
“The molecular structure of lanolin naturally most closely resembles your skin lipids than any other ingredient (natural or synthetic), making it the most compatible ingredient to use on your skin,” says Carriol. It was kind of thick and gooey, but it always did the trick, and now I know why. Occasionally, in the dead of night, when I was half awake and fumbling through a feeding, I’d swipe some across my lips too. “Essential oils that are particularly problematic are mint, cinnamon, and certain citrus oils, like grapefruit or lemon, which can cause trouble when exposed to UV light.”īack when I was brand new to the singular experience that is breastfeeding, I used a purified lanolin to soothe sore nipples. And if your lips are irritated or sensitive, she seconds the need to be careful with essential oils in your lip care products. Villafranco advises avoiding menthol and all synthetic fragrances, too. excess wax, which sucks up moisture and dries out lips.“The wrong balm can absolutely cause further dryness or irritation,” she says. Kirsten Carriol, the CEO and founder of LANO, agrees. “Lip skin is very thin, and once lips get irritated, it’s easy to keep them that way.” “A lip balm with the wrong ingredients can definitely keep unhappy lips in a state of distress,” Villafranco says. “Certain lip balms contain micro-abrasives or irritants that can cause your lips to feel drier, which creates a frustrating cycle,” says Sarah Villafranco, MD, and founder of Osmia. What about the idea that lip balm dries out your lips? As it happens, there’s some truth to it. And we often breathe more through our mouths when wearing a mask, which also dries out the lips.”

Brent Ridge, the co-founder of Beekman 1802. “Our current need to wear masks dries out the lips even more,” says Dr. Even some medications may contribute to dry lips.Īlso, the COVID-19 pandemic isn’t helping. Typically, climate and weather are largely to blame, along with excessively licking your lips.

Turns out, I was mostly right about the cause of my dry lips.
