Given that lips are almost always exposed and naturally vulnerable, they need looking after. Lips are probably the most overlooked area of the body. We are far more likely to apply eye cream every night than to reach for a lip product.

What do you need to do to keep your lips looking and feeling healthy?

ChapStick recommends that you adopt the following good habits:

	Don’t lick your lips – this strips them of moisture and natural oils and may result in more dryness, redness and even scaling of the skin around your mouth
	Don’t bite or chew your lips – the thin layers of skin can easily be broken and become sore
	Keep your body and lips hydrated – drink plenty of water
	Avoid cigarette smoke – it not only damages your health but also evaporates natural oils from your lips. This speeds up the formation of vertical lines around your mouth

And that you follow these important routines:

	Apply lip balm several times a day, as the protective film it provides wears off over time
	Apply lip balm before you go to sleep, so that it protects your lips through the night and helps to keep natural moisture in
	Use a lip balm throughout the whole year to ensure your lips are constantly protected and cared for no matter what nature throws at them
	If you suffer from dry lips, do not replace lip balm with a lipstick. The colour pigments in lipsticks normally cling to dry areas of the lips and make them feel worse. Some special moisturising lipsticks may contain a higher percentage of emollients, but they only have a limited soothing effect compared to lip balms. It is better to wear lip balm under lipstick instead.