Vegan Lip Balm to Heal Your Lips
From the revival of lip liner to plump-enhancing gloss and our continued love of shades of red, pink, and nude, we love our lips.
Creating the perfect pout has long been an obsession of some women and men for thousands of years. In fact, cosmetic cases were found at an archaeological site dating back 5,000 years, concluding that ancient Sumerians were the first to wear lipstick and our quest for that eye-catching lip has only increased.
However, the secret to a bold lip actually lies within its daily care versus the shade it’s flaunting. We have realized the importance of an 8-step skincare routine, but what about our lips? Many of us forget to treat them with the extra care that they need.
The skin on our lips is actually quite a bit thinner than the skin on other parts of our body. This makes them more vulnerable to cracking, chapping, and general damage.
Additionally, our lips have fewer oil glands and no ability to create sun-filtering natural melanin for protection. This fact leaves our lips at higher risk for both sunburn and skin cancer. While it is more common to have chapped lips in the winter, when the cold, dry air dehydrates our skin, lips are prone to damage year-round.
The cumulative damage to our lips from the years of exposure to the sun, cold air, and drying lip products can leave them dry, cracked, and chapped. Additionally, many of us are unfortunately not using proper care when it comes to our lips, leading to an increased risk of inflammation, infection, and even burning sensations.
The marks of healthy lips are natural volume and hydration. Think of your lips like a sponge. When they are exposed to moisture, they absorb water and plump up.
On the flip side, when they are dehydrated, they dry out and shrink in size. Luckily, it is not too late to start the ultimate lip care routine to reverse the signs of aging and damage.
How to take care of your lips
Refrain from touching or licking your lips
As mentioned, lips have very little protection of their own, which means that if you are a habitual toucher or licker, they are getting damaged. We tend to lick our lips if they are feeling dry, as that quick moisture from our tongue helps them to feel dehydrated. However, once that saliva evaporates, it actually leaves the lips drier than before. The enzymes in our saliva are too harsh for the delicate skin on our lips.
The same goes for touching. Just as we know we shouldn’t touch the skin on our face, touching our lips causes similar issues. Again, the delicate skin on our lips is vulnerable to damage, and the oil and dirt from our hands are no good for our lips.
Eat a variety of wholesome, plant-based food
Have you ever heard the phrase eat your way to good skin? Well, it’s true for our entire body; our skin is our largest organ, after all.
And the same goes for our lips. Vitamins and other nutrients reflect directly on the condition of your lips. Also, everything you eat and drink passes through your lips, so things like sugar, salt, and alcohol are going to directly affect them.
Stay hydrated
Water is so important! We probably do not need to tell you that, but let this serve as a reminder to drink up! Water is essential for lip health as well. Just as the skin needs to be kept hydrated from the inside out, the same goes for lips. Drinking enough water is oh-so-important.
Remove your makeup daily
Again, just like the rest of our face, our skin needs to be able to breathe. This means ensuring that makeup is fully removed at night so they have time to repair while you sleep. Make sure to remove all traces of makeup before you sleep.
Hydrate your lips overnight
Rest and recharge your lips! Similar to using an eye cream on your delicate under-eye skin, hydrating your lips overnight is key. Use a heavy or hydrating lip cream while you sleep. Petroleum jelly even works!
Massage your lips
I might lose a few people here, but honestly, this step helps so much! Use nourishing oils to massage your lips for about five minutes every day. Doing this helps to improve the blood circulation in your lips and helps them get the nutrients that they need.
Use a lip scrub
Additionally, scrubbing your lips also helps to keep them healthy and soft. It removes dead skin cells, which is crucial in making sure your lips don’t succumb to any infections. Use a mild scrub that is made for lips (your face skin exfoliant is probably too harsh). Additionally, make sure to only exfoliate about once a week and always avoid scrubs with salicylic acid as it is much too harsh for your lips.
Carry that lip balm with you ... always
Whether it be from the dry air outside, the sun beating on them, or eating and drinking, reapplying lip balm throughout the day is key. Keeping a good creamy and hydrating lip balm with you to reapply frequently will help keep them hydrated.
Use lipstick
You might be worried now that lipstick isn’t a good idea, but luckily, lipstick is perfectly healthy. Many lipsticks nowadays are formulated with hydrating ingredients to keep them hydrated, but they also add an extra layer of protection from sun, air, and general daily use.
Seek expert advice
Sometimes, despite all of our preventive measures, your lips still may need more specialized health. If you followed the above steps to build healthy, glowing lips and are still suffering, it might be time to consult an expert. There are some conditions that are hard to treat yourself and may need increased care.
How to address lip problems
Chapping
Chapping can occur year-round but is most common in the winter when the air is dry. To prevent and treat chapped lips, a good lip balm is key. Look for a balm that is formulated with vitamins A, C, or E and has AHAs.
