Lip Scrubs – the 2 ingredients and the 3 reasons to use it

A.N – I was having an extremely low energy day when I wrote this, so if it seems a bit funky I apologize. I don’t want to wait for only good days to write, because then I won’t get much done at all. But here it is, all the ins and outs of lip scrubs that my tired brain could find. (And I read an article on the science of moisturizers for this, which ended up being not applicable. Please be appreciative. My brain nearly didn’t survive)

Like everyone, I get dry lips sometimes. And it’s a rather annoying, because I have the habit of chewing off the little dry flakey bits. Naturally that makes it worse, and its just a cycle that I can do without. My usual go-to when my lips start rivaling the Sahara is to drink a loooooooot of water (more water seems to be my first response to many of my body’s issues) and plastering on a lip balm.

(The lip balm never seems to work, generally it doesn’t seem to sink in deep enough to make a difference to anything. Eventually I will find a recipe to make my own, but one problem at a time. I am currently exfoliating my partners lips for him every time I kiss him, my lips are that rough. For his sake, something needs to happen)

3 reasons to use a lip scrub:

1. It removes dead skin that could have built up
2. It allows moisture to absorb into the lip skin more
3. It makes them softer (and easier to apply lipstick)

4 things that can cause dry lips:

1. Dehydration. Yes, sometimes you do really need more water
2. Low in minerals/vitamins, including Vit B. Something I know that I’m low in, so that’s interesting
3. Cold weather/hot weather. Basically you can’t win. That’s just life for you sometimes
4. Excessive lip licking. Which is a bit of a vicious cycle, because they feel dry so you lick them to get them wet, which dries them out more so you lick them more…

Now, I have a slight confession to make. I tried making a lip scrub recipe a couple of months ago. It didn’t go how I planned, and it only has two things in it! How could I mess that up?!

Well, this is me we are talking about. It was remarkably easy.

I had in my cupboard a small, rolled up brown paper bag that a friend had given me, with ‘coconut sugar’ written on it. It sounded very healthy, and how cool it is to make a lip scrub from coconut oil and sugar? I felt very cool.

Right up until the moment I had mixed them together and smeared it on my lips. It was not in fact coconut sugar. On the other side of the bag it says, ‘BBQ toasted corn flavoring’. *face palm*

So that was a bit of a failure. Not only the not-sugar, but the quantities. There was way too much oil to sugar, and it was a slopping goop. My recommendation would start with just a teaspoon of each and add more oil if you need to.

2 ingredient lip scrub:

1. Raw sugar (any sugar really. I just feel better about myself using raw sugar)
2. Coconut oil (any oil/butter really, it’s just that coconut oil is very moisturizing)

Mix the two together, and that it! Gently rub on your lips, leave for a couple of minutes to take full advantage of the coconut oil before washing off. Adding a moisturizing lip balm now would really soothe the freshly exposed, soft skin.

2 extra tips you should know:

1. Don’t use it every day. Start with once or twice a week, because if you exfoliate too much or too roughly you could start tearing the soft new skin and we don’t want that. Moderation, as with everything, is key
2. This scrub will not last forever as it has no preservative in it, but if you store in an airtight container and keep it in the fridge or a cool dark place and take care not to let water or moisture in the jar it could last a few months. Your best bet would be to make small amounts that you will use up relatively quickly

And that’s lip scrubs! I did not realize that how involved this subject was, or maybe it’s my tired brain going down rabbit trails and turning something simple into something that can be done incorrectly. If that’s the case, terribly sorry! But if you are one of those people who like having more info about what you’re doing and why, here is 777 words on lip scrubs. You’re welcome.