Published: March 5, 2017
Lips are the part of the face that many members of the opposite sex find especially attractive. What epithets did the poets give them! However, chapped, hard, flaky lips can hardly be called seductive.
At the same time, it is almost impossible to hide such a flaw: lipstick lies unevenly on cracked skin, only emphasizing their unevenness. This problem does not bother ladies who have discovered a lip scrub, which most of them make at home with their own hands.
Why do you need a lip scrub?
Women who care about their appearance do not need to explain why they should regularly peel their face: this procedure allows you to remove dead skin cells, intensify regeneration processes, and the skin after such procedures looks smooth and fresh.
However, while intensively caring for their face with peeling, many of them forget to pay attention to their lips. But their delicate skin also needs renewal and exfoliation of dead cells.
A homemade scrub allows you to carry out this procedure gently and not without pleasure. The result is smooth lip skin and a bright tone even without the use of gloss or lipstick. In addition, the lips may become plumper and their shape becomes clearer. They simply cannot help but attract admiring glances!
Main advantages and contraindications
Naturally, the care product can be purchased at a store or pharmacy, but then you need to have a good understanding of the composition and not buy an overly chemical product, and also pay attention to the particle size.
It is much more convenient and cheaper to prepare peeling at home.
Such a product will be natural, effective and very budget-friendly, since most of the ingredients are available in every kitchen.
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A homemade scrub has many benefits.:
- The product is natural - the homemade mixture does not contain preservatives, fragrances, or parabens.
- Budgeting.
- The ability to use a new product every time.
- Availability of ingredients.
- You can adjust the components, change or add them at your discretion.
There are almost no disadvantages to homemade scrubs. The only inconvenience is the short shelf life. Since there are no preservatives in the composition, this product can be kept in the refrigerator for no longer than five days.
However, there are contraindications for using any lip peels :
- You should not use a cosmetic product if it contains components that cause allergic reactions.
- In the presence of diseases such as herpes, streptoderma and other infectious lesions of the lips.
- If the skin is too chapped or is undergoing a recovery process after hyaluronic acid injections, then you should stop using an exfoliant.
- Cracks on the surface are a reason to refuse the procedure.
- Seizures in the corners of the mouth are an obstacle to peeling.
- If the epidermis is severely damaged, then acids (aspirin, citrus fruits, fermented milk products) should not be added to the mixture.
- It is advisable to prepare the scrub for one-time use and not use it after the expiration date.
Rules for using natural scrubs
The skin of the lips is thin and delicate. If you scrub them incorrectly, it may crack, and the problem, instead of disappearing, will become more acute. In order for the scrub to work well, but not cause harm, it should be used in compliance with simple rules:
- Prepare your lips for the procedure by steaming them first.
This is done with the help of compresses. Warm, even hot (but in no case scalding) water is poured into the bath. A clean napkin is dipped into it and brought to the lips. After applying the napkin, wait a few seconds until it begins to cool, repeat the procedure 2-3 more times. Then blot with a dry cloth.
This must be done without fail, since the scrub is applied exclusively to dry skin. Otherwise, the particles of sugar or other product used for scrubbing will dissolve, and the procedure will not give the expected effect.
- Using clean fingers, apply a small amount of the prepared scrub onto your lips, covering them completely.
Gently massage them in circular motions with your fingertips. If desired, you can even use a soft toothbrush, but do not press on it during the procedure. When massaging your lips, do not rub them, otherwise they will crack.
- Leave the scrub on for a couple of minutes.
Most often, it contains substances that nourish the skin, and they take time to act. In this case, the benefits of using the scrub will be double.
- Rinse off the scrub or brush away sugar crumbs from your lips if the scrub consists of it and an oil base.
- Blot your lips.
You just need to apply a napkin, and not wipe your lips with it, so as not to damage their thin skin.
- Apply nourishing balm.
Regular hygienic lipstick is not suitable for this purpose, since it only creates a protective layer on the lips, but does not nourish them.
When using a scrub, you should also be aware that such procedures are not suitable for everyone. You will have to refuse scrubbing if:
- you have cracks, jams, ulcers, herpes on your lips;
- you are allergic to one of the scrub components.
It is recommended to carry out the scrubbing procedure once every one to two weeks.
Scrub correctly: step-by-step instructions
It’s not enough to prepare a good scrub, you need to know how to use it correctly. For the sake of a decent result, you will have to try a little more and prepare a glass of hot water, a woven napkin (you can use a couple of cotton pads) and a clock with a minute hand. Naturally, lip makeup will have to be removed in advance.
Let's get started.
- Soak a cloth or cotton pads in hot but not scalding water and apply to lips and the area around them.
- Blot your lips with the dry end of a napkin and apply a small amount of scrub mixture to slightly damp skin, then gently massage the treated area with your fingertips. The massage time should be 1–2 minutes, after which the mass can be left on the skin for another couple of minutes.
