A simple smile can win hearts, while a kiss expresses affection and love. Your lips play a central role in non-verbal communication. We can tell how someone feels from their condition, shape and lip colour – without a word. They can make your face shine and boost your self-confidence.
It’s no wonder that lip care and cosmetics are so important to the beauty industry. That’s why today we’re looking at how you can get your lips in top shape.
Luscious lips: an essential component of beauty
Our lips are much more than just a functional part of the face. Well-cared-for, full lips look sensual and healthy and are even considered a symbol of attractiveness and youthfulness in many places. By contrast, dry and chapped lips often appear unkempt and thus, for many, detract from the overall appearance of the face.
Our lips are exposed to a variety of environmental influences such as sun, wind and cold every day. This can really bother them in everyday life. Unlike our skin, they have no sebaceous glands to provide them with natural oils. So if you want to protect the natural beauty of your lips, the right lip care is an absolute must.
Perfect lip care for every day
The key to soft, supple lips is a daily routine. If you’ve only used lip balm occasionally when the dry air from the heating has been particularly hard on your lips, here are some tips on how you can do something good for your lips every day. All you need to do to optimally care for your lips is follow three steps:
1) Peeling
Do you nibble or tear the dry skin off your lips? Instead, you should use a gentle exfoliator. This way, you can easily remove the dead skin cells. Not only does it keep your lips soft and supple, it also smoothes the surface of the lips, so that gloss and other products don’t settle as much.
Tip: You can easily make your own lip scrub with things you probably already have at home. To do this, mix a little honey or olive oil with a little sugar – done!
2) Moisture
You should always drink enough water. This is not only good for your general health, but also for your lips. If that’s not enough, you should always have a moisturising lip balm to hand. Ingredients such as shea butter, jojoba oil, vitamin E and beeswax provide your lips with particularly intensive care.
3) Sun protection
Not only your skin but also your lips are sensitive to UV rays. That’s why you shouldn’t forget your sun protection here either. Especially in summer or when doing winter sports, you should make sure to wear a lip balm with a sun protection factor (SPF).
As the term lip care routine suggests, consistency is key. To achieve truly soft and healthy lips, you should invest a little time in them every day.
The importance of the right lip care products
Because the optimal lip care routine is so simple, it is important to use truly effective products. Lips are a sensitive part of our face, so they deserve special attention. Lip care is not just a beauty ritual, but an important part of your daily skin care.
Here are some must-haves for your routine:
- Lip balm: A good lip balm should combine two things – moisture and protection. As already mentioned, our lips are exposed to environmental factors every day that can damage them. To protect your lips from drying out, you should look for ingredients that moisturise, but also for substances that seal in moisture. In addition, your lip balm should contain a sun protection factor so that your lips are always protected from the sun.
- Lip scrub: If you would rather buy a DIY scrub than make your own, make sure you choose a gentle one. Scrub that is too coarse can leave small cracks on your lips instead of just removing the dry areas.
- Lip masks: Masks aren’t just for your hair and face. If you need an extra boost of moisture, you can apply a lip mask in the evening and let it work overnight.
Lip care for special occasions
Whether it’s a date, a party or a family celebration – we often spend a little longer in front of the mirror getting ready for special occasions. Your lips in particular can influence the entire make-up look here.
Whether it’s lipstick or gloss, here are a few tricks to get the best out of your lips:
Preparation:
If you already use lip care daily, you don’t need to do anything special to prepare before applying make-up. However, if this is not already the case, you should always exfoliate your lips and then moisturise them before applying your make-up.
Colour:
There are no rules when it comes to deciding on the right lipstick colour – so wear whatever you like! However, knowing your skin undertone can help you choose the right lip colour. If you have a cool undertone, cooler reds or pinks will look better on you. While warm types usually also look good in colours with a warmer undertone.
Primer:
If you want your lipstick to stay put, you should use a special lip primer made for this purpose. However, you can also apply a thin layer of foundation or concealer as a base if you don’t have anything else to hand.
Contour:
To prevent your lipstick from bleeding, it’s best to use a lip liner. This allows you to trace the contours of your lips – or to create more volume by extending a little beyond your lip contour.
Layers:
A helpful trick for making lipstick both opaque and long-lasting is to layer it. To do this, apply several thin layers of your colour, gently dabbing your lips with a tissue or tissue after each layer.
Holding Spray:
To be on the safe side, you can also apply normal make-up fixing spray to your lips for more hold.
Volume:
If you want fuller lips, you can apply a little highlighter to the cupid’s bow of the lips. This makes them appear larger. A gloss also provides the same effect through shine. For extra dramatic volume, you should reach for a lip plumper.
First-aid kit:
For longer events, especially if food and drinks are involved, you should pack the following items as a precaution:
- lipstick, gloss or lip plumper to freshen up
- a small mirror
- Cotton buds to correct mistakes
Conclusion:
Gorgeous lips don’t just happen. They are the result of a consistent care routine. With the right steps – exfoliation, moisturising & sun protection – and the right products, you have everything you need for well-cared lips. This means you are prepared for anything, with a radiant smile framed by perfect lips, not only in your everyday life but also for any occasion.