We take so much care of our facial skin, what with application of lotions, sunscreens and night creams. But we forget to extend the same care to our lips. An otherwise radiant complexion is sometimes marred by dry flaky lips. To combat this, you need to take care of your lips by exfoliating them from time and time and applying a rich conditioning lip balm. Many women just slather on lip balm day and night, without first scrubbing the lips. This results in dryness and flakiness that does not look very appealing. If you apply lipstick on dry and chapped lips, the lipstick will bleed and settle on the fine lines of the lips. Now you certainly don't want that? Do you....? So using a lip scrub or lip exfoliator will help in removing flakiness and make them smooth and soft. But most of the products available in the market are quite expensive and not all of them are effective. So why not try a homemade lip scrub instead?
How to Make Lip Scrub at Home
Sugar and Petroleum Jelly Scrub
If you are looking for a simple homemade lip exfoliator which does not require too many ingredients to make, then this one is just ideal for you. Take one tablespoon of granulated sugar in a small bowl and add two tablespoons of regular petroleum jelly. Mix the sugar and petroleum jelly thoroughly until you have a paste. Now take a small amount of this sugar and petroleum jelly mixture on a toothbrush and rub gently on your lips in circular motion. Wash your lips with lukewarm water and you will be left with smooth lips. Make sure that you use a soft bristled toothbrush and the gentlest of pressure while scrubbing your lips.
Olive Oil and Pomegranate Seeds Scrub
To make this lip scrub you will need 2 tablespoons pomegranate seeds, 1 tablespoon granulated sugar and 1 tablespoon olive oil. Crush the pomegranate seeds, granulated sugar and olive oil in a mortar and pestle. Once you have a rough and coarse paste, transfer the paste to a small container. Add a bit more olive oil if the paste is too thick and gluggy. Now apply a small amount of this scrub on your lips and exfoliate with gentle circular motion.
Lime and Orange Scrub
In a small container add the juice of half an orange and half a lime. To this add 2 tablespoons of brown sugar or demerara sugar. Mix the sugar into the orange and lime mixture, but do not let it dissolve completely. Dip a clean flannel cloth into this mixture and scrub your lips gently with this natural homemade scrub. This is a very gentle scrub and you can use it twice a week to keep your lips smooth and soft without any hint of flakiness or dryness.
Mint and Sugar Scrub
Mix 1 tablespoon honey with 1 tablespoon rapeseed oil with 2 tablespoons of granulated sugar. When you have a thick paste add the juice of a handful of crushed mint leaves. Mix the paste thoroughly and use it to exfoliate your lips in a gentle circular motion. Massage your lips with the scrub for 1-2 minutes and then wash the scrub off with water.
Homemade lip scrubs are safe for regular use and they help eliminate dryness and flakiness. Ideally lip exfoliation should be done one or twice a week and over exfoliation should be strictly avoided. Since lips do not contain any oil glands, it is important that you keep them hydrated, after scrubbing them. So always apply a hydrating lip balm to your lips after exfoliating them.
