If you take a look in my makeup drawer, backpack or any other random place in my room, you’ll probably find about five different kinds of chapstick or lip balm. I’m probably putting some on at some point in the day, whether it be during class, before I go to bed, or whenever I feel like my lips are dry. So what is it with girls (and maybe you boys, too) and their so-called “addiction” to lip balm?
I figured there had to be some reasoning behind why we feel the need to constantly have our lips drenched in the balm, and it turns out our lips are playing mind games with us!
According to The Beauty Brains cosmetic chemist and blogger Perry Romanowski, applying lip balm is not necessarily an addiction as it is a habit, because the skin on your lips is producing new skin cells from bottom layers and when it reaches the top, they can become dry. When the lip balm is applied to help that dry skin heal, it confuses the bottom layer of cells that helps to make new cells. Thus the cycle is repeated, because you will need to apply more lip balm to your lips!
It’s crazy to think that something that is helping your chapped lips might actually not be the best thing for them! Now obviously balms do help, but the key is all in moderation.
Another thing to look at is what kinds are best for the delicate skin of your lips. With organic products growing so rapidly, many brands such as EOS, Burt’s Bees and the Yes to Carrots line all offer all natural and chemical free balms, which might be better for you and your skin.
Are you “addicted” to your lip balm? Try easing off of it, you might be surprised at how little you actually need to use it!
