier that’s more prone to irritants, allergens, and moisture loss, which is why it is also a major cause of dry lips.

It can leave a red rash on or around the lips, flakiness, scaly skin, itching, burning, or even pain. Besides staying away from fragranced products, you should also steer clear of smoke, specific foods, and cold environments. Of course, slathering on a protective lip balm is also key to keeping eczema at bay.

Smoking

dermal therapy lip balm smoking

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Smoke can irritate the sensitive skin around the lips, causing them to dry out fast. Even worse, smoking can accelerate the skin’s ageing process, which is why long-term smokers may notice wrinkling or sagging around the mouth area. What’s more, it can darken the lips and gums.

This is a particularly tough habit to give up, so you may want to have a lip balm within arm’s reach at all times.

Sun damage

dermal therapy lip balm sun damage

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Remember, your lips are already vulnerable and can be weakened by dryness and dehydration. So if you’re out in the sun without an SPF lip balm on, chances are, the skin on your lips will peel.

The sun draws water out of your skin and can leave it much drier than before. Plus, the inflammation from sunburn can cause further damage as your skin cells strive to turn over and replenish lost moisture.

Dermal Therapy Lip Balm: The best solution for dry lips

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No matter how pared down your beauty routine may be, you should always have a spot for lip balm. While you may have a pile of them scattered throughout your home and in various bags, the right lip treatment can make all the difference when it comes to healing chapped, dry skin.

One that the Daily Vanity team keeps in our arsenal is the Dermal Therapy Lip Balm. It is designed to soften and hydrate lips that are severely dry. Plus, you’ll notice visible results in just one day!

That’s all thanks to a key ingredient in the formula, urea, which is a component of the natural moisturising factor (NMF) produced by the skin. In other words, it is able to draw moisture from the environment and into the skin, like a hydration magnet. Besides that, urea is a well-known emollient that gently sloughs off dead skin cells to soften and smooth the lips.

The conditioning lip balm is also infused with a blend of camphor, menthol, and clove oil, which has an antiseptic, anti-itch, mild pain-relieving, and cooling effect on the lips to soothe irritation fast. This formula is great for those who experience cracked lips from drying medications like Accutane too.

dermal therapy lip balm texture

The silky texture of the Dermal Therapy Lip Balm

Its smooth, lightweight texture is non-greasy and sits comfortably on the lips. You may experience a slight tingling sensation from the menthol, but that’s completely normal. In fact, it can offer some sweet relief, especially on a hot, humid day.

If you’ve identified any of the aforementioned causes as the culprit for your dry lips, you’ll want to have the Dermal Therapy Lip Balm stowed in every purse, bag, and room in your home. Simply squeeze the tube to dispense some product and swipe the applicator on your lips for instant hydration.

We recommend applying a coat of lip balm before bed too. This is especially important for people who sleep with their mouths open, as the passage of the air will dry your lips out. We tend to lose a lot of moisture when we sleep too, so layer the Dermal Therapy Lip Balm on before you hit the hay and wake up with softer, healthier lips.

Dermal Therapy Lip Balm: Reviews from happy customers

The brand has received plenty of glowing reviews from customers too. One of them comes from Sarah C, who lives in Australia. “I have been using your lip balm for a month now, whilst being on Accutane, and my lips have not gotten cracked or dry since. Thank you so much. I absolutely love it and I don’t know what I would do without it,” she says.

Another reviewer, who goes by MP, reached out to the brand to thank them for improving her lip eczema. “As someone who suffers from eczema around/on my lips, sensitive skin and staph infections on my lips, I have always struggled to find lip balms that do not irritate my lips or even feed the infections.

A mere two weeks ago I purchased the Dermal Therapy Lip Balm from a local chemist, and it’s safe to say that I am never going to use another lip balm! I have not had eczema or dry lips since using your product which is so amazing for me. I cannot express how much I appreciate this product,” she raves.

Dermal Therapy Lip Balm SPF50+: Perfect for sunny days

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For those who maintain active lifestyles or spend hours under the sun, the Dermal Therapy Lip Balm SPF 50+ is just what you need.

Providing high broad-spectrum protection, this formula is the only medicated lip balm on the market that both treats and protects extremely dry lips with an SPF of 50+. It uses a combination of seven active sunscreen ingredients, which creates the ultimate umbrella for delicate lips.

Like the original lip balm, the Dermal Therapy Lip Balm SPF50+ is infused with camphor, menthol, and clove oil to soothe, relieve itching, and provide a fresh, cooling effect on the lips. It’s everything we look for in a lip balm to take with us when we’re out and about.

Win a Dermal Therapy hamper, which includes the Dermal Therapy Lip Balm and Dermal Therapy Lip Balm SPF50+!

Click here to participate!

Giveaway ends on 31st August 2021.

Dermal Therapy Lip Balm (Original) retails for S$6.70 at Dermal Therapy official stores on Shopee, Lazada, Watsons, Guardian, and Unity.
Dermal Therapy Lip Balm SPF 50+ retails for S$6.70 at Dermal Therapy official stores on Shopee, Lazada, Watsons, Guardian, and Unity.

About Dermal Therapy

Australian owned and made, Dermal Therapy is owned by LaCorium Health, an innovative healthcare company with over 20 years of global experience. The brand offers a line of products that cater to different needs: lip care, dry skin, sensitive and eczema-prone skin, foot care, as well as children’s skincare.

Dermal Therapy’s skincare products are formulated with pharmaceutical-grade quality ingredients, which is why they are trusted by consumers, pharmacies, and medical practitioners alike. Rest assured, their products do not contain any harmful chemicals and are suitable for those with sensitive skin.

Give their products a try to experience first-hand how well they perform.

This article is brought to you by Dermal Therapy.

Featured image credit: xFrame.io