Is there actually really anything complicated when it comes to explaining how to use lip scrubs?
Let’s be honest. It’s really not complicated.
It might be a bit harder finding the best lips scrubs than it is learning how to use lips scrubs in order to achieve a smooth luxurious feel. But not even that is as complicated as it’s the case with other skincare products since there are many excellent choices on the market.
Good lip scrubs can be easily found in drugstores, just like it’s the case with lip balms. And both lip products are pretty inexpensive and they last a long time, maybe you will need to purchase a scrub or a balm for your lips once or twice a year.
Also, there are lip balms with SPF, in case you weren’t aware of them. We need to protect all parts of our bodies from the harmful sun rays.
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How to Use Lip Scrubs: 8 Simple Steps
The easiest and best way to exfoliate your lips is to use a lip scrub.
Just like it is the case with body and facial scrubs, lip scrubs remove dead skin cells. They’re just as easy to use as those for the face and body.
Lip scrubs provide a gentle exfoliation, it’s not about making your lips raw. It’s about gently removing the dead skin cells and the dry skin for revealing the revitalized lips hidden underneath.
When it comes to actually knowing how to use lip scrubs the instructions are the easiest:
- remove any makeup – exfoliation is always done on clean skin
- damp your lips with warm water – don’t exfoliate on dry skin
- stand over your skin and start applying the scrub in circular motions
- keep your movements gentle – you don’t want to cause any micro-tears
- after about 30 seconds and no longer than a minute, rinse with warm water
- gently dab the lips dry with a soft towel or a tissue
- moisturize with a lip balm/facial moisturizer or you can use petroleum jelly (vaseline)
- you can use a lip scrub 2-3 times a week but even once a week should be sufficient
If you suffer from raw cracked lips, I would advise you to skip using lip scrubs until the cracks are healed. Use a heavy repair lip balm or a lip mask until they’re restored and then you can exfoliate.
Lip Scrubs Ingredients
The most common ingredient in lip scrubs is sugar.
Others contain walnut shell powder as the exfoliating ingredients. Those with nut allergies must pay attention to that fact.
Besides that, there are moisturizing ingredients like shea butter, oils, fatty acids, and antioxidants (vitamin C, vitamin E) and so on.
DIY Lip Scrub
As I’ve already mentioned above, the most common ingredient found in lip scrubs is sugar. You can use brown sugar or white sugar.
Another good exfoliating ingredient is ground coffee beans. It’s frequently used for body scrubs, too.
Obviously, the exfoliating particles (sugar, ground coffee beans) need to be added to a moisturizer, like coconut oil, olive oil or even honey.
Honey has healing properties, as well. It’s a very good choice.
Here is a simple DIY lip scrub recipe: 1 tablespoon coconut oil, 2 tablespoons brown sugar, and 1 tablespoon honey. Make a large quantityt, keep it refrigerated and it will be good to use for a couple of weeks.
An equal amount of oil and sugar works best. Mix them until you obtain a paste. As an extra touch you can add peppermint oil.
Or you can add a bit of moisturizing cream on your finger, add a bit of sugar and start exfoliating your lips with an instant lip scrub.
Can You Use a Toothbrush Instead of a Lip Scrub?
Yes, you can definitely use a toothbrush to exfoliate your lips. But if you’d rather use a toothbrush instead of listening to all my talk on lip scrubs in this how to use lip scrubs tutorial, there are a few things to keep in mind.
The most important is: don’t use the toothbrush that you use for brushing your teeth. Use one exclusively on your lips. You don’t want the bacteria that a toothbrush carries to penetrate into the microscopic tears that your lips might present.
Also, use a soft-bristled toothbrush.
Before using a toothbrush to exfoliate your lips, you should apply a thick layer of lip balm or an oil (coconut, olive) or moisturizer or vaseline to prevent any tears or cuts. You can’t use it dry.
Then you scrub in gentle circular motions for a few seconds, there’s no need to over-exfoliate.
Why You Should Exfoliate Your Lips
When it comes to why you should exfoliate your lips there’s actually one simple explanation that I’m pretty sure you already know the answer to.
Having smooth lips is the main reason. Dry lips can happen to anyone but not if you exfoliate your lips and moisturize them after.
It can also promote cell turnover and regeneration.
The easiest way to exfoliate your lips is to use a lip scrub and I talked above about how to use lip scrubs, which is pretty straightforward actually.
Exfoliate for soft supple lips
As it’s always the case with exfoliation, no matter whether we exoliate our face, back or legs, it helps us achieve smooth soft skin that looks and feels healthy and shiny.
It does that by removing the dead skin cells and the dry skin, leaving a fresh layer of smooth skin behind.
If you apply a lip balm immediately after, you will feel that all is right again.
When it comes to lips exfoliation it’s a very necessary step, especially during the cold months but not only limited to those.
Exfoliate to prevent chapped lips
Lips don’t have oil or sweat glands, unlike the rest of our skin, which is why they get dry so easily and are the part of our face most easily affected by the elements (wind, cold, high temperatures, lack of moisture in the air) but also by dehydration.
Simply put, our lips can’t moisturize themselves, which is why we need to do it for them. Simply using a normal facial moisturizer can be enough for most people.
Once lips get dry, they can very easily move on to the next stage: chapped lips.
No one wants to kiss with chapped lips. It’s painful for the person with chapped lips and I imagine it doesn’t feel that good for the other person either, although I haven’t been the recipient of a kiss from chapped lips ever before but I can imagine.
Immediately after lips exfoliation you should apply a lip moisturizer, even your usual moisturizer for face works, or you favorite lip balm or butter. It will be instantly absorbed by the skin and you will actually feel the relief instantly, if you were already starting to have chapped lips.
Exfoliate for healthy pink lips
I don’t wear lipstick but I I love having a natural pink color, using a lip scrub together with the right lip balm ensures that I get to enjoy that healthy color every day.
Besides the healthy look that my lips get, feeling my lips getting even a bit rough is completely annoying and it makes me a bit obsessive.
If my lips get a bit chapped, I will instantly turn into an adolescent that bites her lips and licks them constantly, even though that’s the worst thing to do when you get chapped lips.
I have dry thin skin and I’m no stranger to getting my lips so cracked that they bleed a bit. It’s happened in the past until I started taking care of my lips properly.
Your lipstick will look perfect
Matt lipstick can also dry out lips so, exfoliating lips actually works two ways when it comes to wearing lipstick.
I told you that I don’t wear lipstick, whenever I feel like it, I definitely prefer a lip gloss. I’m just always up for a shiny look, the matte look of most lipsticks is not my style. It’s probably because my lips are quite thin for lipstick but the gloss makes them pop up, look fuller.
However, attempting to apply lipstick on dry lips is not a good idea. It will highlight the flaky patches of dry skin instead of hiding them.
The lipsticks will also last longer if your lips are smooth and moisturized.
As it always is with skincare products and procedures, knowing how to use lip scrubs involves a bit of knowledge but nothing too complicated, it’s a small area after all and not that sensitive for most people.
