Chapped Lips?

Tip from Cara Linda for January 2009

Happy New Year and Best Wishes for a wonderful and prosperous 2009.  You may or may not be enjoying this weather but if the cooler air has you reaching for your lip balm, flip it over and look at the label.  You might want to toss it out if you see phenols in the list of ingredients.  Why?  These compounds actually strip the top layer off your lips. Phenols are included in some lip balms (Blistex, for one) to help remove very dry, chapped skin off the surface of lips.  But if you’re just trying to keep lips moist, the phenols can backfire by removing your lips’ natural protective laver.  That may also explain why some people get addicted to them (sound familiar anyone?).  Because the stripping effect can leave lips feeling raw, you reach for more balm.  To break the vicious lip-balm cycle opt for a good moisturizing lip product instead.

To your skin health,
Linda

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