Dry, chapped lips in winter: what really helps and what makes them drier

SKIN CONCERNS

Why do lips dry out faster than the rest of your face?

Lips dry out faster because the red part of the lip has only a thin, not fully matured outer layer and hardly any oil glands to replenish its lipids. It is the only place on the face where mucous membrane permanently faces the outside world. A study in the British Journal of Dermatology measured this in 303 healthy women during winter: water loss through the lips was almost three times as high as on the cheek, and surface hydration was about one-third of the cheek values. The authors attribute this to the immature cells on the lip surface, which hold on to water less well and offer less protection. In everyday life, everything comes together at this one spot: cold wind outdoors, dry heated air indoors, breathing through your mouth during exercise or in your sleep, and saliva that evaporates. How much dry indoor air in winter affects the rest of your skin is covered in the article on what mature, dry skin needs from a winter face cream. For your lips, the short version is enough: they feel it first because they have the smallest reserves.

What really helps dry, chapped lips?

What helps chapped lips is a product that forms a film and slows evaporation, together with a few habits that give your lips time to heal. The American Academy of Dermatology recommends a non-irritating lip balm several times a day and before bed. For very dry, cracked lips, it advises a thick ointment such as white petroleum jelly, because ointments seal in moisture for longer than waxes or oils. You do not need active ingredients with big promises for this. What matters is that your lips get a protective layer and are not constantly irritated all over again.

1. Choose a fragrance-free lip balm without flavourings, for example one with petroleum jelly, shea butter, castor oil or plant waxes.
2. During the day, reapply whenever your lips feel dry, and put on a thicker layer in the evening before bed.
3. Make a conscious effort to stop licking. Saliva evaporates and takes moisture with it, so your lips get drier and you lick them even more often. If the skin around your mouth also turns red and rough, that is a separate issue: dry skin around the mouth.
4. Do not peel or bite off flakes of skin; let your lip balm soften them instead.
5. Outdoors, use a lip balm with UV protection, even in winter.

Which ingredients in lip balm make your lips even drier?

The ingredients most likely to make your lips even drier are the ones that cool, tingle or taste of something: menthol, camphor, eucalyptus, phenol, fragrance and flavourings such as cinnamon, citrus or peppermint. The American Academy of Dermatology names exactly these substances as sources of irritation for chapped lips, along with salicylic acid, the UV filters octinoxate and oxybenzone, propyl gallate and lanolin. It also points out a common misconception: burning, stinging or tingling is often taken as a sign that a product is working. On irritated lips, it usually means the opposite. So the fresh, cooling feel that many lip balms are sold on is not a mark of quality. The same applies to natural sources of fragrance – more on this in the article on why essential oils can irritate sensitive skin. The table shows what to look out for in the ingredient list.

If you are wondering whether petroleum jelly and paraffin on your lips are a concern because you end up swallowing some of them, a separate article on what’s behind the criticism of mineral oil and MOAH puts it into perspective.

Is lip balm addictive, or why do you need it all the time?

Lip balm is not addictive in any physical sense, but some products keep alive the very dryness they are meant to relieve. Your lips do not get used to the fat, nor do they stop producing their own oil – they hardly produce any anyway. The cycle has other causes. If the balm contains menthol, camphor or flavourings, your lips stay slightly irritated, feel dry again after a short while, and you reach for the stick once more. If the balm tastes of something, it gets licked off, and the protective film goes with it. A third reason is simply habit: if the stick is always in your hand, you apply it even when there is no need and notice every little rough patch more. And sometimes the problem is not the product at all, but a cause that stays: mouth breathing, licking or the cold. The simplest test takes two to three weeks. Switch to a plain, fragrance-free balm without a cooling effect and see whether you need it less often over time. If you do, it was the product and not your lips.

Why do your lips stay dry despite lip balm?

Lips usually stay dry despite lip balm because the irritation does not stop or because the balm goes on too thinly and too rarely. Common reasons are a product with cooling agents or flavourings, a balm that has already worn off after your first coffee, licking out of habit, breathing through your mouth at night and peeling off flakes of skin, which keeps creating new tiny wounds. Less obvious are reactions to a new lipstick or a new toothpaste. Medication can also dry out the lips considerably, for example isotretinoin for acne. In that case, talk to the doctor who prescribed it about how to care for your lips. If you spend a lot of time outdoors, in a biting wind or on the ski slopes, your face needs more protection too. What makes sense then is covered in the article on when you need a cold weather face cream.

If the skin on your face feels tight as well, it is not just your lips. In winter, cold and heated air take their toll on both, but your face needs different care from your lips. A simple layering is enough for this: a serum with hyaluronic acid, topped with a cream that supports the skin barrier. With The Duo, made up of The Essential and The Shield, the serum provides hyaluronic acid in three molecular sizes, while the cream contributes ceramide NP, squalane and jojoba oil. If your skin is dry, use a little more of both. Then look after your lips separately with your lip balm.

When are dry lips no longer a skincare issue and a case for a professional?

Dry lips are a case for a professional if they have not improved after two to three weeks of consistent, simple care, or if signs appear that go beyond dryness. The American Academy of Dermatology gives this time frame as a guide. Inflamed lips can have many causes: a review in the journal Dermatitis lists irritant and allergic contact reactions, atopic, light-induced and infectious forms, nutritional deficiencies and medication. Because the symptoms are so similar, even specialists often find it difficult to tell them apart. That is a good reason not to experiment on your own. Have your lips looked at by your GP, a dermatologist or a pharmacist if you notice any of these signs:

• Cracked corners of the mouth that do not heal or keep coming back.
• Blisters, crusts or a tingling in one spot before something breaks out there.
• Swelling, burning or redness that extends beyond the red of the lips, for example after using a new lipstick.
• A rough, whitish or scaly patch on the lower lip that does not go away, or a small sore that does not heal, especially if you spend a lot of time in the sun.
• Small bumps or pustules on the skin around the mouth.

The fourth point is important: a systematic review in the Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology describes actinic cheilitis, a sun-related change to the lip, as a precursor that can develop into squamous cell carcinoma. That is no reason to panic, but it is a clear reason to book an appointment.

Frequently asked questions