Neither matte, nor chapped, but smoochably soft! If ever, you’ve experienced chapped lips that made your lipstick uneven or feel something awkward; this is the call to inject a lip scrub into your beauty routine. In no time, this simple yet underrated step will make your lips feel soft, hydrated, and ready for lipstick application. But before you take any lip scrub, let’s quickly scan over the correct procedure for its application for maximum results, along with some extra tips for keeping your pout in pristine condition.
What is a Lip Scrub?
A lip scrub but one step behind the curtain, performing its oh-so-necessary magic on your lips. If your lipstick has ever clung to flaky patches of skin or if your lips have felt not-so-gently in lieu of soft, lip scrubs will step in and save the day. A lip scrub is a mixture of exfoliating ingredients such as sugar or finely milled particles and nourishing oils/butters made to scrub off dead skin cells, leaving lips smooth and hydrated. It is light basically skin care for the lips that helps restore softness and moisten dry areas to allow even application of a makeup product.
Top-notch lip scrubs are made with honey, coconut oil, and shea butter, all of which exfoliate but also provide a deep level of hydration to the delicate skin of the lips. Just like the skin anywhere else in the body, the lips need some tender loving care, and a good scrub is a great way to pamper them.
How to Use Lip Scrub: The Right Way
Applying lip scrub correctly is vital to obtain maximum benefits. Improper use can result in over-scrubbing of the delicate lip skin or using harsh products that may irritate already dry and chapped lips even further. Follow this professional guide of step-wise procedure for lip scrubbing:
Step 1: Clean Lips First
The first step in every lip care is to ensure clean lips. Use a damp washcloth or micellar water to cleanse your lips of all makeup or any products, dirt, oil, etc., that would interfere with the scrub working its magic. Once the lips are clean, the scrub may work better.
Step 2: Put On Scrub
Squeeze out a small amount of Lip Scrub, about a pea-size, and apply it to wet lips. Using your fingertips, massage the scrub gently over the lips in small circular motions. Resist every urge to push harder since this is not an arm workout! Just firm enough to not aggravate the tender skin.
Step 3: Give it Time to Work
Generally, lip scrubs are packed with nourishing oils, so if time permits, leave the scrub on for a minute. This allows the scrub ingredients to penetrate the soft tissues of the lips and hydrate them well before being wiped off.
Phase 4: Rinse and Revel
Let the scrub work its magic for a while and rinse your lips with lukewarm water, or rub them with a damp cloth. Avoid strong rubbing; this should be the careful moving away of the scrub to reveal smooth and rejuvenated lips.
Step 5: Retain Moisture
Exfoliation will usually be followed by sealing in that moisture using your favorite nourishing lip balm or oil. Your lips will now be in a very good condition for any lipstick or gloss to apply on them later, but don’t skip this! It’s the same as using moisturizer after a facial-your lips need that hydration to be soft and smooth.
Lip Scrub Ingredients to Look For-and What to Avoid
The right ingredients can make all the difference when choosing a lip scrub. Here is a brief rundown about what to find in your lip scrub and what to avoid.
Sugar: This is the king ingredient in any lip scrub; sugar exfoliates but isn’t so harsh on the lips. Brown sugar or fine cane sugar works equally well to buff off dead skin without harshness.
Oils: Hydration is key! Look for scrubs with nourishing oils like coconut, jojoba, almond, or argan. These will keep lips smooth and hydrated after scrub.
Shea Butter/Cocoa Butter: Natural conditioners lock the moisture in and give the plumpy-soft feeling.
Honey or Aloe Vera: It may provide more soothing properties: Honey or aloe can help to soothe irritation and keep lips moisturized.
Vitamin E: It is an antioxidant; it protects the lips from environmental damage and supports recovery.
Adverse Elements:
Artificially Used Scents and Dyes: They irritate the lips and in turn dry them out. Use natural or essential oils for fragrance instead.
Rough Exfoliants (Salt and Walnut Shells): Salt and crushed walnut shells are much more aggressive abrasive exfoliating agents than those suitable for use on the lip surface. They cause wounds and abrasions. Use softer exfoliants.
Menthol, Eucalyptus, and Peppermint: While these may be refreshing, they can dry out your lips or otherwise irritate them. Hence these should remain in your balm, not scrub.
After Scrub- Maintain Your Pout Perfect Keeping Your Pout in Top Shape:
After exfoliation, the lips are at their most delicate. Proper care is thus important to keep them smooth and hydra.
Hydrate, Hydrate, Hydrate
Moisture is indeed as necessary for lips as it is for skin. Like a person does not skip on moisturizer after a scrub on the face one would, however, not skip on the preferred hydrating balm for lips after scrubbing. Such balm would constitute shea butter, hyaluronic acid, or vitamin E for the locking up moisture and preventing dryness.
Give Your Lips a Break
Those beautifully exfoliated lips need some time to breathe. Avoid bold matte lipsticks right away. Allow your lips a good 15-20 minutes after applying the balm before putting on anything, especially matte formulas that can further dry out your lips. If you really need some color, a tinted balm or creamy lipstick is best.
Protect Your Pout
If going out in the sun, do not forget to apply lip balm with SPF. Your lips are quite exposed post-exfoliation and need ample protection against damaging rays from the sun by applying a balm with SPF 30+ to avoid burns.
How often should you use a lip scrub?
Less is more! You may hurt your lips if over-exfoliating them, so try to only use lip scrub, at most, 2-3 times each week. Extra dried lips should have complete hydration, then scrubbing after the base will clear the excess dry skin.
Final Tips for Perfect Lips
Keep a Routine: Consistency is everything for smooth, soft lips. Do not Go Overboard: Over-exfoliation can lead to irritation, just like not removing dead skin at all. Treat Your Lips Like Skin: The same hydration factor that benefits skin applies to the lips-scrub away.
If you follow the routine correctly, your lips will be well-prepped for your favorite lip colors and days when they’re on the receiving end of kisses.
Key Takeaway:
Do it gently- Gently scrub lips without being irritated.
Moisturize-Dry them out and use a nourishing balm after.
Nothing too strong-Best avoided are chemical ingredients and prefer natural soothing ingredients.
Consistency counts: Scrub 2-3 times for the best results.
Having learnt everything about the lip scrubs, flaunt that prep pout!