If there were one beauty product I could not live without, it would be lip balm. I am no alien to dry, chapped lips. I would avoid wearing lipstick because my lips end up with patchy, feathered lipstick. I am always partially dehydrated so that extremely contributes to my chapped lips. However, aside from lack of water, also other factors can contribute to chapping. Here are seven ways not to do to avoid chapped lips:

1. Lick your lips

Some people lick their lips to keep it moisturized. However, what they do not know is that doing so can actually worsen the situation. Saliva contains digestive enzymes that can cause the skin of the lips to thin. Moreover, saliva quickly dries, which causes the person to lick his lips again, and so goes the unending cycle of licking and re-licking.

2. Apply certain lip balms during winter

Lip balms containing retinol, menthol, alcohol, glycerin, phenol, capsaicin and petrolatum. During cold months, these ingredients can cause further irritation to cracked and chapped lips. Instead, look for a lip balm containing Jojoba oil, Shea butter, olive oil, coconut oil, aloe Vera, anti-ozonate and vitamin E.

3. Leave the house without applying lip balm or any protection to the lips

When it is too sunny outside, the lips may burn if you do not put any SPF-infused lip balm. On the other hand, winter can also be harsh to the lips, causing it to crack and form tiny, painful fissures. Always apply lip balm generously when going outside the house. Keep a tube in your bag or pocket so you can always re-apply anytime you need to. When engaged in winter sports, or if it is simply too windy and chilly outside, wear a scarf or mask to protect the lips as well.

4. Skip lip scrub

Brushing your lips regularly can help keep it smooth and soft all the time. Regular lip scrubs helps in removing old skin cells that causes roughness and sloughing. This is actually very simple to do. Just apply petroleum jelly before going to sleep. Brush it off your lips using a soft toothbrush.

5. Smoke

People who smoke loses natural oils in on their lips. This results to drying of lips. In addition, smoking also results to premature aging, so lips wrinkle faster.

6. Use products you are allergic to

Sodium lauryl sulfate, commonly found in toothpastes can cause dry lips. Anything that has nickel and cobalt in them can also cause dry lips. Some ingredients found in cosmetics and other personal hygiene products such as phenyl salicylate and propyl gallate can also cause an allergic reaction resulting to chapped lips. Sometimes, even the food that we eat such as figs, mango, citrus fruits and red artificial coloring can also trigger an allergic reaction in the mouth and lips.

7. Overdose on vitamins

Too much vitamin B12 may cause lips to become dry due to an allergic reaction to cobalt. Similarly, too much vitamin A can also dry lips. An intake of more than 25,000 IU per day will result to peeling and chapping of lips.

Photo credit: bea_marques