There’s so much we do with our lips every day, but how many of us actually spend time and efforts in taking care of our lips. While you are spending hundreds of dollars on skin and hair products on a regular basis, you should pay some attention to your lips as well.

Exfoliate Often

To start with, you need to get rid of the upper layer of dead cells on the lips. Most of us have the habit of pulling at the white flaky parts on the lips. This can make your lips to start bleeding and can also leave behind ugly spots on your puckers. Exfoliate using a gentle scrub or the best way is to use your toothbrush while brushing your teeth.

Apply a thick layer of lip balm or Vaseline and let it stay on for about 15 minutes, then take a soft bristled toothbrush or a cotton tissue and exfoliate making gentle circular motions on the lips. This will get rid of the flakiness and dead tissue to expose healthier layers underneath.

Water it up!

Notice how your lips tend to start drying as you skip your daily dose of H2O? When your body is well-hydrated, your skin and your lips too would remain hydrated and moisturized. The moment you start reducing your intake of water, your skin would start breaking out and your lips would chap. Drink at least 8 glasses of water every day and also try to squeeze in a glass or two of healthful drinks like juices, smoothies and green tea.

Pick the right brand of cosmetic

Nothing ages you faster than cheap cosmetic. If you are as big a makeup lover as I am and buying cosmetic products make you giddy with happiness, then save up to buy the best brands. Never go for a cheap alternative and no by a cheap alternative I do not mean that all drugstore cosmetics are bad.

Choose reputed brands, read the label and if the product mentions words like Vitamin E, cocoa butter, hydration and moisturizer, go for it. I can’t specify this enough, but cheap makeup can cause horrible skin reaction and end up doing more harm than good.

Also, do not use any makeup product for more than 2 years; at best you can stretch it for another six months.

If you want kissable puckers, then try avoiding:

Smoking- Smoking isn’t just bad for your lungs; it can leave behind an ugly stain on your teeth and lips.

Wearing lipstick for more than 4 hours- There are a number of brands that offer 9 to 5 lipsticks that you can wear round the clock, but do your lips a favor and let it breathe. If you want to wear lipsticks for prolonged period, then wipe away stale lipstick and moisturize it thoroughly before reapplying.

Choosing the wrong lip balm- There is a difference between moisturizing and lubricating. It is recommended that before going to bed you should apply a good amount of lip balm to hydrate and repair, but if you feel that your choice of lip balm rather sits on your lips it’s time to get a different one.