The lips are a sensitive part of our body. And just like our bodies, we need to care for them. This includes exfoliating with a lip scrub. However, if you do not know how to use lip scrubs, you are setting your lips up for damage.
To avoid going on damage control mode, it is important to safely use exfoliating products like lip scrubs to get your desired outcome.
Moreover, the skin needs constant care because we wear lipsticks, which could leave residues after cleaning. Additionally, some people experience having chapped lips, which is not healthy for the lips.
If you do not use a lip scrub, you need to. It not only improves your skin health but also keeps your lips supple, which in turn brings out your lipstick and enhances your overall makeup.
In this article, you will find all you need to know about using a lip scrub and how to get your plump lips.
How to Use Lip Scrubs
To exfoliate your lips with a lip scrub, you can use natural homemade remedies or buy a lip scrub product.
If you want to use a lip scrub, you have to prep your lips before starting. Pre-care is necessary for setting your lips for the abrasive impact. To use a lip scrub properly, you should follow these steps:
1. Prep Your Lips
This includes removing residues, dead skin, or dirt on your lips. Your lips have to be clean before starting. You can use water or an oil and cotton pad to wipe the thin layer of your lips. Oils like coconut oil, jojoba oil, or olive oil soften your lips.
However, if you have sensitive skin, use oil and your finger only, and then wipe away the oil with a cotton pad.
You need to prep your lips before using a scrub to avoid friction. Most scrubs contain emollients, but because of the strong exfoliating ingredient, the emollient could be overshadowed. This is why you need to prep your skin to avoid friction.
2. Apply Lip Scrub
Apply your homemade or store-bought lip scrub on your lips. Be sure to fill your full lips from one corner to the next. However, you should avoid dumping an excessive amount of scrub on your lips. A liberal amount is just enough.
Then you wait for 2 to 3 minutes to let the scrub seep into your lips.
3. Scrub Away
With your lips pressed together, rub your fingers on your scrub-applied lips. The American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) recommends using your fingers in a small circular motion to apply pressure on your lips.
Lip scrubs are naturally physical/mechanical exfoliators. Therefore, be gentle with your lips. Do this circular motion for about 30 seconds with both lips pressed together.
If you have flaky or chapped lips, you need to be gentle to avoid bruising and cutting your lips. And if you have a cut, do not use a lip scrub until it heals.
4. Rinse Off
After scrubbing your lips, rinse off the scrub with lukewarm water along with a soft washcloth to wipe the scrub away. Then you follow this by patting them dry with a towel.
An even fun way to get the scrub off your lips is by licking the remaining it off. You can do this if your scrub is made from homemade materials or an edible scrub.
5. Moisturize
Moisturizing your lips helps with smoothing and softening your lips. You can apply a lotion or lip balm on your lips to hydrate your vulnerable lips.
Similarly, you can use natural oils like coconut oil or olive oil, to moisturize your lips if you do not have a lip balm. Likewise, you can use petroleum jelly to get your lips moisturized for a long period.
Dry, sensitive, and cracked lips should not miss this step after exfoliating with a lip scrub. In addition, sensitive skins are to use natural or organic products if they cannot get their hands on natural oils or petroleum jelly.
6. Apply Lipstick
You can finish this process by applying a lip product that would bring out your new lips. For instance, for kissable and pouty lips, match your lips with the right lipstick and complementing makeup.
7. Repeat
You need to constantly exfoliate your lips to keep them healthy. Since the skin layer of the lips is thin, they do not require an everyday exfoliating routine. You can use lips scrubs once every week.
Meanwhile, dry and easily chapped lips should use a scrub two to three times a week. This is to avoid dry skin building on your lips, darkening the color.
SEE: How to Cure Chapped Lips- Helpful Remedies That Work
Why Should I Use a Lip Scrub?
To remove dead skin
You need to care for your lips just as you care for your body. The body needs exfoliation and cleansing to remove dead skin. The same also goes for your lips. Lips scrubs help to remove dead and dry skin on your lips.
