Do you find yourself applying lip balm every time you step out the door? If so, you’re not alone. Lip balm has become a necessary part of many people’s daily beauty routine. But is it really necessary? Or are we just getting duped by all the marketing?
Lip balm is necessary, particularly if a person suffers from dry or cracked lips. They give the lips a glossy and moist appearance and may help them heal faster. Some lip balms come with additives or fragrances that prove more harmful than beneficial, primarily when used daily, and can become addictive.
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Lip balm is often marketed as a necessary part of our daily routine. But what if that’s not really the case? It turns out that there are some pretty convincing reasons why we should be using Lip balm and also some pretty good reasons not to.
Is lip balm really necessary?
While not everyone may use lip balm in their daily lives, it is still a useful and necessary cosmetic item to carry around in any purse or bag. This is especially true if you naturally suffer from chapped or dry lips, perhaps due to the cold air or if you live in a dry environment. Even what you eat or drink can affect the skin on your lips.
Many people aren’t automatically interested in making use of lip balm or even including it in their everyday routine, but they should strongly reconsider it as this product can have amazing effects on the lips.
Keep on reading to find out more about the advantages of using lip balm in your everyday life!
How does lip balm help your lips?
The most obvious answer is that lip balm helps to keep the lips moisturized, which is its main purpose, but there are many more. Lip balm makes it easier to avoid the painful reality of chapped lips to the point where they peel and start bleeding since it acts as a protective layer of moisture that prevents the skin from drying up and cracking.
Another benefit is that it gives your lips a soft and glossy look as well. Some lip balms also contain active ingredients that assist with hydration and allow the lips to heal faster. Furthermore, some lip balms come with SPF protection, which shields your lips from any sun damage. In the winter season, you can also apply it to your nostrils as well as your lips to keep them from cracking due to the cold.
These are some of the most important reasons why it is important and beneficial to always have a tube of lip balm at hand.
Are there any disadvantages to using Lip Balm?
Yes, in fact, if you apply lip balm all day, every day, it can have the opposite effect as your lips will become drier than even before you started applying the product. This is because your skin has found an artificial substitute for moisture in lip balm. If this is kept unchecked, you risk falling into a vicious circle where the drier the lips, the more lip balm you will apply.
Also, you should most likely avoid lip balms that contain allergens in their chemical composition. As its name suggests, an allergen is a substance that can cause an allergic reaction. In the case of lip balms, if you are exposed to an allergen, then the resulting rash will be similar in looks and appearance to chapped lips.
Some lip balms can have added flavors and fragrances that can irritate the lips, especially if they are already chapped and sore. Doctors recommend avoiding additives such as cinnamon, mint, tea tree, eucalyptus, as well as those that contain artificial sunscreens or Vitamin E as they can irritate or cause inflammation. Although we naturally tend to think of them as beneficial ingredients, the truth is that they can do more harm than good to sensitive skins.
Suppose you want to avoid these issues altogether.
How often should you use Lip Balm anyway?
Lip balm should be used in moderation. Overusing it can cause your lips to stop producing the natural oils that help them stay moist. You will then be more prone to use lip balm more often since the natural dampness of your skin will be gone. Although lip balm can be used every day, dermatologists usually advise that it’s best to use this product only a few times throughout the day.
For example, these are a few recommended situations in which you may use: when waking up, after eating or drinking, or when you go to bed at night. Try to stay conscious over the amount of time you apply lip balm, and the important thing is to never use up one single tube in under just one week!
By this point, you might be probably wondering if it is possible to develop an addiction to lip balm, and the answer might surprise you.
Can You Be Addicted To Lip Balm?
The straightforward answer is, yes, it is possible to get addicted to lip balm, but not for the reasons you are probably thinking. Lip balms work by sealing moisture into your lips, which creates a protective barrier between your lips and the outside elements. But it isn’t caused by the actual, physical ingredients in the product. It has been discovered that people can become accustomed to, and may even relish, the soft, smooth feeling of lip balm on their lips and will therefore apply it more often than necessary.
As a consequence, although it might sound crazy, the moisturized sensation the lip balm gives you can create a vicious circle where the skin is dependent on its fake moisture rather than keep the production up itself. Some people may confess that it is the act itself of applying a lip balm that is addictive.
This doesn’t mean that you should stop using lip balm altogether. If you find yourself in serious and urgent need of lip balm quite frequently, don’t hesitate to apply some. Just be careful about the number of times per day that you use it, for too much usage will end up depriving your skin of its natural moisturizer.
Conclusion
If you are a regular sufferer of dry or cracked lips, then you most definitely need lip balm to help you keep your lips moist and glossy. That is if you only use lip balm just a handful of times every day. However, as we have advised above, look for those options that don’t have any additives or fragrances that can be more harmful than beneficial.