FitSugar

Preventing and Healing Chapped Lips

FitSugar — Wed, 31 Dec 2008 03:30:00 -0800

Winter weather has settled in for good, and I'm sure you've rebelled by cranking up the heat in your homes, cars, and offices. While the heat keeps us warm, it also takes moisture out of the air causing dry skin. Delicate areas are especially affected, like lips since they don't secrete any oils. The result can be tender or painful chapped or cracked lips. To prevent this uncomfortable problem, keep these tips in mind:

If your lips are dry, avoid licking them. Saliva will momentarily add moisture but it will evaporate, making your lips even drier. Also, your saliva contains some digestive enzymes, which will irritate sore lips even more.
Keep your lips moisturized with lip balm. Ones with beeswax, such as Burt's Bees Lip Balm are soothing and long lasting. If you're a fan of the great outdoors, use tinted lip balms with SPF to keep your lips protected from sun exposure, which can also dry them out.
Add moisture to the air you breathe with a humidifier. Keep it running in your bedroom while you sleep since a heated home can cause you to wake up with dry lips that will crack when you yawn. Ouch!
Make sure to drink lots of water throughout the day. We tend to forget to hydrate properly since it's cold out, but it's just as important as getting enough water in the Summer. Use Fit's Calculator to figure out how much water you should be drinking each day, and keep a water bottle with you while you work to help you remember.
Avoid drinking alcohol and caffeine since these can dehydrate your skin.

If you suffer from chapped lips read more.

If your lips are cracked already, apply a topical antibiotic ointment such as Bacitracin or Neosporin ointment to prevent infection. If your lips don't heal, see your doctor since dry lips may be a symptom of an underlying problem such as a vitamin deficiency.

Source

Protect Your Lips From the Sun

FitSugar — Thu, 02 Aug 2007 10:51:46 -0700

When you go outside to enjoy the warmth and sunshine, you've got to protect your lips from the sun's harmful rays. That skin can get sunburned too, and excessive exposure could cause lip cancer.

Just as you apply sunscreen to your skin, you need to apply sunscreen to your lips. Many lipsticks, lip glosses, and lip balms contain SPF, so check those labels ladies.

Here's a list of some of my favorite protective lip balms and lipsticks. Beeswax lip balm from Burt's Bees is still my all time favorite even though it doesn't contain any SPF, so I just reserve it for nighttime use if my lips feel dry after spending a day in the sun.

Kiss My Face Certified Organic Lip Balm, SPF 15	Tinted Lip Balm SPF-18, TerraTint Blaze
Neutrogena Whisper Pink Lipstick SPF 20	SPF 15 Vanilla Lip Balm by Ecco Bella
Eco Lips Organic Sport Lip Balm	Buy Burt's Bees Beeswax Lip Balm

Can You Get Lip Cancer From the Sun?

FitSugar — Sun, 22 Jul 2007 02:00:00 -0700

You lather on the sunscreen all over your face and body, but what about your lips? Is it necessary to protect them as well?

Would You Buy Weight Loss Lip Gloss?

FitSugar — Fri, 06 Apr 2007 08:45:00 -0700

There are so many weight loss products out there it is hard to decipher from those that work and those that don't. Some products, however, make it very easy to say, "Save your money."

Beautiful lips-skinny hips is the slogan for Joey New York LipFIT Lip Gloss ($15.00), which is a lip gloss that apparently curbs appetite. This is because it contains a blend of peppermint, grapefruit and spearmint fragrances and when applied to the lips, the fresh minty aroma has been 'proven' (uh-huh) to safely help inhibit appetite. The gloss also contains ingredients to firm and plump lips instantly; all while making you feel not hungry. I think a more appropriate slogan would be Beautiful lips-You'll Probably Still Want the Chips. Still interested? Buy it from SkinStore.com.

I know, I know... I am a skeptic at heart, but I am still curious, would you buy it?

Shiny Lips = Skin Cancer Risk

FitSugar — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 11:05:00 -0700

We all want lovely, shiny lips, but those beautiful balms and glosses might just be putting your pouty mouth at risk for skin cancer.

Not only do shiny lip glosses and lip balms offer no sun protection, new research shows that they may actually attract dangerous sun rays, making it easier for damaging UV rays to penetrate the lips. Since lips are more sensitive to aging and sun damage than skin, it is important to protect them, yet only about 25 percent of Americans do.

If you plan to be in the sun for over 20 minutes, your best bet it to apply sun protection of SPF 30 to your lips then add on the gloss. Keep your kisser safe!

