Need help with constantly dry, cracked lips!

[Anonymous]

Hey fellow BIC-ers, I need some help. I LOVE lip products — lipstick, gloss, liner, you name it I’m all about it. But I have one big issue that prevents me from adorning my face with beautiful lip colors as much as I want. I almost ALWAYS have dry, cracked, or chapped lips and I don’t know how to fix it.

I’ve tried drinking more water, lip scrubs, reapplying lip balm over the course of the day... Rarely does anything work. I still end up waking up in the morning with my lips cracked and swollen, even though they might be completely fine the night before. I thought a humidifier might help but the apartment air isn’t really dry to begin with? Like, me and my bf can’t leave bread out of the fridge because even being sealed on the counter it’ll mold within days. 

More info that might be relevant: my bf smokes hookahs every day. Could that be worsening my cracked lips for some reason?? I’ve noticed that sometimes when he smokes it becomes extremely hard for me to breathe through my nose; my nose isn’t runny or anything, just a dry congestion. To clarify I do NOT smoke, I’m just around often when my bf does. But I don’t know if the smoke in the air would be hurting my skin that much.

Please help!! This is driving me nuts. Not only is it unsightly but it’s PAINFUL. These cracks are deep in the lip and take forever to heal, because they split when I eat or laugh. 😞

[grizzlymaze]

@AnonymousYes! It is a pricey product and I do feel pretty bad when I splurge such a ridiculous amount of money on lipbalm, but itll last me six months and it absolutely does work. If youre going to need to reapply several times a day youll run thru this fast, but I just use a wee bit after Ive brushed my teeth at night and it works magically whilst Im sleeping.

I have an app on my phone called Ibotta, its a cashback app that gives you money/gift cards back when you shop in certain stores and buy specific items. My Ibotta all gets cashed out in Sephora and pretty much always on big treats like La Mer!! 🙂

[melissabt]

I second the agave lip mask! I use it as a night treatment and helps seal in the moisture. I also like it as a lip base for my matte lipsticks.

[pocketvenus]

@HunterKathleenI'll second the recommendations for

BITE BEAUTY - Agave Lip Mask!

Also, yes if your partner is smoking hookah inside, that is a lot. The smoke is not safer than cigarette smoke and there are serious negative health outcomes associated with hookah smoke. It doesn't matter if you're not breathing it in directly from the pipe. Second hand smoke can also cause issues.

[Anonymous]

Yeah I’ve tried to convince him to quit (or at least lessen it) not just for me but for his own health! We’ll see... maybe I’ll get through to him. Until then I can probably convince him to at least open the windows when he smokes. Hopefully having the air ventilated more would help!

[l8totheparty]

I'm so sorry you are going through this!  I used to have dry lips but then I got Laneige and my lips love it!  Granted, I don't have cracks like you. I would go get a sample or a trial size or whatnot of it and use it every night.  You only need a little bit.  Maybe you will like it!

@Anonymous 

[Anonymous]

Thanks! I just got the berry one in my Play! box so I’m gonna try it tonight.

[Anastasiya13]

@HunterKathleen  I been having dry lips lately and honestly I felt most items did not work for me until I tried
SOL DE JANEIRO - Brazilian Kiss Cupuaçu Lip Butter

[Anonymous]

Thank you! I haven’t try any SdJ products besides the Bum Bum and Coco Cabana but I love both of those so I may get this too.

[Anastasiya13]

@Anonymous  Its worth it, at least it worked for me. Its pretty big too, and has been lasting me awhile. It also smells good.

[RNGesusPls]

@HunterKathleen 

Aquaphor or Vaseline

SKINFIX - Barrier+ Lip Repair Balm

BITE BEAUTY - Agave Lip Mask- Does not budge and stays on overnight. Lanolips is another good alternative. If you're not allergic, lanolin does wonders 

Sadly, I'm allergic to lanolin. My lips get swollen with fluid and cracked the morning after, which sounds like what you're dealing with?

LANEIGE Lip Sleeping Mask – Intense Hydration Lip Treatment with Vitamin C Berry

[Anonymous]

Huh, I didn’t even know lanolin was something people may be allergic to! I don’t know if I am... not sure if any balms or masks or other lip products I use have lanolin in them because I’ve never checked? I’ll look into it! Maybe that’s my solution.

Also I wouldn’t have thought to use Aquaphor but it makes sense. I have 2 tubes stashed away because I get tattoos semi-regularly so I always have some on hand in my cabinet and my purse! I’ll put it on the list of things to try. 😊

Thank you!

[RNGesusPls]

@Anonymous It could be an allergy to some ingredient in the lip products that gave you swollen lips (I was using lanolin as an example) or some other health issue, but if nothing you find works, it may be time to visit the doctor. 

Aquaphor has many uses 😄

[ather]

@RNGesusPls  I’ve been wanting to try the skinfx one how would you compare it to others?? 

[RNGesusPls]

@ather It's like a fancier version of Aquaphor, but thinner consistency and with coconut oil

[Ahjie]

Try LANEIGE Lip Sleeping Mask. I used to have the same problem as yours when I first arrived here in CA cause the weather is making me hard to breathe through my nose sometimes and my lips used to bleed because of the cracks.. but when I tried using the lip mask EVERY NIGHT. My lips became softer that it doesnt crack even if I dont use lip balm the next morning. You can really see the difference after few weeks of using it. My lips are now softer and I can put lipstick easier now

[Anonymous]

Thank you! I actually just got the Laneige mask sample in my Play! box. So I’m going to try that starting tonight. I almost purchased it in April actually but decided against it. That was before my lips had this bad dryness flare up and I’m regretting not getting it then! 😭

[mrsmouse]

Wow, I am so sorry that you are dealing with that @HunterKathleen !  It sounds extremely painful.  😞  I can't really speak to the extent of your chapped lip issues as mine never got that bad, but I did used to get chapped lips EVERY winter.  I started using the Bite Agave Lip mask (putting it on right before bed and sleeping in it overnight) and haven't had chapped lips since.  I don't know if that would work for you, but if you say you are waking up with them worse then maybe a lip mask overnight might help.  If you have a Sephora near you it would be worth it to grab a sample.  Also, one tube will last over a year, so you definitely get your money's worth.  🙂

BITE BEAUTY - Agave Lip Mask

[Anonymous]

It is terribly painful! It’s like a stinging papercut right on my mouth. Ouch!

You know what’s funny is I actually have owned this BITE lip mask and love it, but I never used it as an overnight regimen, or for daily use. So I may have to repurchase it and try using it every night to see if using it in regularity helps. Thank you!

[mrsmouse]

I really hope one of the suggestions you have gotten on the thread work for you @Anonymous !  "...papercut on my mouth"  *shudders*