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The season of chapped lips is upon us, which means it’s more important than ever to make sure you have a lip balm that works. What you don’t want is a lip balm that is addictive. Yes, this beauty theory is true. Certain lip balms have ingredients that actually dry out your lips so you keep reapplying. Who knew the lip balm industry was so savage??
“Lip balms with humectants such as hyaluronic acid and glycerin make lips worse,” dermatologist Leslie Baumann, MD tells StyleCaster. These ingredients pull moisture out of the skin, especially in a dry environment, and then the water evaporates away.” So what we’re using to combat dry lips is actually sucking the moisture out of them. Great.
However, not all lip balms are evil. Humectant ingredients mixed with occlusive ingredients, like beeswax and shea butter, are actually the perfect moisturizing combo. Humectants hold on to water, and occlusives keep it from evaporating,” explains Dr. Baumann. So you shouldn’t totally rule out lip balms with humectants ingredients, just make sure they have occlusive ones too!
Don’t forget to check out: why this lip gloss is in so many nail selfies and the best lip sunscreen ever
[Photo: Shutterstock]
