Dry, cracked and flakey lips have always plagued me. I love the idea of wearing lipstick and have always been jealous of the everyday wearer, but I generally avoid it because adding lipstick to that mess just plain doesn’t work. It creases, accentuates the flakes and wears off weird, not to mention it’s just hard to apply evenly. I’ve tried TONS of products over the years but many just mask the problem or make it worse or have terrible ingredients that you just end up ingesting. I have finally found a regimen that has healed things up and the results are totally lipstick worthy so I had to share!
Step 1: Worker B Rescue Putty
I initially picked up a sample of this Rescue Putty for the other dry skin problem I have – cracked hands (should be noted this works great for that too). One particularly rough lip day I decided to apply this as a night treatment just to experiment and woke up to surprisingly smooth results. The consistency is a really thick, waxy putty that stays where you put it. You only need a small amount to apply a heavy protective coat over your lips. I apply it at night since it doesn’t soak it and also because that’s when the most regenerating of your skin happens. The ingredients are super clean on this one: just beeswax, raw honey (both straight from the Worker B hives) and organic olive oil. Both beeswax and raw honey have terrific antibacterial properties. Raw honey helps with faster wound healing as it creates a moisturized healing environment allowing skin to regenerate evenly. Beeswax has emollient properties providing moisture-retaining properties that help soften skin. As I mentioned, I’ve found this is maximally effective when you apply every night but don’t worry if you forget and your lips get dry again – this is so fast acting you’ll be back to smooth lips in no time flat.
Step 2: French Girl Organics Rose Lip Polish
In the morning, after applying the Rescue Putty the night before, my next step is exfoliating with this Rose Lip Polish. It should be noted I don’t do this everyday, but maybe about 2 times per week. Since lip skin is sensitive I like to minimize the amount of scrubbing to only when it’s necessary. This lip scrub is gentle and moisturizing while also remaining very effective at removing dead skin cells and any leftover putty. It smells sweet and floral-y while the taste is a hint of sugar. A hydrating blend of shea butter, sunflower oil, coconut oil, cocoa butter and organic castor seed oil help retain the moisture locked in by the Rescue Putty while the sweet organic sugar crystals do the scrubbing action.
Step 3: Etta & Billie Double Mint Lip Balm + Salve
To further maximize the hydration, top it off with this fabulous Double Mint Lip Balm. I often rotate lip balms (and you can really use any one that is your favorite) but there is something about this one that I keep coming back to. The scent is just the right amount of mint, not overpowering, and I love that it mixes both the sweet and cool mint scents of peppermint and spearmint. The consistency is ultra smooth from the mixture of shea butter, jojoba seed oil, coconut oil and cocoa seed butter. It doesn’t feel cakey or thick at all. It protects my lips from the cold and wind and really helps seal in the moisture until it’s nighttime again and I start back with step 1.
What are your winter skin woes and how do you combat them??
