7 steps for tackling dry lips to keep flakiness at bay this winter

Rough, cracked dry lips don’t have to come as part and parcel of colder weather. In fact, it's very much possible to make your way through the entire winter without so much as a single flake – as long as you know how to look after your lips.

Unfortunately for those who like a simple routine and an easy life, keeping dry lips at bay isn’t as straightforward as smoothing on your best lip balm and hoping for the best, as the skin on our lips needs a little extra TLC. “The lips are only three layers thick, which is a real contrast to the skin on our faces which is made up of around 15 layers,” says aesthetics doctor and lip expert Dr Tijion Esho. “They also don’t have any sebaceous glands, so can’t produce their own moisture, leaving them completely reliant on you to provide moisture via skincare.”

So what are the tell-tale signs of dry and dehydrated lips? “Chapped and cracked lips are, of course, the most common signs of dehydration,” says skincare brand founder and pro facialist Sarah Chapman. “However, a weakened moisture barrier can also lead to swelling, burning and more pronounced signs of ageing, such as vertical lines and wrinkles appearing more obvious.” If you’re experiencing any of these, you’ll want to read on for our expert-approved guide to how to tackle and prevent dry lips all winter long… 

Dr Tijion Esho

After initially working as a trainee plastic surgeon within the NHS, Dr Esho moved into aesthetics and non-surgical procedures. He’s known by the nickname ‘The Lip Doctor’ and founded his own lipcare line ESHO in 2021. 

Sarah Chapman

Sarah Chapman is a pro facialist with more than 20 years of industry experience treating some of the biggest names around. She has translated that knowledge into a hardworking skincare brand, with products designed to enhance and maintain the effects of in-clinic facials and treatments. 

7 expert-approved steps to tackle dry lips 

1. Wear lip balm during the day and overnight

Let’s start with the most obvious way to tackle dry lips – applying lip balm. Why is it so important, especially in the winter? “Cold weather can exacerbate dehydration due to the lack of moisture in the air, strong winds and central heating,” says Chapman.

Unlike products like your best hyaluronic acid serum and best face moisturiser, the tricky thing about lip balm is that it gets rubbed off quite quickly when we’re drinking, eating and talking, so you need to remember to reapply regularly during the day. Smoothing lip balm on before bed gives it more of an opportunity to work without interruption.

Think about what’s in the formula too, and whether it’s been made with the aim of caring for your lips or to do things like plump, add tint or maximise shine. “Avoid flavoured, fragranced or stimulating formulations containing acids or retinoids around the mouth area and opt instead for products containing ceramides and nourishing balms to replenish and retain essential moisture,” says beauty expert and founder of Ultrasun UK and SkinSense, Abi Cleeve. 

Abi Cleeve

Having brought Swiss sunscare brand Ultrasun to the UK, Abi knows first hand what makes a good skincare product and how best to care for the skin on our faces, lips and bodies. She’s a regular on QVC and has also launched her own line, SkinSense by Abi Cleeve. 

2. Layer your lip balms

“Through a lot of research I found that the key to limiting dryness is by combining two types of lip products every day,” explains Dr Esho. “Firstly, a lip serum to deliver hydration deep into the lip, then a lip balm as an occlusive layer which will sit on the surface and protect the lip while helping it to heal and promoting barrier repair.

"SPF is also a crucial and often neglected element of lip care. We forget that our lip surface is susceptible to damage from UVA and UVB rays as well as environmental free radicals.” 

3. Try not to lick them

There’s an instant relief when you lick dry, chapped lips, but it’s only going to make things worse in the long run. “Frustratingly, licking dry lips will exacerbate the problem as saliva can strip the lips of moisture and cause more dryness,” explains Cleeve. It’s because our saliva isn’t made up of just water and also contains enzymes that kick-start the digestion process in our mouths by breaking down food.

Applying a lip balm is the smarter solution. If you can, keep your balms in multiple places so you’ve always got one on hand – such as in your handbag, on your desk, next to the sofa and by your bed. 

4. Check your diet

A diet that’s lacking in good stuff can have a knock-on effect on all parts of our body, including your lips. “Increasing your omega intake will help to keep the lips supple and healthy, as omega oils improve your skin cells ability to hold onto moisture,” explains Chapman.

“You can boost them by adding more oily fish into your diet or by taking an omega supplement.” If you’re veggie, chia seeds and walnuts are good meat-free sources of omegas. 

5. Stay hydrated

It really important to make sure you’re drinking plenty of water, as bodily dehydration can show on the outside too. “Staying hydrated is key for keeping lips supple and comfortable,” says Chapman. “Try to drink a healthy amount of water – I recommend two litres a day.”

Guzzling that much water can feel like a challenge, especially during the winter, but remember that all liquids will count towards your intake, as will water-rich foods like melon and cucumber. 

6. Gently exfoliate

If you’re keen to banish flakes from dry lips quickly, exfoliation is the best way to speed up the process. One option is physical exfoliation, where you use either a flannel or a scrub to loosen the bonds that hold old skin cells to the surface of our lips. It’s important to be gentle though, as running too hard can cause already sore lips to crack and bleed.

“If you have very chapped lips give them a gentle rub with a soft toothbrush or flannel. This will get rid of any dry patches and boost circulation,” advises Chapman. The other option is chemical exfoliation, where you use products containing alpha or poly-hydroxy acids (like the ones found in the best facial exfoliators for your face) to dissolve those same bonds. As well as improving softness and leaving lips smooth, “exfoliating will also enable any balms or treatments you apply next to penetrate more effectively,” adds Chapman. 

7. Be gentle when washing

Our lips end up getting washed by proxy when we cleanse our skin, so make sure you’re not using anything that could potentially irritate them. For example, the best cleansers for acne contain ingredients like salicylic acid and tea tree that are great for reducing congestion, but can dry out your skin in the process. They’re also more likely to contain a type of foaming agent called sulphates which are notoriously stripping, so look to cleansers formulated for dry skin instead.

“I recommend using a creamy cleanser that’s free from sodium lauryl sulfate (also known as SLS) and removing this with warm water,” says Cleeve. “Hot water also strips the skin of natural oils which can cause further dehydration.” Taps turned to tepid and a gentle cleanser are the way to go.