The Best Lip Treatments to Heal Dry Lips and Lip Picking

I’m so relieved the addition of Biologique Recherche into my skincare routine in the past 12 months alleviated my dry face this winter, but dry chapped lips and dry eyes still flare up from time to time.

My husband uses lip balm once a week. And that drives me crazy. Sometimes we’ll be talking and I’ll notice his lips are dry and flaky and it’s as if he doesn’t notice, or it doesn’t bother him. Meanwhile: I can’t focus if my lips don’t feel smooth. I use lip balm or some product all day long and I can’t stand any flakes, uneven texture, or the start of loose skin on my lips.

I try to exfoliate them weekly or every few days without overdoing it. But in the worst case, I will pick at my lips if they start to peel if I’m not being mindful. I hate it. It’s embarrassing and a horrible habit. Not entirely sure it’s a body-focused repetitive behavior (BFRB) but at the very least one of my doctors said it’s a self-soothing habit. I don’t bite my nails or care at all about my cuticles so I guess we all have vices. I think I remember it starting in college? And I haven’t been able to understand why sometimes it’s worse than others or why my lips get dry or peel more times vs others. I’m wondering if it may be some sort of vitamin or mineral deficiency? It’s not just when I’m stressed or being extremely stressed doesn’t trigger it.

But at least I feel I’ve finally found some solutions for maintaining a soft and smooth lip texture, and I have an amazonite thumb stone to keep my fingers occupied 🙂

I’ve detailed some of my favorite natural-ish lip balms before but in this post I’m focusing on other solutions and new lip “balms” I’ve found.

Lip Exfolation

I most prefer to use a physical exfoliator with a super fine texture like Mukti Organics facial exfoliator. Sometimes I’ve also tried an instant peel that removes dead skin. But once or twice a week I massage my lips with a warm washcloth for a minute or two. pinch a washcloth with hot water does the trick.

I also like StackedSkincare lip peel from Sephora, powered by lactic and phytic acids. The trick is using this just at the right time. This makes your lip peel, in a good way. It’s a very thin, gel-like texture. And once you apply it in about 24 hours you may find your lips starting to peel and can easily be sloughed off with a warm washcloth. This is a great maintenance product. But it will sting if your lips have recently peeled or if you have picked at them. When I use it right and my lips are very smooth and ready for a perfect lipstick application.

Lip Moisturizer and Serums

After I exfoliate (which isn’t every day) I immediately hydrate and moisturize with something more creamy rather than oily. One of my favorite new finds this year is Evolve Organic Beauty 360 Eye and Lip Contour. This tiny concentrated cream solution instantly soothes my lips and starts healing. This is absolutely one of my favorite skincare finds of 2020! I might buy another one to keep at my desk. It’s great for a hydrating concentrated eye cream too!

Why I think my lips love the texture created from the Evolve Eye and Lip Contour: argan kernel oil, hyaluronic acid (sodium hyaluronate), pomegranate, and the emollient coco-caprylate.

If I don’t have the lip contour handy, I find a nice face cream will do. Lately I’ve been using some of my Beauty Heroes discoveries like Ayuna Terra Bella (if it costs as much as it does I’m going to make the most of it!) or FitGlow creme.

Sometimes I’ll follow up with another Beauty Heroes discovery – the FitGlow Night Lip Serum. I’ve used their color lip serum before and have really liked it. That’s a great lip serum with a hint of mint and beautiful colors. But the colors are not long-lasting. This serum can sometimes feel a little oil, but ultimately my lips like the sunflower oil and plant ceramides in this special lip treatment.

I’ve also liked WildKat Beauty Hyaluronic Acid Vitamin A and E Lip Gel. I bought the forbidden fruit flavor and it’s a great buy at Credo Beauty for just $16. This lip serum also has a little CBD. None of these lip serums are “perfect” but they are nourishing.

Moisturizing Lip Oils

This is really the key to locking in your previous lip care routine and getting your lips to feel the right, smooth texture so you can resist picking and peeling.

I picked up Tower22 Lip Jelly for just $16 at Credo in the late summer in a berry color called “Fearless”. This is a unique combo of gel-gloss-oil that gives a beautiful sheer purple color (color doesn’t last so much). And the texture is slippering in a good way until it absorbs over 30 minutes or so. Because of its jelly texture those it can be more drying than I would like.

My FAVORITE lip oil and final lip treatment are the Wander Beauty Lip Retreat Oils available at Sephora. These colors are also gorgeous and the finish is a perfect creamy gloss. The texture is amazing. The only bad thing is I’m going through these tubes so quickly and wearing out the doe-foot 🙂 . I adore the nude lip color “Skinny Dip” and the berry color “Excursion” is lovely. This colorful lip oil has apricot kernel oil, hyaluronic acid, rosa canina (rosehip oil), and avocado oil.

I’ve also tried the Carter + Jane PickFix oil. I like it sometimes but I don’t love it. Its a very oily oil including pomegranate seed oil and prickly pear seed oil.

Best Moisturizing Lip Glosses for Dry Lips

And finally, I like to finish off with a pigmented moisturizing lip gloss or lipstick after applying my Wander Beauty Lip Retreat Oils. The lip glosses I reach for most are HAN lip glosses. This is a fantastic lower-cost greenish beauty brand with non-irritating ingredients for my sensitive skin. I own Nude Rose, Raspberry Chardonnay, and a shimmery peach Jovial. Both Nude Rose and Raspberry Chardonnay are creamy, opaque glosses. The argan oil and coconut creme help give it a perfectly sticky texture.

My most favorite recent find for the perfect smooth lip texture is the Chantecaille Lip Chic! The plummy ‘Foxglove’ glossy lip gloss stick? color is perfect and great for day or night. You know, because I really want my toddler to look chic when we’re watching a Monster Meditation before we say goodnight haha 🙂 I’m still reviewing the ingredient list to understand why I like this vegan, cruelty-free, and mineral oil-free glossy lip balm.