How to Naturally Get Rid of Dry and Chapped Lips + DIY Natural Lip Balm
Dry or chapped lips can be painful and unattractive. Chapped lips can be caused by dehydration, an allergic reaction, smoking, licking the lips too much, harsh weather, vitamin deficiency and over exposure of the sun. Symptoms include cracking, flaking, sore or tender lips, redness and dryness.
Over the counter medications and lip balms are available, but making your own natural remedies at home can save you money and exposure to harsh chemicals.
Here are some natural ingredients that you can use to moisturize your cracked lips.
Natural Remedies for Chapped or Dry Lips
Apply honey to your cracked lips
Raw, organic honey has great healing properties and it’s a great home remedy for your cracked lips. In addition to being soothing, it is also an antibacterial agent, which can help cleanse the lips and prevent infections.
Honey also has a hygroscopic nature, which means that when exposed to air, it naturally absorbs moisture in from the air which is great for treating your dry lips.
When looking for a honey to use on your lips, pick one that’s local, raw and organic so that you get the added benefit of active enzymes. Apply a small amount to your lips several times per day. For easy and portable use, purchase an empty lip balm container and fill it with honey.
Further reading: Using honey, and not just for eating, is also one of the 70 habits featured in my e-book 70 Powerful Habits For A Great Health which will guide you how to take positive steps to improve your wellness and overall health.
Drink plenty of water
One of the warming signs that you are dehydrated is dry skin, including dry lips. You can easily prevent dry lips by drinking lots of water throughout the day, especially in the colder months when you would rather sip on warm coffee (a diuretic that can cause dehydration and dry lips). Drinking enough water will keep your skin and lips healthy and elastic.
You may also want to purchase a humidifier to keep in your home or office as it provides the moisture your lips and skin need.
Apply Aloe Vera on your chapped lips
I’ve already written about the amazing health benefits of aloe vera for the skin. Aloe vera has natural anti-inflammatory and soothing properties that can help with the pain and cracked skin associated with dry lips. It also contains hygroscopic properties, meaning that aloe vera absorbs moisture and keeps the lips hydrated and smooth.
You can use aloe vera as a natural lip soother by purchasing it in whole leaf form or as a gel. Apply this gel to your lip using your finger or a Q-tip. You can apply it as many times as you need throughout the day.
Coconut oil or natural oils as a natural lip balm
Coconut oil has versatile uses and is great as a skin moisturizer (it is one of the best oils for skincare). Coconut oil has skin soothing and anti-inflammatory properties that are great for improving dry lips. You can use coconut oil simply by applying a small amount to your lips whenever needed. Keep a small container with you at all times for quick relief.
You can also use other natural oils such as olive oil, jojoba oil or sweet almond oil for similar results.
Jojoba oil, for example, is rich in vitamins E and B complex as well as several minerals. This oil is ideal for skin care because it’s chemically similar to the skin’s natural oil, therefore provides a simple, natural way to moisturize your dry cracked lips.
To make a simple natural lip balm that is easier to carry than liquid jojoba oil, melt and blend 2 teaspoons each of jojoba oil and beeswax over a double boiler on low heat. Pour the mixture into a small glass container and let it cool. This is a great natural alternative to commercial lip balms that can be loaded with potentially toxic ingredients such as petroleum jelly.
Cocoa butter, Shea Butter or Mango Butter
Cocoa butter is a pale-yellow fat extracted from the cocoa bean. It makes a great skin moisturizer and helps to heal the skin. It’s a great source of natural antioxidants which can help slow the signs of aging.
Shea butter is pure fat extracted from the nut of the shea tree and is used also to soften and moisturize the skin, while mango butter is the fatty acid obtained from mango seeds and is rich in oleic and stearic fatty acids as well as omega-9.
These natural butters are emollients, which means they can soften or soothe the skin, and can be used to heal chapped lips. The emollient properties of these butters act as a protective barrier by supplying and retaining moisture in the lips and skin.
To make your own natural butter lip balm melt 2 tablespoons each of natural butter and coconut oil and 1 tablespoon of beeswax over a double boiler on low heat and mix well. Pour the mixture into a small glass container and let it cool. The consistency will be medium firm. If you prefer a firmer consistency, you can add more beeswax, and vice versa.