Furthermore, the routine helps in the generation of new healthy skin cells. So you need a lips scrub to keep your lips’ outer layer healthy with new skin cells.
Makes the lips soft and silky
A lip scrub is a mechanical exfoliator that removes dead skin cells, bringing out soft new skin. If you want to be complimented on your lips appearance, using a lip scrub is necessary. Additionally, the lip scrub smoothens any crack or hole in the lips, making it silky.
Keeps your lips moist
Lip scrubs contain humectants, which provide moisture to your lips. Consequently, if you want to keep your lips shiny and moist, you should use a lip scrub. Additionally, your lips are saved from dehydration with their moist texture.
Pink lips
When new skin regenerates, your lips get better and brighter skin. Therefore, the pink lip effect is obvious. If you do not exfoliate your lips, it becomes hard and dark. However, using lip scrubs promotes good lip color.
Improves blood circulation
Lip scrubs help in promoting blood circulation in your lips. This happens after scrubbing and massaging the dead skin and smoothening your lips. With your lips cleaned and new, it helps blood flow freely in the lip area. This is what gives it a pink effect.
Plump lips
You can have your lips plump by using a lip scrub. However, this is temporary. Massaging your lips as you scrub dead skin away lifts the lips and blood circulation also improves. You get to enjoy full lips after exfoliating them.
Removes residues
Skin scrubs are used to remove residues left by food or lipstick stuck in the lines on your lips. You can’t see these residues with the naked eye, but they are lodged in the cracks of your lips. This is mostly the case for people with chapped lips.
Tips on How to Use Lip Scrubs
- Avoid lip scrubs with harmful ingredients. Most store-bought and homemade scrubs are made from natural ingredients. Therefore, to keep your lips healthy use lip scrubs that are natural and preferably edible.
- Apply a lip balm, natural oil, or petroleum jelly regularly including after using a lip scrub. This moisturizes and hydrates your lips.
- Use a lip balm with SPF to protect your lips from the sun’s UV radiation.
- Gently exfoliate your lips because the lips’ skin is thin and bruises easily.
- Exfoliate with lips scrubs days or a week apart. However, dry and chapped lips can use it frequently to retain skin moisture.
- Always set a time aside to exfoliate with a lip scrub.
- Do not over exfoliate your lips; this keeps your lips healthy and maintained.
- Stay hydrated by drinking water.
Frequently Asked Questions on Lip Scrubs
Where should I store my homemade lip scrub?
In your refrigerator. You need to store your homemade lip scrub in a cool place.
However, your store-bought lip scrub would have natural or artificial preservatives. Consequently, read the product’s label for any harmful ingredients before buying.
What is the most common lip scrub formula?
Sugar and honey. Sugar and honey scrub is the most common homemade and store-bought lip scrub. It is also easy to make a sugar lip scrub.
You need equal parts of sugar and honey, and then you mix the ingredients and apply them to your lips.
Do I only use lip scrubs to exfoliate my lips?
No, you don’t need to. You can use other exfoliation methods to remove dead skin cells from your skin.
For instance, a toothbrush with natural oil can exfoliate your lips and keep them plump. Similarly, you can use a lip sponge to exfoliate your lips.
Conclusion
A sexy lip needs nurturing and care. That is why you exfoliate your lips with a scrub. Therefore, you have to know how to use lip scrubs to get your plump and healthy lips.
A simple guide starts with preparing your skin and keeping it clean with water or natural oil. Then you apply the scrub and massage before rinsing off with lukewarm water.
Just as you care for your lips before you exfoliate with a scrub, you have to care for them after you exfoliate. You do this by moisturizing with a lip balm, oil, or petroleum jelly.
However, as much as exfoliating with a lip scrub is beneficial to your lips’ health, you have to maintain a consistent interval and not over-exfoliate, which might lead to lip cuts.
Nonetheless, lip scrubs make your lips look fuller, silkier, and softer to touch. This makes them an essential skin care product.
Thanks for reading.
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