Lip Care Routine

What’s more annoying than chapped lips? Not being able to locate a single one of your 50 lip balms or finding one stick uncapped, smushed, and totally covered in lint and crumbs at the bottom of a giant tote bag? Asking for a friend.  

We’ve covered how to protect sensitive skin areas like your face, neck, chest, and ears, but it’s easy to forget your lips, which do so much heavy lifting each day. The skin of your lips is more sensitive and prone to drying, irritation, flaking, chapping, and even cracking. These issues often crop up thanks to dehydration, sun damage, harsh weather, and even some daily habits (we feel you, constant lip-lickers!).

A good daily lip care routine will help restore and nourish skin, establish good habits, and banish dry, chapped lips. No one wants to think about how much lip balm, gloss, or lipstick we accidentally consume in a year, either—especially if you’re pregnant or nursing—which is why we created our Mama Sol LIPBRELLA 100% Mineral Tinted Lip Oil SPF 20. It gives you all the hydrating, non-sticky goodness of a lip balm or sheer gloss with the lasting, broad-spectrum UVA/UVB protection of a safe mineral sunscreen. 

MOUTH OFF: YOUR LIP CARE ROUTINE

DAILY

Gentle Cleansing

Start your day by gently cleansing your lips.  Make sure to use a soft, damp cloth—we recommend a microfiber towel—to lightly exfoliate your lips and remove flaking skin or makeup residue. Gently rub in a circular motion across the top and bottom lips, and immediately stop if you feel any irritation. 

Avoid using harsh cleansers and soaps, which can often strip lips of their natural moisture. Make sure to avoid the lip area when you cleanse, exfoliate, and tone the rest of your face. Priming your lips with a clean, smooth base is a key first step in your daily lip care routine. 

Exfoliation

Exfoliating lips helps remove dead skin cells, making them smooth and ready to absorb moisture. Use a gentle lip scrub (no polluting plastic microbeads, please) or a DIY mix of sugar and honey. Apply the scrub in circular motions and rinse off with warm water. Do this once or twice a week to avoid irritating and over-exfoliating your lips. 

Some people like to use a soft-bristle toothbrush as a DIY exfoliating lip brush. Wet the bristles and brush in a gentle, circular motion over your top and bottom lips. Use light pressure and don’t overdo it—if you feel any irritation at all, stop and use a softer brush or switch to a microfiber towel. 

Hydration

It’s now totally normal to lug around giant Stanley tumblers or gallon-size water bottles with timed affirmations to stay hydrated. The same goes for your lips. Apply a hydrating lip balm or natural oil, such as coconut or almond oil, after cleansing and exfoliating. 

Look for products with nourishing ingredients like shea butter, beeswax, or hyaluronic acid to lock in moisture. Reapply lip balm throughout the day as needed, especially after eating or drinking. As one of our friends likes to say, “Lip balm and carry on.”

WEEKLY

Lip Masks + Overnight Lip Treatments

Add lip masks to your weekly skincare routine for an extra boost of hydration and nourishment. Lip masks are specially formulated to penetrate deeply and provide intense moisture. We especially like lip sleeping masks designed for overnight wear along with overnight face masks. These overnight lip treatments have added ingredients and benefits to help lips heal and repair themselves while you sleep. Look for ceramides, lanolin, hyaluronic acid, and peptides to boost the efficacy lip masks. 

Apply a thick layer of a hydrating lip mask before bed and leave it on overnight. Pro tip: Don’t dip your finger into the lip mask or treatment tub. Always use the included little spatula to scoop out the product before applying. After, clean it each time to prevent bacterial growth. You'll wake up with plumper-feeling, replenished lips. 

ONGOING LIP PROTECTION & MAINTENANCE

Sun Protection

Protecting your lips from the sun is just as essential as face and body sunscreen. Dermatologists recommend using a lip balm with SPF 15 or higher to shield lips from harmful UVA and UVB rays, plus infrared radiation and environmental stressors. 

We prefer a mineral-based lip SPF formula, since that’s the safest for nursing and pregnant moms, along with everyone else. Since you’re inevitably going to ingest some of your lip balm throughout the day, organic, safe, and non-GMO ingredients are your best bet. Look for non-nano zinc oxide and titanium dioxide as the main active ingredients. 

We recognize that SPF 30 or higher is recommended for face and body sunscreen, but SPF 15 or higher for lips is effective since you’re reapplying much more frequently due to eating, drinking, and more. Repeated sun exposure can cause dryness, sunburn, and increase the risk of skin cancer. Apply your SPF lip balm regularly, especially when you’re headed outside. 

Lip Balm & Carry On

Applying lip balm regularly is crucial to maintaining softer, nourished. Keep a lip balm in your bag, at your desk, in your jacket or car, and by your bedside table to ensure you can reapply all day. 

Steer clear of products that contain artificial dyes, harsh chemicals, alcohol, or menthol, as they can dry out lips and cause irritation. Instead, choose lip sunscreen and lip care products with naturally derived, soothing ingredients like marula oil, beeswax, and shea butter. If you experience any irritation or skin reactions, stop using the product immediately and consult a dermatologist. 

Hydration & Balanced Diet

Staying hydrated is vital for overall health, including the health of your lips. Drink plenty of water throughout the day to keep your body and lips hydrated—we love a motivational water bottle and healthy electrolyte-replenishing drinks. A balanced diet rich in vitamins and minerals, particularly vitamins A, C, and E, supports healthy skin and lips. Make sure to get those daily fruits, vegetables, nuts, and grains to nourish your lips from within.

Don’t Lick Your Lips

While it may be tempting to lick your lips when they feel dry, this habit can actually worsen dryness. Saliva evaporates quickly, leaving your lips even drier than before. Instead, drink more water and apply a hydrating lip balm to break the habit of lip-licking. 

Regular Lip Care Check-ins

Make it a habit to examine your lip care routine regularly. Assess whether your lips are feeling dry, chapped, or irritated, and adjust your routine accordingly. Consistency is key to maintaining healthy lips, so stick to your lip care ritual and make changes as needed. If you need a professional opinion on a sunspot or recurring lip issue like constant, painful flaking that won’t go away, definitely call a dermatologist. 

Mama Sol’s Got Your Lips Covered

We created our Mama Sol LIPBRELLA 100% Mineral Tinted Lip Oil SPF 20 since we couldn’t find anything else like it out there. Most lip suncare products contain chemical active ingredients like avobenzone, but we wanted a mineral-based formula that’s safe for everyone, especially pregnant and nursing moms.

Imagine the love child of lip balm and gloss—our ultra-hydrating, 100% mineral tinted lip oil treatment with SPF 20 protects and softens with a hint of non-sticky shine and color. Choose from two shades: Rise is a warm polished nude with peach undertones, while Shine is a soft, glowy pink with a hint of pink.  

LIPBRELLA’s nourishing, vegan formula is packaged in a sleek glass vial and helps to smooth and plump for fuller-looking lips that are ready for anything. It glides on for broad-spectrum, reef-friendly sun protection thanks to non-nano zinc oxide with no white cast. Apply it solo or over your favorite lip color; our antioxidant-packed, proprietary LipSOL COMPLEX™ of organic sunflower seed oil, organic sesame seed extract, and vitamins C and E helps nourish, plump, and soothe dry/chapped skin.

LIPBRELLA™ quickly delivers softer-feeling, fuller-looking, and more hydrated lips. Borage and castor seed oils deliver deep moisture while evening primrose oil helps soften and smooth the look of dry lips. Your lip care routine just got that much easier.