Salve for Your Smile: Give Chapped Lips the Kiss-Off By Buying the Right Balm

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STAY DRY! That's what everyone yelled to their friends before the snowpocalypse hit. But it wasn't such a nice thing to say — after all, winter saps the air of moisture, which does a number on your skin.

And no part has it as rough as your kisser, which is always getting exposed to the elements, says Lily Talakoub, a doctor at the Center for Dermatology and Dermatologic Surgery (2311 M St. NW; 202-955-5757; Ctr4dermatology.com).

"The lip is the thinnest skin on your body and it's actually one of the only areas that has very few oil glands," she explains. "Oil glands produce sebum, and sebum not only moisturizes the lips and prevents water loss, but also contains a high concentration of vitamin E."

Translation: You need lip balm to survive the season. But what kind to buy?

For starters, think about the downside of solar power. "Chronic sun exposure can damage the cells on the lips, and that can cause continued flaking and drying," Talakoub adds.

The lips are not immune to freckling, wrinkles or skin cancer, either, she says. So, using a balm with a broad-spectrum SPF of at least 30 and minimal shimmer will help. "The glossier it is, the gloss can actually attract the sun's rays and increase the chance of getting sun damage on the lips," she says.

To continue to get in top shape for that New Year's Eve smooch, look for a balm with ingredients such as petrolatum, dimethicone or silicone that add moisture and prevent water loss, Talakoub says, but avoid formulations with lots of dyes and flavorings, which can be irritating.

All-natural lip balms aren't necessarily better. "Poison ivy is natural, but you don't rub that all over your skin," says Tina Alster, director of the Washington Institute of Dermatologic Laser Surgery (1430 K St. NW; 202-628-8855; Skinlaser.com). "If you're allergic, you really don't want to go with the natural shmatural stuff. The plainer the better."

To gauge your sensitivity, consider this: "If your lips are burning after you put on one of these balms, that's not a good sign," she says.
Worried about ingesting the chemicals? Don't be, the doctors say. "They can't dispense these with stuff that will poison you," Alster says. "Your body doesn't know the difference between a man-made product with the same chemical ingredient in a natural product. Your body's going to break that down in exactly the same way."

Still, if organic's your shtick, get your stick from local manufacturer Skincando (Skincando.com). Founder Sara Damelio's Combat Ready Lip Balm ($10) is made with cold-pressed apricot kernel oil, extra virgin coconut oil, purified beeswax from wild bees, fish oil, pharmaceutical-grade peppermint essential oils and grapefruit seed extract. "If you eat it, it's actually good for you," Damelio says. "The ingredients are healthy, and a lot of them are food-grade ingredients."

(But try not to lick your lips. Rather than adding moisture, it strips oils and makes lips drier.)

Once you conquer the dryness, keep it at bay by reapplying lip balm often. Using your mouth all day to talk and eat causes balm to wear off quickly, says Alster, who also sells lip balms including Combat Ready at her store, Apres Peau (1430 K St. NW; 202-783-0022; Aprespeau.com).

As for developing an addiction, that's just lip service. "There's nothing in lip balm that can cause addiction," Talakoub says. "What it is is that people like the feeling of soft, smooth, moisturized lips."

And unless you can't live without a designer balm, there's no reason to put your money where your mouth is, the doctors say. "The bottom line is pick one that works for you," Alster says.

Written by Express contributor Stephanie Kanowitz