You may have miraculously found that perfect shade of lipstick for your complexion. But no matter how top notch the shade or the brand is, it won’t hide cracked and flaky lips.
According to dermatologists, the skin on one’s lips is not only more vulnerable to environmental pollutants and weather changes but also dries out a lot quicker. The reason? The surface skin on the lips is much thinner and delicate with just five cellular layers as compared to the 16 layers that make up the skin on your arms and legs. Plus, the skin on your lips also lacks sweat glands.
This is where these 5 easy do-it-yourself all-natural lip scrub recipes can come in handy. By combining exfoliation with a boost of moisture, these recipes will restore your lips’ natural suppleness while sloughing off dry, flaky dead cells to reveal a healthy, baby-soft pout!
1. Mint And Almond Oil Lip Scrub
This delightful minty, nutty lip scrub is a sure shot treat for your chapped lips. The brown sugar will gently peel the layers of dead cells away while the sweet almond oil will infuse your lips with moisture.
Ingredients:
- Honey: 1 teaspoon
- Sweet almond oil: 1 teaspoon
- Brown sugar: ½ teaspoon
- Peppermint essential oil: 1 drop
Method:
- Put the brown sugar in a medium-sized bowl and add the sweet almond oil. Mix until these two ingredients are well combined.
- Now add the honey and give the contents in the bowl another good mix.
- Next, stir in the peppermint oil.
- Spoon out the contents into a small, airtight container and store in a cool, dry place.
2. Orange Blossom Lip Scrub
Leaving aside the incredibly powerful healing effects of this lip scrub, we love how you can whisk up a batch by throwing in ingredients that probably already exist in your pantry!
Ingredients:
- Castor sugar: 1 ½ tablespoon
- Coconut oil: 1 teaspoon
- Honey: 1 teaspoon
- Orange essential oil: 2 drops
Method:
- Put the honey in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave for about 10 seconds till the honey becomes runny.
- Take the bowl out and add in the sugar and the essential oil to the honey.
- Mix well until well combined.
- Spoon this mixture into an airtight container and store in a cool, dry place.
3. Coconut Oil And Honey Scrub
This one’s great for one of those emergency situations – when you’re getting ready for that hot date and suddenly look into the mirror to notice your chapped lips. Run to your kitchen and make whip up this lip scrub; it takes less than five minutes and is a real life-saver!
Ingredients:
- Coconut oil: 1 tablespoon
- Honey: 1 tablespoon
- Sugar: 2 tablespoons
- Lukewarm water: ½ tablespoon
Method:
- Mix the coconut oil and the honey together in a small bowl.
- Now add the sugar and give the contents another good mix.
- Next, add the water. Give it a final mix.
- Spoon this mixture into an airtight container and store in a cool, dry place.
4. Lemon-Sugar Lip Scrub
This lip scrub is perfect for those of us with dark, scarred lips. Leaving aside the moisturizing properties of coconut oil, the healing benefits of honey, and the collagen-boosting properties of sugar – the skin brightening benefits of lemon juice is what makes this lip scrub so special.
Ingredients:
- Coconut oil: 1 teaspoon
- Honey: 1 teaspoon
- Granulated sugar: 2 tablespoons
- Lemon juice: ¼ teaspoon
Method:
- Take a medium-sized mixing bowl and add in all your ingredients.
- Mix well until combined thoroughly.
- Spoon the mixture into an airtight container and store in a cool, dry place.
5. Brown Sugar And Vanilla Lip Scrub
If you’re a vanilla-junkie, you needn’t look beyond this recipe. With an ingredient list that comes quite close to that of a cupcake’s, this lip scrub tastes just about as delicious as it sounds!
Ingredients:
- Brown sugar: 2 teaspoons
- Honey or agave nectar: ½ teaspoon
- Olive oil: 1 teaspoon
- Vanilla extract: ¼ teaspoon
Method:
- Add your honey or agave nectar to a mixing bowl.
- Add the olive oil. Mix this well.
- Now lightly incorporate the brown sugar.
- Finally, add the vanilla extract and give the contents a final mix till they’re well combined.
- Spoon the mixture into a small airtight container and store in a cool, dry place.
How To Use Your Lip Scrub
- Take a dime-sized amount of your lip scrub onto your palm.
- Using your fingers, rub small amounts of your scrub onto your lips using gentle circular motions for about 15 seconds.
- Rinse your lips with lukewarm water and pat them dry with a washcloth.
- Apply your lip balm as usual.
Note: Too much of anything is not good, and this is something you definitely need to keep in mind when it comes to exfoliation. Over-exfoliation may do more harm to your chapped lips, so limit this process to not more than twice a week.
Also, when using lip scrubs that contain citrus acids (for example, the lemon-sugar lip scrub) avoid exposing yourself to the sun for at least four hours after exfoliation, or the natural acids in the scrub will darken your lips even further. For this reason, it is recommended to use natural acid-based lip scrubs before bedtime.