Lip Care Tips

It's National Lipstick Day, and that means we're talking all things lip care and lip products! We'll break down an idea lip care routine to give you tips to keep your lips healthy and baby-soft, and will talk about the difference between lip products so you can choose what's best for you. Read on for our best lip care tips and our favorite lip products.

What's your lip care routine like? We talk a lot about skincare, makeup and even haircare routines, but sometimes the lips get forgotten! So here are some tips for a good lip care routine:

• Hydration: The skin on the lips is thin, so keep them hydrated, and if they get chapped, don't pick or peel the skin. For daily maintenance, apply a lip balm on slightly damp lips. Put on your lip balm right after washing your face or brushing your teeth to lock in moisture. Don't lick your lips, as that will deplete moisture, and fragrance-free balms are always your best bet, especially if you're sensitive. Avoid tingly or plumping lip products, too, as those can cause irritation.

• Exfoliate: Use a gentle scrub made for the lips or a soft washcloth to exfoliate your lips and remove dead skin cells and flakes. Aim to exfoliate once a week, but you may need to exfoliate more frequently in the winter or if you wear a more drying lip product (long-lasting lipstick, for example).

• Mask: Add an occlusive (thick, ointment-type) lip mask after you exfoliate and before you go to bed to give your lips a little extra love. Again, aim for at least once a week, but you can use a lip mask a few times a week.

• Protection: Yes, your lips need sun protection too. Grab a lip balm with at least SPF 15 for good daily protection, and you can pop your lip color right over the top.

Now that you've got a good lip care routine, let's talk about lip products, so you can figure out what type(s) of color are best for you:

• Lipstick: This comes in a few different forms, which you probably already know, like the traditional lipstick bullet, liquid, and crayon. This provides you with solid color in a matte (flat), sheer, or satin (creamy) finish. The type of lipstick you choose is entirely based on your preference and what you like to use. Liquid lipsticks apply like a gloss, but dry down to solid color that's usually a flat finish. The color payoff for lipsticks is also based on your preference, because you can choose from a sheer, barely-there color to a bold, dramatic shade.

• Lip gloss: A shiny liquid or gel formula that you can put directly on your lips or layer with other colors to make the lips look wet, glossy, and bigger. Most lip glosses have a least a little color, but some are clear.

• Lip tint or stain: A watery or gel color that dyes the skin of the lips so that the color stays for a long time. Swipe a clear gloss over the top to protect your lips and add extra moisture.

• Lip plumper: A liquid lipstick or gloss that contains ingredients like mint, peptides, cinnamon, or irritants to cause the lips to swell and look bigger.

• Lip liner: A pencil used to draw a line around the edges of the lips so your lip color doesn't bleed or smudge.

• Lip balm: A thick, waxy or creamy product in a tube or pot that's used to deeply hydrate the lips. Some products also contain a little color, so you don't have to choose between color and hydration. Lip balms are also sometimes referred to as lip butters--use these for moisture.

• Lip oil: A liquid product that's made with nourishing plant oils and gives a shiny, glassy finish without the stickiness of a gloss.

Salon Patrice is happy to answer any skincare or makeup-related questions you might have. Find our list of services here, or give us a call at (815) 223-8643 to schedule an appointment.