Source

Burt's Bees: On Your Lips and in the News

FitSugar — Wed, 09 Jan 2008 02:00:00 -0800

As I've said before, Winter can be brutal on your skin. The wee bit of humidity in the air evaporates when we blast our heat, and we're left with itchy, dry skin. The dry manufactured heat also does a number on sensitive lips. You need a soothing lip balm like this one from Burt's Bees. Made with all natural ingredients including beeswax, rosemary extract, and peppermint oil, this balm soaks into your skin providing cooling relief immediately. It also contains comfrey root extract, which helps heal dry or cracked lips.

I fell in love with this lip balm many years ago when Burt's was a small company, and you could only find their products at health food stores. In case you hadn't heard though, Clorox bought Burt's Bees. Want to hear more about it? Then read more

Burt's Bees sold for almost $1 million, and some environmentalists are appalled and worried that this big company won't maintain Burt's Bees environmental practices. Others are hoping that by purchasing this all natural company, Clorox will become greener. They've already been reshaping their practices, and have recently introduced a line of all natural household cleaning products called Green Works, that are labeled 99% natural. I think it's great that so many big companies are making choices to positively affect our world. I'm definitely a little wary about this, but hopefully Clorox will continue on its path to greendom. Even though Clorox now owns Burt's Bees, I'm optimistic that it will continue to make all natural products.

Source

Fuze Slenderize Lip Gloss: Cool or Not?

FitSugar — Fri, 04 Jan 2008 03:30:00 -0800

Fuze, the weight loss beverage favored by Jessica Simpson, has expanded its market to lip gloss. Not just any old lip gloss mind you, it's FUZE Slenderize Guilt Free Lip Gloss ($18.50). Now this is not the first time we've seen weight loss lip gloss, but this is the first time we've seen one by FUZE. Too Faced, the manufacturers, claim this gloss is infused with the healthy, delicious fruit flavors and appetite curbing energy boasting ingredients found in FUZE Slenderize beverages. If you're interested, buy it here.

Eh, I'll stick to healthy eating and hitting the gym. What about you?

Gear Review: SPF 15 Lip Gloss by Clinique

FitSugar — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 12:00:00 -0700

I know a few of you hardcore athletes might scoff at the idea of lip gloss being gear, but this gloss offers sun protection along with color, and that is why I am ranking it as gear. Lips should be treated like skin and protected from the sun's rays. Most shiny lip gloss actually attracts the sun, making it easier for harmful rays to penetrate the delicate flesh and causing skin cancer on your kisser.

That is where Clinique's Long Last Glosswear ($14) with SPF 15 comes in handy. It coats and protects your lips, and it really does last. It is flavorless too, which I think is great, and the texture is so thin you forget you have it on. On my way out the door for a midday run, I couldn't find my chapstick with SPF, so I wore this lip gloss. It was great. It kept my lips moist and protected. It comes in many shades and is available online at the Clinique website.

5 Things: Preventing Chapped Lips

FitSugar — Fri, 07 Dec 2007 12:30:00 -0800

When it's super cold out, we crank up the heat inside. This keeps us warm but can totally dry out our skin, especially lips since they don't secrete any oils. Here are some ways to prevent them from getting painfully chapped or cracked.

Avoid licking dry lips. Saliva will momentarily add moisture, but it will evaporate, leaving lips feeling drier. Plus saliva contains a little bit of digestive enzyme, which won't make sore lips feel very good.
Always keep your lips moisturized with lip balm. Ones with beeswax are soothing and long lasting. Look for tinted lip balms with SPF to keep your lips protected and looking healthy.
Sleep with a humidifier since a heated home can cause you to wake up with dry lips that'll crack when you yawn. Ow!
If you tend to be a drooler when you sleep, apply a lip balm that contains zinc oxide, which acts as a barrier preventing lips from drying out.
Make sure to drink lots of water throughout the day. We tend to forget since it's cold out, but it's just as important as getting enough water in the Summer. Use Fit's Calculator to figure out how much water you should be drinking each day, and keep a water bottle with you while you work to help you remember.

Source

Lip Balm Really is Addictive

FitSugar — Tue, 28 Aug 2007 08:45:00 -0700

Raise your hand if you can't go anywhere without your lip balm? (My hand is raised.) If you are one of those folks who is constantly applying lip balm, you may actually be addicted to it because your lips become so accustomed to having more moisture content than they had in the past.

Good news though: Being addicted to lip balm is really no big deal unless you develop an allergic reaction to the ingredients. Flavoring, fragrances or added preservatives may be the source of the problem if you do have problems with a lip balm. Switching to an unflavored or unscented type of lip balm may solve the problem completely.

All lip balms work by sealing in natural moisture and there isn't much difference between a 99-cent lip balm and more expensive brands, when it comes to sealing in moisture at least.

Personally, I always have a tube of the good ole' ChapStick brand stuff in my purse and gym bag. I love ChapStick Ultra because it has SPF 30. Buy it online from DrugStore.com for $2.99.