How to Get Soft Lips Quickly

Everybody wants to have soft lips but getting them requires some effort. The lip skin can sometimes be challenging to care for as it is one of the thinnest skin areas on the entire body. Other parts of your face, like the cheek, have around 16 skin layers, while the lip has up to approximately 5. This is why lip lines and smoker lines form very quickly. There are, however, a couple of ways around it and the following are some things you can do to get softer lips. This article will discuss the dos and don'ts if you want your lips to be as smooth as possible.

10 Ways to Keep Your Lips Soft 

1. Keep Them Moist
   

   Other areas of your skin stay hydrated courtesy of oil glands; the lips, however, don't. That is why it is essential to keep them moisturized. You can use lip balm several times daily to achieve this effect. When moisturizing, ensure you apply it to the side of your mouth, so they stay moisturized. 

2. Get The Right Moisturizer
   

   Sure, you want to moisten your lips, but what do you use? Some people are against lip balms that contain glycerin and hyaluronic acid as they make the lip even drier due to their properties. These ingredients draw moisture from your skin, especially if you are in a place with low humidity. As an alternative, go for lip balms that are hydration enhanced. But, of course, you can never go wrong with options like vegan waxes, shea butter, and antioxidant-rich oils like sunflower seed and moringa. 

3. Layer Your Lip
   

   If you have dry lips, layering them might be a good idea if you truly want to deliver moisture. Oil or wax products will not moisturize your lips; you need to hydrate them. So firstly, go for a water-based hydrator, then follow it up with an oil-laden or wax. It is the same thing you would do to your skin; apply a moisturizer, then lock it into place with oil.  

4. Get The Right Lipstick
   

   Lipstick varies depending on their ingredients, some are good for you, and some cause more harm than good when it comes to your lips. For example, lipsticks that have paraben as an ingredient are harmful because they are known to increase the risks of breast cancer. 

   Petroleum-based products in lipstick do lock in moisture on your lips, but they can also clog your pores and cause an unhealthy build-up or lead to premature aging. 

   Another harmful ingredient is lead, which can cause brain damage, seizure, or miscarriage. Finally, artificial fragrances can cause skin rashes and migraines.

   The right lipstick for your lips includes natural ingredients like beeswax or plant oil, as they also use natural coloring. When buying lipstick, try to find ones with moisturizing ingredients and vitamins to keep your lips soft and, at the same time, give you the color you desire. You should aim for lipstick that has SPF to protect you from the harsh sun rays.

5. Do A Lip Scrub
   

   Dead skin can build up on your lips. Therefore it helps to do a lip scrub now and then. You can use half a teaspoon of sugar and another of honey. Mixing these two ingredients, then rubbing them on your lips and leaving them for around two minutes, will do wonders. Remember to clean them off with cold water and ensure your hands are clean when you do this.   

   Exfoliating your skin helps restore smoothness and softness and adds shine to your lips. However, you should do this sparingly. Doing this more than once a week can irritate your lips. 

   The scrubbing should also be light, and remember to use non-harsh ingredients to prevent irritation, especially if you have wounds on your lips. 

   You can try to make many different exfoliation recipes yourself at home. However, if you feel like it might be a hassle, there are ready-made products on the market that can also do the trick.

6. Use A Lip Mask
   

   A lip mask is a gel mask worn on the lips for a time. You can wear them overnight, but there are variations of the brand that you can wear for around fifteen minutes. The purpose of a lip mask is to hydrate your lips; they also give your lips a plumper and more full look. 

   A lip mask is just like a lip balm, but it is much easier to apply, not to mention intensive. Lip mask effects also last way longer than lip balms do. 

   For example, if you reside in an area with cold weather, you might need to apply lip balm every hour or two; however, a lip mask is used twice a week. They are also much cheaper compared to lip balms. In addition, applying lip masks gives off a sense of luxury, and you don't have to keep carrying around a lip balm.

7. Drink Water And Have A Healthy Diet
   

   What you put into your body is also important to get soft lips. Ensure your diet involves drinking lots of water and anti-aging foods. Water should be around 64 ounces daily to give you that youthful look. The anti-aging foods we are talking about include avocados, olive oil, papayas, blueberries, and spinach, among others. 

   Getting the right vitamins is essential to ward off conditions like Cheilitis. Cheilitis is when you have redness, cracked lips, and dryness. It can result from several factors; this 

   includes dehydration, sun exposure, and cold weather. However, it can also be a result of nutritional deficiencies. Lacking essential nutrients such as iron can cause dryness and inflammation on the sides of your mouth. It can also cause fatigue, brittle nails, and pale skin. Inadequate zinc and vitamin B levels can also cause chapped lips.