- Rinse off the scrub particles with warm water.
- Blot your lips with a clean napkin.
- Lubricate your skin with nourishing cream or moisturizing balm.
Keep your lips tightly closed and move in soft circular movements: along the top, bottom, and around the lips
Side effects
If you have thoughtfully selected the composition of the scrub, made sure that you are not allergic to its components, and did not rub the resulting product into the skin “as hard as you can”, side effects simply cannot occur. The only thing is, don't hurt yourself by brushing too often - it will cause microscopic damage to the skin, which will gradually turn into a painful problem.
Scrub frequency
You can cleanse your lips with a scrub no more than twice a week. If you plan to go out, scrubbing is carried out 15–20 minutes before applying makeup so that the lipstick goes on more evenly. The main thing is to use a long-tested remedy that will not surprise you with unexpected allergies in the form of itching, burning or swelling.
Scrub recipes that you can make yourself at home
Homemade natural scrubs are most often prepared from available products. According to any of the folk recipes, you can make the product yourself, even if you have no experience in preparing homemade cosmetics.
Coffee
After brewing black coffee without sugar, strain it and measure out a teaspoon of coffee grounds. Add half a teaspoon of fat sour cream to it, stir. The scrub is ready for use.
Honey
This multi-component scrub can be stored in the refrigerator for a month, placed in a cream jar, so you can prepare a honey scrub from a fairly large number of components.
For a tablespoon of honey, take a pinch of sugar and half a teaspoon of soda, mix the ingredients thoroughly. Then I add half a teaspoon of olive oil, one drop of mint essential oil, and then mix everything again.
Sugar
Mix a tablespoon of sugar with a pinch of cinnamon, which improves blood circulation and makes lips plumper. Dilute all this with a small amount of grape seed oil, half a teaspoon should be enough. It is not necessary to wash off the product after use; you can just shake off any remaining sugar with a dry cloth.
With honey and added sugar
Mix one part olive oil, 2 parts sugar, 4 parts honey until smooth.
Raspberry with honey
Mash a couple of raspberries, add a teaspoon of coconut oil, two teaspoons of sugar and a teaspoon of honey. Mix everything and put it into a jar. This product will keep in the refrigerator for 3 weeks.
Chocolate
This product is multi-component, so it has a complex effect: exfoliates, moisturizes, restores, protects, improves the shape of the lips, and makes their shade brighter.
The chocolate scrub contains 5 g each of cocoa, mango and sweet almond oils, 2-3 ml of avocado oil, 2 teaspoons of cane sugar, a teaspoon of ground cinnamon, 3-4 drops of vitamin E in an oil solution. All these components just need to be mixed. You can safely store the product in the refrigerator for several months.
Vanilla
Mix 2 teaspoons of sugar with a teaspoon of soda. Add a quarter teaspoon of vanilla extract and a teaspoon of olive oil and stir. After using this product, your lips will exude a sweetish aroma for a long time, which is why they will become even more seductive.
With honey and rolled oats
Grind oatmeal in a coffee grinder to flour, mix with honey. Both components must be taken in equal quantities. The scrub is suitable for sensitive lips.
Honey + cottage cheese
Take half a teaspoon of large grain cottage cheese and mix it with the same amount of honey. Add half a teaspoon of rolled oats crushed in a coffee grinder to this mixture and stir. The scrub will not only gently exfoliate dead skin cells, but also soften the skin of the lips.
Peeling scrub with jojoba oil and aspirin
Crush a couple of acetylsalicylic acid tablets into powder, mix with a teaspoon of sugar, add a quarter teaspoon each of glycerin and jojoba oil, stir and apply.
Vaseline with soda
Take two parts each of soda and sugar, one part each of olive oil and Vaseline, mix everything. The scrub softens the lips well and creates a protective film on them. If you don’t want to wash it off after use, you can exclude honey from the composition. This will make the product hypoallergenic.
With jojoba oil and rose petals
Mash 2 tablespoons of rose petals (dried) into powder, mix with the same amount of powdered sugar, pour a teaspoon of jojoba oil into this mixture, add a drop of mint ether. The aroma of this scrub turns the procedure into a spa session.
Based on semolina
2 teaspoons of semolina are mixed with half a teaspoon of liquid honey.
Almond
Soak a couple of nuts in water overnight, dry them in the morning and grind them in a coffee grinder. Mix with half a teaspoon of glycerin. If desired, you can add a little honey or almond oil, but this is not necessary.
Grapefruit
Mix a teaspoon of honey with the same amount of olive oil. Pour in 2 teaspoons of grapefruit juice, add 3 teaspoons of sugar. Mix everything well. If you find the product too liquid, add a little more sugar.
Thanks to grapefruit juice, the product allows you to perform a deep, but at the same time very soft peeling that does not injure the delicate skin of the lips.
