Lips

Lips can be one of the sexiest parts of a person, but they are also one of the most sensitive and prone to dehydration.  Lips consist of one of the thinnest layers of skin and are actually made up of a mucous membrane, kind of like the lining of the nose.  

It is because of the thin skin that lips can crack and bleed so easily.  The lips are filled with nerves which cause sensitivity to touch, heat, and cold, but it is because of the nerves, that the lips become an erogenous zone. 

Most people don't begin to care for their lips until they are chapped, but for truly healthy lips, daily care is essential.  Make it part of the routine, like brushing teeth and brushing hair.  Don't wait until the lips begin to  feel dry to start treating, treat before they get dry.  

If you are going to be somewhere that is especially drying to the skin and lips, use extra lip care products.  Lip balm, chapstick, and natural moisturizers work great for this.  Preventing dry lips before they happen is the key to good lip health.

Because the skin on the lips is so thin, exposure to the sun can make them especially vulnerable.  There are many products designed for blocking sun exposure to the lips, and any one of them should be used before excessive exposure to the sun.  For someone with really light skin, a higher sunblock should be used.

If you already have chapped lips, use a medicated chapstick.  Some chapsticks can contain an analgesic which can relieve the pain of chapped lips on contact.  A chapstick is small enough to be carried around in the pocket or purse and should be applied as often as necessary to ease the pain of chapped and dried lips.

Putting on lipstick does not necessarily protect the lips, so put on a lip care product before putting on your lipstick or instead of putting on your lipstick and love your lips.  Not only will chapstick prevent dry lips, but it can actually make the color of the lipstick hold onto your lips better.  

A big no-no in lip care is licking the lips.  When they are dry, it may be an impulse to lick the lips, but stay away from this.  Remember that the saliva is meant to break down meat, so it can also break down the lips.  

Not everyone can have lips like Angelina Jolie, but everyone can have healthy lips.  Take care of your lips and you will find that you do in fact have beautiful lips.