Additional Tips For Preventing Chapped Lips Naturally
1. Don’t lick your lips – Licking your lips when they are dry can easily become habit. Avoid licking your lips as it can dry your lips out even more because as your saliva dries, it takes more moisture from your skin.
2. Don’t peel your chapped lips – When you feel dry skin on your lips, be careful not to peel it off with your fingers, which can cause rips or tearing. Instead, try gently wiping the dead skin off with a soft brush or a cotton ball soaked in warm water and apply a lip balm.
3. Try to breathe from your nose – Even if a stuffy or running nose has accompanied your dried lips, try to breathe through your nose as opposed to your mouth because the breath on your lips may cause them to dry out. You can try this technique to clear your stuffy nose in one minute.
4. Apply sunscreen on your lips – Lastly, applying a sunscreen to your lips before going out (even in the winter!) can help prevent dry lips from sun damage.
Do you suffer from cracked skin at the corner of your mouth?
If you also suffer from cracked skin at the corner of your mouth, this may be a symptom of Angular cheilitis which is an inflammation of one or both corners of the mouth.
How to Make Your Own Natural Lip Balm for Smooth, Kissable Lips
Have you ever paid a closer look to the ingredient list of your favorite store-bought lip balm? If not, you would be surprised of what’s in them. Parabens, petroleum jelly, questionable fragrances,… and many more of those exotic, harsh chemicals you definitely do not want to apply on the sensitive skin of your lips.
Have you ever tried your hand at making your own all-natural cosmetics? If not, lip balms are a perfect introduction as they are the easiest of them all.
This great recipe is by Amy Goodrich, yogi, health coach, and dedicated blogger who loves living a natural, eco-friendly, and healthy lifestyle. She has been making her own lip balms for ages. It a fun and cheap (less than a dollar an ounce) process that’s safe to use for the whole family. Yes, even your kids will love them. Especially if you make them with chocolate or vanilla flavor.
This recipe is more of a guideline to come up with your own favorite ingredients and give it your personal touch. That’s the fun part of making your own cosmetics. And of course they are animal cruelty-free!
If you find yourself some cute looking jars or tubes, they make an awesome DIY gift for family and friends.
So let’s get started….
What Do You Need
- Small lip balm jars or standard lip balm tubes
- Double boiler
- 1 ounce coconut oil (or sweet almond or jojoba oil, olive oil works as well but I prefer the smell and taste of coconut or almond oil, it’s up to you)
- 1 ounce shea butter or cocoa butter
- ½ ounce beeswax (add more if you want a stiffer balm)
- ¼ ounce raw organic honey
- ¼ ounce vanilla or chocolate extract or any other fragrance of your liking
and/or a few splashes of essential oil(s) (I love a peppermint-chocolate combo) - 1 Vitamin E Capsule or vitamin E oil (optional, for better preservation of your balm)
This recipe will make you around 10-12 lip balm tubes or 3 1 ounce jars and should keep you and your family stocked for a few months.
Directions
- Use a double boiler over low heat to melt the coconut oil, shea butter, and beeswax under constant stirring. If you don’t use beeswax pellets, break the beeswax up in smaller chunks or grate into flakes.
- When liquefied, cool down for a few minutes. Make sure the mixture is still warm to dissolve the honey. Add the honey, vitamin E capsule (if using), and vanilla extract (or any other flavor of your choice). Whisk until well combined.
- Optional: Before adding your flavor you could divide the oily mixture in smaller batches and add different flavors.
- Pour the mixture into the lip balm tubes or tiny jars. Keep stirring the mixture while pouring to avoid separation of the honey and oil mixture.
- Cool on the counter.
- Cap, label, and store like a normal lip balm.
- Use within 2 years.
See how easy they are? In less than an hour you’ll have your own stock of lip balm ready for your whole family.
You could experiment with your favorite base oils. Adding more coconut oil will make your balm glossier. Or if you prefer a stiffer balm, add more beeswax. Lip balms with more beeswax are densely packed and matte.
You can use shea butter and honey for their moisturizing effect, but you can leave them out of your recipe and add more oil or beeswax instead. Cocoa butter is another option for you to try. But keep in mind, cocoa butter, unlike shea butter, has a flavor of its own and may mask your fragrances.
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