Strawberry
Mash one large ripe berry thoroughly or even rub through a sieve. Add half a teaspoon of vegetable oil to the berry puree; almond, peach, avocado, and jojoba oils work well.
Apply a thick layer to your lips and leave for 15 minutes: in less time the product will not have time to act, in longer it may dry out and when you remove it you can injure the skin. You won't find a gentler lip exfoliator.
Citric
Mix half a teaspoon each of lemon juice and castor oil, add a quarter teaspoon of glycerin. This scrub is applied to the lips for several hours, then washed off. If desired, you can leave it overnight. This product can be used even if your lips are chapped.
Fruit acids help exfoliate and rejuvenate the skin, sugar, soda, coffee grounds help remove dead skin particles, oils soften, moisturize and nourish the skin.
Knowing the properties of cosmetic oils and products, you can create your own recipes for lip scrubs.
This video contains recipes for 11 more different scrubs to care for delicate lip skin.
Possible harm
Lip scrub made from honey often causes an allergic reaction. Honey is a strong allergen. Therefore, before use, you need to apply a small drop of the product to the area of skin behind the ear.
Before using a honey lip scrub, you need to test it for an allergic reaction.
Then you need to observe the reaction for several hours. If there are no unpleasant sensations (burning, itching), redness, then you can use a lip product.
The scrub may scratch your delicate lips. Therefore, you need to choose components that will gently exfoliate the skin without harming it.
How to care for delicate skin
The effect obtained from using the scrub will not last long if your lips are not properly cared for afterwards. Proper care involves:
- using protective cosmetics when going outside, especially if the weather is windy or frosty;
- regular use of nourishing balms, which can be applied before bed, as well as in the morning under lipstick;
- using only high-quality decorative cosmetics, without overusing them.
It is also not recommended to moisturize your lips or lick them with your tongue, as this contributes to their chapping. It is even more necessary to get rid of the habit of biting your lips.
Care Tips
It is recommended to use a lip scrub no more than once every 1.5 weeks. Along with dead epithelial cells, the protective layer of healthy skin is removed. The most suitable option is to promptly monitor and control the condition of the delicate surface.
Even regular procedures will not give the desired result if you do not maintain the skin throughout the day.
- Daily use of nourishing balms at night is recommended. In the morning, the composition can be applied in a thin layer under lipstick.
- It is necessary to apply protective agents to the lip surface when you go outside. Especially in windy and cold seasons.
- Decorative cosmetics should only be from trusted brands. It is desirable that the composition include oils, vitamins A, B, E and beeswax.
Reviews of scrubs
For those who doubt the advisability of using a lip scrub, here are reviews from those who use these products.
Olesya, 19 years old:
My lips have always been rough, especially in winter. In cold weather, the problem became so acute that I could not use lipstick - it looked simply terrible on my lips. But one day I found a recipe for a sugar lip scrub on the Internet and tried to make it. I mixed the ingredients, applied it to my lip, massaged it, rinsed it off, and smeared my lips with regular Vaseline. In the morning I didn’t recognize myself in the mirror - how good she is! Now I use the scrub regularly and have forgotten about the problem that tormented me for many years. I recommend to everyone!
Irina, 35 years old:
I don’t like long cosmetic procedures, and I can’t afford to waste time preparing homemade cosmetics. Lip scrub is one of the few products I make myself. Mix honey and sugar - what could be easier? And the scrubbing procedure only takes a couple of minutes. The result is amazing. Of course, with regular use. And instead of lip balm I use regular vegetable oil. Simple, fast, cheap.
Natasha, 26 years old:
My lips are capricious, constantly chapped and flaky. Plus, I’m probably not the only one familiar with the habit of biting my lips. Lip scrub is my salvation. If you use it 2 times a week, as I do, your lips look quite tolerable. Even lipstick goes on smoothly, especially if you apply balm first.
So, anyone who has doubts can be advised to make a lip scrub at least once and test its effect on themselves. After all, you will have to spend no more than 5 minutes on this.
Lip scrub is an effective remedy for their health. It removes dead skin particles and makes lips smooth. Bright and attractive. You can make this product yourself; it won’t take much time. If used correctly, the effect will be positive.
Examples of Korean remedies
If you don’t have the opportunity, time or desire to prepare the scrub mixture yourself at home, you can purchase a finished product.
Several years ago, Korean skincare cosmetics established themselves as pleasant to use and very effective .
You can also find lip scrubs in the lines of various Korean brands. With their help you can achieve the effect of smoothing, renewal, smoothness and softness of the skin after the first use.
Top 3 Korean lip scrubs:
- VVVic Lip Scrub from Rire;
- Kissful Lip Care Lip Scrub from Etude House;
- Tony Moly Kiss Kiss Lip Scrub.
Exfoliating your lips is as important a part of your routine as cleansing your face. Both homemade and industrial cosmetics are equally effective, but with the help of a home procedure you can save money and choose the ingredients yourself.