8. Put On Some Petroleum Jelly
   

   Petroleum jelly gives your skin extra protection and can be termed an occlusive agent; this means that it holds moisture and thus prevent drying. When it comes to petroleum jelly, most people opt for vaseline as it is easy to find and affordable. Vaseline will help prevent your lips from drying up and moisturize chapped lips. In addition to this, it does help to heal wounds. 

   We recommend putting it on occasionally during different times of day or night. Some people, however, choose not to apply it at night because it might stain their pillows. If you were used to other lip balms, you might also notice that vaseline sometimes feels slippery and heavy on the lips.    

9. Get Enough Rest
   

   Regarding rest, adequate sleep is crucial to get softer lips or excellent overall health. Ensure you get close to 8 hours of rest every night. When you sleep, try lying on your back to avoid rubbing your facial skin and lips and risk causing damage. You could also run a humidifier when you sleep to try and keep your lips moist and soft. Getting enough sleep to get more delicate lips is one of the simplest things you can do on this list, so be sure to give it a shot.  

10. Relax Both Metaphorically And Literally
    

    Contracting your facial muscles, including your lips, usually results in lines on your face. It is, therefore, best to keep your face relaxed as much as possible. Avoid activities that can stress you. Meditating and yoga can help you learn calming techniques that keep you relaxed. 

11. Avoid Using Dry Ingredients
    

    Sometimes you need to be made aware of the ingredients in the things you apply to your lips, causing your lips to dry up. These products include camphor, phenol, and menthol, which cause dry lips. 

    Most people go for them because they are cooling and soothing. However, they evaporate quickly, and you might need to reapply them repeatedly. 

    In addition, using alcohol ingredients will cause dryness of the lips, and some even result in irritation. Yes, they are sometimes used to help remove dry and flaky skin. However, by looking at how sensitive the lips are, continued use will likely result in irritation.   

12. Manual Removal Of Lip Skin Or Licking
    

    We realize this is easier said than done, as most people can't help themselves. Nevertheless, it is always best to refrain from manually peeling it off, even if it is the dry, dead flakes. 

    Peeling it off won't help heal the skin; it will expose it. Dead skin should stay on the skin until the new skin underneath is healthy and ready to be revealed. The dead skin will be removed all by itself. 

    When it comes to licking, you might ask why it is a bad idea. If you are licking your lips and there is no occlusive to help trap the saliva, it might dry out the lip surface and even cause worse conditions. 

13. Don't Go Out Exposed To The Elements
    

    Whenever you go outside, if the weather conditions are harsh, covering your mouth might be a good idea if you want to keep them soft. If it is windy, for instance, or there is cold air, you can cover up using a scarf or conveniently put on a mask. 

    On the other hand, during the hot months, you might have to moisturize and hydrate your lips when you go outside constantly. Therefore, keeping your lips supple and plump during this period is very important.

14. Don't Mix Your Skincare Routine With Your Lip Care Routine
    

    Most people tend to do this unaware, but you should not involve your lips in your skincare routine. This is because the lip skin is sensitive. Overusing skin care exfoliating ingredients on your lips can damage them and peel off the top skin layer. Using potent actives like BHAs or Retinoids on your lips is also not advised. 

    We realize that it can be hard to exclude the lips when we are cleaning our face, so to counter that, there are things you can try to prevent this. One solution is applying thick ointment or lip balm on your lips before starting your routine. Due to their oily nature, they will act as a barrier between harmful chemicals and sensitive lip skin. Even if they accidentally make their way to the lip, they will not cause as much damage.  

Summary

• Exfoliation is excellent and healthy as long as you don't overdo it. When you over-exfoliate, you risk leaving your skin damaged or extra dry. You should not exfoliate more than twice a week. For most people, exfoliating just once a week is enough to remove dead skin and leave your lips looking soft and healthy. Make sure to use the right lip exfoliating products, not those used in skincare. 
• Drinking a lot of water goes a long way toward giving you soft and supple skin. Around eight glasses a day should be enough. Avoid sugary foods, alcohol, dehydrating food, and caffeine. You get even more benefits if you eat healthy fruits and drink naturally flavored drinks like buttermilk and lime water. Overall ensure you keep your body hydrated throughout; you will see the results in your lips.   
• Keep off products with alcohol in them as they tend to devoid your lips of moisture and leave them painfully dry and cracked. Instead, look for products that contain natural oils and nourishing vitamins and ingredients. The ideal products react to your ph levels and offer the custom color you desire.  
• Go for lip products that have SPF. Sunburn can affect your lips. The strong winds and harsh sun rays can dry out the lips even if you wear lip balm; hence why putting on lipstick and lip balms that have SPF is a great idea.  

Conclusion

If you want to get soft lips, doing everything recommended in this article and avoiding the ones we have advised against will give you just that. When you care for your lips, you need to be very involved in your lip care, and this goes for the products you choose to use. Your lip skin is susceptible to harmful chemicals and rough handling, so treat it carefully.