Sometimes its easy to forget all about our lips. They tend to take of themselves a little better than the other aspects of our faces and so we sometimes let any kind of treatment regime for them slide.  Maybe we apply a little lip balm from time to time, but the fact of the matter is that there is a wider availability of lip treatments and options than most people are aware of. If we treat our lips right and take of them, they will stay young and firm looking for many more years to come.

There is such a list of products out there available for our lips that it can become indeed, a bit intimidating to try and decide which products we should be using and when.  So lets sort them all out so we can decide what’s best for our own situation.

First we have the purely cosmetic situation, that of lipstick and lip gloss. Now, while these products are fine, in and of themselves, lipstick especially should be avoided if you’re having problems with your lips currently such as chapped lips, sores of any kind, or excessive dryness. These conditions can all be irritated by various pigmentation agents in lipstick, so it is best avoided until the problem has cleared up.

Next we have the ever popular lip balm. Lip balm is essentially the all purpose tool for lip maintenance as it moisturizes and helps soothe irritation. There are a LOT of different types of lip balms out there and it would probably take a book rather than a post to discuss them all. The important thing is to find one that works for you, so don’t be afraid to switch it up if you feel your current product isn’t working for you as well as it could. Lip balm is good, and useful, but there are other products out there that should be looked at as well.

Lip moisturizers exist for people with exceptionally dry lips. Some people lump this into the same products as lip conditioners but there are in fact companies that market these as separate products. Essentially a moisturizer is just a moisturizer, where a conditioner may contain some extra elements. These might include vitamins or natural substances to keep your lips soft, firm, and pliant. Most conditioners also contain sunscreen which is very important for your lips.

Let’s stress that. Don’t forget about protecting your lips from the sun. Whatever lip product you are interested in, shop around for one that has an SPF factor of 15 at least. As our sun awareness increases more and more cosmetic companies are realizing the damaging effects sun has on our lips so these products are becoming increasingly easy to find. Find out if your current product offers one with sun protection added as well. It’s well worth it.

Finally, there are products out there for lips that need treatment. There are cold sore treatments available as topical solutions. There are also chap sticks, which are again a little different than other products in that they are formulated to really try and help those chapped lips get back to normal again. Chapping can be avoided through preventative measures though. Avoid excess licking of the lips. Wear your lip balm, especially if you’re going out in cold weather, and stay hydrated, as keeping your body hydrated will keep your lips from drying out to quickly.

That’s a quick overview of what’s out there in terms of lip products. Decide if you need to get into treatments for your lips beyond just the normal coat of paint for the night out. It can help keep your lips feeling soft<