Beware of your lip balm!
Winter is in full swing & as we approach the thick of one of the colder Australian winters we’ve had in a while, there’s one body part that needs a little extra love – your lips! Your lips are at the forefront of battle on those dry, windy days. But did you know that the type of lip balm you use can actually dry your lips out even more?
Even if it doesn’t feel like it in the short term, constant re-application of certain lip balms (such as Lucas’ Papaw ointment) are actually doing more harm than good in the long run. Let us tell you why…
A number of lip balms use petroleum (also called petrolatum) in their products, and the worst part – many do not even list it as an ingredient. Petroleum jelly does not moisturise or hydrate your lips, but rather sits on top of the skin as a barrier. In the long run, this actually prevents your lips from naturally producing new layers of skin – i.e. it cannot repair itself. This makes your lips more chapped, triggering re-application – a cosmetic company’s dream!
For years, the beauty industry has used petroleum-based ingredients for their “barrier-like” properties to help seal in moisture. However, petroleum is a non-renewable resource that can be contaminated with polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs).
Long-term exposure to PAHs is linked to cancer, prompting the European Union to classify petroleum as a carcinogen and ban products containing it, such as certain lip balms. Additionally, PAHs in petroleum have been associated with skin irritations and allergies, and ingestion (like licking your lips after applying lip balm) can cause digestive upset and diarrhoea.
Alternative options we love are those that are organic and contain plant-based ingredients.
If you can’t pronounce an ingredient – it’s probably not worth putting it on your body.
Plant based ingredients often are listed with both their botanical and common names, such as organic mentha piperita (Peppermint) oil, whereas nasty ingredients will be listed with a complex scientific name and nothing else, such as butylated hydroxyanisole.
Check out the range at “Hurraw! Premium Vegan Lip Balms” for a certified organic and cruelty free option with no added nasties. “P’ure Papayacare” papaya ointment is another petroleum, preservative and palm oil free brand, and is made in Australia!
Other factors to consider:
If you’ve switched out your lip balm and are still presented with chapped and dry lips, there could be something else going on:
– Dehydration: dry lips is often a sure sign that you’re not drinking enough water. Make sure you’re aiming for at least 2L of filtered water daily. Consider downloading a water drinking app if you struggle to remember!
– Medications: a common side effect of many medications is dry, chapped lips or a dry mouth. Have a chat with your GP about this if you can’t seem to shake the flake, slap the chap or fly the dry.
– Nutritional deficiencies: such as B vitamins, essential fatty acids or zinc can present physically as chapped lips or cracked corners of the mouth. We have many naturopaths on hand ready to support you through solutions in this area.
Why not try a complimentary 15 minute chat with one of our Naturopaths today?