Splitting
Cracks in the lips often occur after sleeping in dry air. To help prevent this, we recommend applying a moisturizing lip balm before going to bed. Also, using a humidifier while you sleep to help retain moisture in the air should help.
Lipstick Bleeding
This happens when the skin around the mouth loses collagen and elastic tissue due to aging skin or can be aggravated by smoking. Using a waxy lip liner to outline your lips will help to contain your lipstick within the line. If this doesn’t help, you can look into vegan collagen serums.
Cold sores
These are caused by viral infections and appear as blisters or open scabs. To avoid re-infection, use a cotton swab to apply lip products while the sore is visible.
Are all lip balms vegan?
Probably not surprising, but many lip balms are not vegan. Common ingredients in traditional balms include beeswax or lanolin.
Beeswax is obviously taken from beehives. While this may sound harmless in order to harvest the beeswax disrupts the hive and stresses them out.
It is best to let them be. Lanolin oil is a waxy substance that is derived from sheep. Both of these are used are moisturizers in balms but are obviously not cruelty-free. Luckily, there are amazing options that use all-natural and vegan balms aplenty.
Our favorite vegan lip balms
Hurraw
Are you guilty of applying that daily sunscreen but maybe forgetting your lips? You are not alone. This vegan lip balm from Hurraw also has SPF 15 in it to provide all-day hydration and protection. It glides on super smooth and gives your lips a sticky-free natural gloss appearance.
Booda Butter
Booda Butter’s vegan formula includes coconut, sweet almond, jojoba, and olive oil to help you achieve the smoothest lips ever. The gentle, yet powerful mixture of raw ingredients helps to provide lasting moisture for your dry, chapped lips.
Soapwalla
Not only does this lip balm provide ultra hydration, but it is also scented with lavender and mint. Imagine that lingering under your nose all day. The unique use of lavender essential oil helps to keep you calm while the mint leaves a nice tingle on the lips.
Herbivore
This lightweight conditioner is deeply moisturizing thanks to the organic Virgin Coconut Oil and the hydrating Rose Absolute helps to smooth and soften lips. This product is particularly wonderful when layered with a lip tint.
Crazy Rumors
No fuss, no frills—just moisture. This balm from Crazy Rumors is perfect. It is fragrance- and sweetener-free and made with pure shea butter. It also notes wonderful notes of lemon, lime, orange, and grapefruit.
Eco Lips
This brand is known for its organic, all-natural, and fair trade lip balms. Sweetened with a bit of stevia for a subtle flavor and hemp-infused this balm is all about moisture. It also comes in a plastic-free tube. Additionally, we are big fans of their lip scrub.
Pacifica
We love a two-in-one and this lip balm + tint from OG vegan brand Pacifica is perfect. It gives off a subtle pink shade while also providing layers of moisture for your chapped lips. It is packed with nourishing ingredients such as avocado and coconut oil.
Eos
This cult-favorite lip balm is packed with shea butter, coconut, avocado, and other natural oils, and is the vegan version of their classic balms. It comes in three amazing flavors, melon blossom, hibiscus peach, and vanilla. It provides lips with weightless hydration that lasts all day.
Aveda
Aveda is a pioneer in clean beauty and was one of the first big brands to go cruelty-free and vegan. They are also dedicated to helping the environment. Their product list is endless and it is no surprise they have an incredible vegan lip balm. The Soothing Lip Saver also has a refreshing cinnamon leaf, clove, and anise oils.
Pure + Simple
This brand is 100-percent vegan and makes some amazing body care products. Their lip balm has tons of 5-star reviews on Amazon.
It is crafted with rejuvenating elements, lip-plumping ingredients, and natural oils. Vitamin E helps nourish damaged lips along with healing essential oils. They also boast that their moisture will last for hours in-between applications.
Kopair
This ultra-hydrating lip balm is all moisture without the sticky residue. It helps you achieve the perfect amount of shine and comes to the rescue of chapped lips to lock in moisture. The formula is packed with antioxidants that nourish for a flawless shine. It comes in three shades Clear, Birthday Suit, and Watermelon for all the hydration with a little tint.
Tatcha
This balm from Tatch is enriched with camellia oil, antioxidants, and fatty acids that help to nourish and protect while also locking in moisture. The 23-Karat gold flakes leave a subtle gleam on your lips for day to night shimmer.
100% Pure
This lip treatment is formulated with hydrating coconut oil and soothing lysine. Lysine is an amino acid that helps to alleviate the burning, itching, and general irritation that comes with cold sores. This is the balm you should reach for when one of those pesky sores pops up.
Please note: A product appearing in our blog is not an official Kinder Beauty endorsement. While every product we feature in an article is cruelty-free and vegan, these products do not necessarily meet all of our strict brand standards for curation in one of our boxes.
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Jackie Lutze has been writing about cruelty-free beauty for years and loves finding the best vegan products to help readers build their ultimate beauty routine.
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